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9 November 2021 10:50 AM

Lorraine Kelly challenges professor who quit job over trans remarks: ‘You’ve not really been cancelled’

"You actually, in a way, have more of a voice now," Kelly told LGB Alliance trustee Kathleen Stock.

By Jamie Tabberer

Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: ITV

Lorraine Kelly delicately and expertly challenged a guest about her views on trans people on her TV show yesterday morning.

Kathleen Stock, a former lecturer of philosophy at the University of Sussex, resigned from her job over what she has called “a medieval experience” of ostracism and peaceful protests over her remarks about gender identity. 

Stock, who has denied accusations that she’s transphobic, recently published a book questioning whether gender identity is more “socially significant” than biological sex.

“We can talk about it”

“Feeling like a woman doesn’t make you a woman as far as I’m concerned,” Stock, who opposes self-ID, told the host. “There’s a difference between trans women and women which are important when it comes to laws, policies, sport, prisons, changing rooms.”

After pointing out trans people “have a terrible time – there’s a high rate of suicide, they face abuse,” Kelly later said: “There’s this whole thing, isn’t there, about ‘cancel culture. But you’ve not really been ‘cancelled’. Because you walked away from your job. You did resign. Why did you not stay? Because the university in the end supported you, didn’t they?”

Kelly later added: “Again, with the cancel thing… You’re talking to me, you’ve been on Woman’s Hour. Your book’s been reprinted. You actually, in a way, have more of a voice now than you probably did before.”

“And I’m going use it,” replied Stock.

Stock also told the presenter: “I think people have looked at my situation and said ‘hang on a minute, how has this happened in a university, which is supposed to be about exploring ideas?’ But on the other hand, there’s still a bunch of people out there that really don’t want me to have this conversation. And they are influential too.”


Kelly also told Stock: “‘I don’t agree with everything that you’re saying at all, but that’s okay because we can talk about it.”

Lorraine later tweeted: “I believe transwomen are women and transmen are men. Dr Stock doesn’t and we disagree on that [sic].”

Stock, a trustee of the LGB Alliance, took to Twitter to say: “Thanks @reallorraine for having me. I can see Twitter dissent but I think it’s totally fine for us to disagree – that’s what we want, don’t we, open discussion? Otherwise I’d be no better than those who want me fired.”

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