The Good News Supplement: 22nd January - Sunday 28th January

“Phoenix Rising” by The Famous Artist Birdy Rose

What a week it’s been! Here are a selection of the good news stories from the gender beat. Enjoy!

The Phoenix & the OU on the Carpet

The best news of the week! In a resounding victory for academic freedom, Professor Jo Phoenix has won her legal case against the Open University.

The employment tribunal, led by Judge Jennifer Young, concluded that Professor Jo Phoenix suffered discrimination and harassment, that the OU had failed to protect her and that she was constructively dismissed.

In a 155 page judgement (which pulls absolutely no punches!) the tribunal found that “The respondent [the OU] failed to protect the claimant because they did not want to be seen to give any kind of support to academics with gender critical beliefs, including the claimant.”

As Susanna Rustin wrote in The Guardian, “The ruling was highly critical of the organisation [The OU] and members of its staff who collaborated on an open letter and statements opposing the establishment of a gender-critical research network of six people. The tribunal found that Phoenix, a professor of criminology, had been constructively unfairly dismissed, discriminated against, victimised and harassed. And it said some of those involved in the attacks on her were ‘evasive and resistant to providing the truth’ to the tribunal”.

The tribunal was also taking no prisoners when commenting on Professor Louise Westmarland’s ‘racist uncle’ insult, deeming that Professor Phoenix's complaint of harassment is ‘well founded’.

Furthermore, the tribunal ruled that use of words like ‘transphobe’ and ‘TERF’ are ‘terms of insult’ and can constitute unlawful workplace harassment.

The day after the judgement, Professor Phoenix appeared on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour to talk about the case and its effect on her life. A harrowing listen but ‘good news’ because it’s finally being talked about on a BBC programme!

There was even coverage in The Guardian…

…including this brilliant opinion piece by Susanna Rustin.

Later in the week, Professor Tim Blackman, Vice-Chancellor of The Open University, made a statement on the outcome of the tribunal, apologising to Jo Phoenix.

Huge Congratulations, solidarity and respect, Professor.

You can read more about the judgement from the professor herself on her Substack.

Leaving Them Kids Alone

The Ohio Senate has overridden Governor DeWine’s HB 68 veto, thus preventing medical interventions for gender-confused children.

Ohio Governor, Mike DeWine, had originally rejected House Bill 68 but the Ohio Senate has overridden his veto by 24 votes to eight. Consequently, doctors will be barred from prescribing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for and performing ‘gender transition’ surgery on anyone under the age of eighteen.

The legislation also bans trans-identified males from participating on female sports teams in schools and at collegiate level.

Big respect and huge congratulations to courageous detransitioner, Chloe Cole, who has been campaigning for years to protect Ohio’s children.

Whitehall Farce

Kemi Badenoch, Minister for Women & Equalities, is said to be stepping in over the pay gap data being recorded by the Civil Service.

It was revealed recently that civil servants advise firms to collect gender pay gap information based on their employees self-declared ‘gender identity’ rather than on biological sex. This prompted Dr Kate Coleman, director of Keep Prisons Single Sex, to contact Kemi Badenoch’s department in protest.

A source close to Ms Badenoch told The Daily Mail, “We are constantly finding this sort of stuff buried in Whitehall guidance and regulations. We're glad Kate has brought it to our attention and we're looking very closely at what we can do about it”.

Glinner of Hope

As you may know, Our Graham is one of a group of people taking legal action against a Belfast pub after customers were refused service, insulted and even physically assaulted because of their gender critical views.

For more information and to donate to the CrowdJustice fund, please see this link.

Don’t miss Our Graham speaking to Meghan Murphy on The Same Drugs podcast.

And don’t forget that Graham’s memoir, Tough Crowd, is still available from Amazon, The Express shop, Lightning Eye, Waterstones, Blackwells and all other discerning outlets. (There are also audio versions available on Audible and Spotify too.)

And Finally…