Two academics who sued their union after being labelled transphobic over a film they directed have lost their discrimination claims at an employment tribunal. Dr Deirdre O’Neill of Hertfordshire University and Professor Michael Wayne of Brunel University faced criticism from the University and College Union (UCU) over their film, Adult Human Female, which the union said attacked trans identity.
The tribunal heard that protests twice blocked screenings of the film at the University of Edinburgh, with demonstrators hurling insults at attendees. The academics argued that the UCU’s public opposition amounted to unlawful discrimination based on their gender-critical belief that there are only two sexes. However, Employment Judge Laidler rejected their claims, stating the union was “entitled” to act as it did.
In a 52-page judgment, Judge Laidler said the UCU believed the film could offend other members and put them at risk, and the union was required to protect them. She noted that while describing the film as transphobic was a “fine line,” the film was a “manifestation” of the academics’ beliefs. O’Neill had testified that there was “no hate in the film.”
The UCU welcomed the ruling as “sensible and commonsense.” Mary Senior, Scotland official for the UCU, said it “cannot be right that a trade union is not able to protest peacefully within the law” against material it believes attacks others’ human rights.
