Professor Rosa Freedman fears for safety after raising concerns over proposed changes to Gender Recognition Act
A University of Reading law professor has claimed her office door was drenched in urine after she expressed her views on the law relating to sex and gender identity. Professor Rosa Freedman, a specialist in law conflict and global development, said she had also received a number of threatening calls, including one telling her she “should be raped and killed”.
Taking to Twitter yesterday, Freedman said she was scared for her “physical safety” and had resorted to “hiding behind trees” because of her “views that a woman is defined by law as biological not psychological”.
The 35-year-old, who is against self-identification, raised concerns publically about how changes to the law, namely the Gender Recognition Act, and how this might affect womans’ rights.
I found my office door covered in urine, including some that had seeped under the door, and I spent time cleaning it up because I could not bear the smell or the shame of what had happened. Last week I discovered criminal damage explicitly encouraging me to leave the University
— Rosa Freedman (@GoonerProf) December 5, 2018
Continuing, the Queen Mary, University of London law grad claimed academics were “being demonised, harassed, and targeted for expressing opinions based on the expertise for which we were hired and for why we are revered.”
the research, educating, & administration that comes with the job — yet we are being demonised, harassed, and targeted for expressing opinions based on the expertise for which we were hired and for why we are revered. This evening I was followed by students on campus, and ended
— Rosa Freedman (@GoonerProf) December 5, 2018
Responding to the tweets, Dr Chloё Houston, an associate professor in early modern drama at Reading uni, said she “100%” condemned the abusive treatment and called on the protestors to “take their masks off”.
I hope that the protestors will take their masks off, stop shouting and talk. And I 100% condemn the abusive treatment of @GoonerProf . Do you?
— Dr Chloe Houston (@ChloeReading) December 5, 2018
Freedman told Legal Cheek: “The University supports academic freedom, as do my colleagues and many students. A very small minority of trans rights activists are trying to intimidate people or shut down debate, but we have seen over recent weeks that these discussions are occurring regardless and I will continue to contribute opinions based on my research on international human rights law where and when appropriate to do so.”
In a statement on Twitter, the University of Reading said:
“We are aware of the alleged incidents against a member of staff and we are investigating them. The safety of students and staff is our top priority and we do not tolerate any form of harassment or intimidation, but until we know more detail we cannot say anything further.”
According to her LinkedIn, Freedman completed an LLM at UCL before going on to study the Bar Vocational Course (now the Bar Professional Training Course) at City, University of London.
