Heterodox Out Loud

Trans Rights and Gender Identity with Kathleen Stock | Ep. 19

Jun 27, 2024

Former professor of philosophy Kathleen Stock discusses the medicalization of gender questioning, societal impact of policy changes, challenges in professional settings, debates on trans women in single-sex spaces, role of free speech in academia, and concerns for academic freedom.

01:11:48

Creator website

Episode guests

Kathleen Stock

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Criticism of the medicalization of gender questioning and societal pressure on individuals

Debates over the inclusion of trans women in single-sex spaces and sports

The importance of upholding biological sex in feminist discourse and societal regulations

Deep dives

Challenges with Gender Identity and the Medicalization of Gender Non-Conformity

The podcast discusses the challenges faced by individuals who are same-sex attracted and how they navigate their identity within a society where heterosexuality is socially significant. It highlights the shift towards viewing gender non-conformity as a problem requiring medical intervention, emphasizing that not conforming to societal gender norms is being pathologized. The discussion raises concerns about the pressure to undergo medical procedures to address gender identity issues and the implications of these interventions.

Intro

2min

Exploring Transgender Politics, Academic Background, and Gender Identity

17min

Debate Over UK Gender Recognition Act and Impact on Transgender Rights

12min

Exploring Gender Identity and Its Societal Implications

21min

Protests and Confrontations

5min

Analyzing Suicide Rates and Reason in Transgender Debates

2min

Evolution of Academic Norms and Challenges in Debates

9min

Concerns about the Future of Universities and Academic Silence on Controversial Topics

3min

What happens when public policy meets the complex world of modern gender identity? Our guest today is Kathleen Stock, a former professor of philosophy at the University of Sussex, author of the critically-acclaimed "Material Girls", and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) awardee. Kathleen joins host John Tomasi to navigate the often-tense intersection of trans rights, gender identity, and academic freedom. Despite facing protests, security threats, and professional challenges, Kathleen steadfastly advocates for open inquiry and reasoned debate.

Today, John and Kathleen discuss the controversial landscape of transgender issues. Kathleen criticizes the medicalization of gender questioning and the societal pressure it places on individuals. She explains how academic and societal frameworks have rapidly evolved with the influence of activism, particularly examining the ramifications for single-sex spaces and public policies.

In This Episode:

Criticism of the medicalization of gender questioning
The societal impact of Stonewall’s policy changes and the Gender Recognition Act
Challenges faced by Kathleen in professional settings due to her views
Debates over the inclusion of trans women in single-sex spaces and sports
The role of free speech and reason in academic discourse
Concerns for the future of universities and academic freedom

Follow Kathleen on X here: https://x.com/Docstockk

Check out her book Material Girls: https://a.co/d/02sKzGz9

About Kathleen:

Kathleen Stock is a contributing writer at UnHerd and a co-director of The Lesbian Project. She is the author of Material Girls: Why Reality Matters for Feminism (Little Brown 2021) and Only Imagine: Fiction, Interpretation and Imagination (Oxford University Press 2017). Until 2021, she was a Professor of Philosophy at Sussex University. In the last few years, she has written for UK national publications on a range of issues, especially on sex, gender, and women's rights. In 2024, she was highly commended for her UnHerd columns at the UK Press Awards; in 2022, she was voted World’s Top Thinker in Prospect Magazine. She was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to higher education in 2020.

Follow Heterodox Academy on:

Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5Dy

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfw

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJ

Instagram: https://bit.ly/46HKfUg

Substack: https://bit.ly/48IhjNF

🔗 Find out more about Heterodox Academy at: https://linktr.ee/heterodoxoutloud