University closes book on lecturer transphobia complaints

The University of Melbourne has cleared a philosophy lecturer at the centre of a boycott campaign by trans rights activists of any disciplinary breach for attending a women’s rights rally gatecrashed by neo-Nazis.

A broader dispute between the outspoken gender critical feminist, trans rights campaigners and the university shows no sign of abating, however, with Holly Lawford-Smith pressing ahead with a WorkSafe complaint against her employer and the university preparing to deploy security guards outside her second-year feminism class.

Associate Professor of Philosophy Holly Lawford-Smith has vowed to pursue her WorkSafe complaint against the University of Melbourne.Credit: Joe Armao

A two-year campaign by trans and allied students against Lawford-Smith escalated in the wake of the Let Women Speak rally, with activists putting up stickers and posters around campus accusing students who take her feminism class of being fascists and bigots.

Nearly two months after the university launched an internal investigation into Lawford-Smith’s attendance at the Let Women Speak rally on the steps of the Victorian Parliament, it last week formally informed her she had no case to answer.

In a letter sent by university director of legal services Mark Flaherty to Lawford-Smith’s solicitor, Ben Marshall, the university confirmed a preliminary assessment of her conduct found her decision to attend and speak at the rally had no relation to her work and “is a personal matter for her”.

Flaherty said the university examined Lawford-Smith’s Twitter posts over a two-week period surrounding the rally and found that, although one of her deleted tweets mentioning students “falls short of the standards of conduct and professionalism expected”, it was unlikely to constitute a disciplinary breach and required no further action.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the university reserves any rights it may have with respect to other social media or conduct (including future activity) by Holly that has not been considered under these assessments,” the letter warned.

The review is the second investigation in as many years prompted by complaints from students and faculty staff about the teaching, research and public commentary of Lawford-Smith, who challenges the prevailing trans ideology by arguing women are defined by sex rather than gender identity.

Lawford-Smith’s tweets and replies examined by the university run to more than 100 pages. The posts include support for Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, the UK activist who led the March 18 rally, and Moira Deeming, the Liberal MP this month expelled from the state party room after attending the rally.

Lawford-Smith welcomed the latest findings but vowed to pursue her WorkSafe complaint against the university.

Some of the posters and stickers targeting Holly Lawford-Smith at the University of Melbourne.

“Obviously, it is a relief to have that monkey off my back but I am still quite angry,” she said. “Why did they threaten my employment if they didn’t have a case? I’m relieved that it is closed but it opens up other questions about their treatment of me.”

In her WorkSafe complaint, Lawford-Smith accuses the university of bullying and failing to protect academic freedom and provide her with a safe workplace.

She said her head of faculty, Dean of Arts Professor Russell Goulbourne, emboldened the boycott campaign against Lawford-Smith when he sent an email to staff denouncing the Let Women Speak event and “those connected to it”.

In a subsequent email to staff and students, Goulbourne condemned the campaign as an attempt to disparage Lawford-Smith and intimidate her prospective students.

The university confirmed it had received notice of the WorkSafe complaint.

“We will cooperate fully with any inquiries, as the University of Melbourne is committed to a safe, secure and respectful workplace for our staff and students,” a spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the decision to provide a security presence at her feminism class was made in consultation with Lawford-Smith. The university has separately invited Lawford-Smith to meet with Goulbourne to “discuss working together”.

Posters and stickers – which university security has since removed – accused Lawford-Smith of arguing against the existence of transgender people and her prospective students of supporting fascism. The campaign is ongoing, with new posters appearing last week.

Holly Lawford-Smith addresses the Let Women Speak Rally on March 18.

Amelia Bright, a trans student not involved in the boycott campaign, said Lawford-Smith was fundamentally transphobic.

The university, in its letter to Lawford-Smith’s lawyer, defended its handling of the complaints against her, its response to the boycott campaign including instructing security to remove the stickers and posters, and its support of academic freedom.

“Holly is aware that her views and the teaching of her subject in the faculty has attracted and continues to attract some controversy and debate including contrary views,” Flaherty said.

“Holly will also be aware that the university is committed to academic freedom and freedom of expression, subject to and in accordance with its policies, which include the commitment to making sure the university’s environment is one where people can participate fully in the life of the university and go about their work with dignity and without harassment and intimidation.”

The Flaherty letter revealed that on this year’s Transgender Day of Visibility, heightened tensions on campus prompted Lawford-Smith and her head of school to cancel one of her classes due to security concerns.

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