Oxford University has been criticised for its failure to act over a bearded lecturer who has been wearing giant fake breasts to teach.
asserted
who → criticise → breasts
Sex Matters, the gender-critical advocacy group, said it appeared no one at Oxford had questioned whether Matt Rattley's actions 'might amount to harassment of female students'.
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actions → say → students
It said there is 'no evidence' he identifies as a woman, and called on the university to 'call time' on 'inappropriate' behaviour.
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he → say → behaviour
The lecturer in biochemistry at St Hilda's College has already attracted online controversy due to his bizarre appearance, which also involves wearing women's clothes and makeup.
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which → attract → clothes
And last week it emerged three college graduates including a leading clinical psychologist have written to St Hilda's over concerns that Mr Rattley's behaviour 'violates women's dignity', and that it would be 'reasonable for them to feel that it creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating and offensive environment'.
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it → emerge → environment
St Hilda's has received at least three formal letters of complaint, including one from the parent of a current undergraduate, with some alleging that the situation amounts to sexual harassment against female students and teachers.
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situation → receive → students
Mr Rattley, who was appointed a non-stipendiary lecturer in 2023, has posted pictures of himself on social media wearing the prosthetic breasts with low-cut tops.
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who → appoint → tops
Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns at Sex Matters, said: 'It is unlikely that lawmakers ever intended to normalise and protect a bearded man wearing giant fake breasts to teach young women at university.
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lawmakers → say → university
Oxford University has been criticised for its failure to act over a bearded lecturer who has been wearing giant fake breasts to teach students.
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who → criticise → students
'But it seems that no one at Oxford University has questioned whether his behaviour is appropriate, whether it might amount to harassment of female students, or simply make them feel uncomfortable.
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them → seem → students
There's no evidence that this man identifies as a woman, but transgender demands muddy the water so that normal standards of behaviour are undermined, and those in positions of authority who should know better do not intervene for fear of upsetting the transgender lobby.
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who → be → lobby
'The impact on women doesn't seem to feature.'
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impact → seem → women
Oxford has said that it does not comment on 'individual personnel matters' and that any students with concerns need to go through the 'established University or college procedures'.
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students → say → procedures
But Ms McAnena added: 'If, as the university statement claims, it aims to be a place where "all members of our community feel respected", then its leaders should call time on behaviour that many female students and academics are likely to find insulting and inappropriate, and show that they have some respect for their female colleagues and students'.
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they → add → colleagues
At the weekend, an Oxford academic who attended training events alongside Mr Rattley told The Mail on Sunday: 'I was due to attend a series of staff training sessions at Oxford with Mr Rattley.
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I → attend → Rattley
I ended up missing most of them because I found being around him so distressing.
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being → end → him
At the first session, he was giving a presentation.
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he → give → presentation
I was in the front row, so those big prosthetic boobs felt like they were in my face.
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they → feel → face
I didn't know where to look.
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I → know → ?
'The worst part was that other people were behaving as though he was dressed normally.
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he → behave → ?
You're sitting there thinking what you're seeing is hideous and disrespectful, while everyone around you is pretending it's OK.
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it → sit → you
It makes you doubt your sanity.
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you → make → sanity
Another session I attended was during the summer heatwave.
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I → attend → heatwave
Rattley was sitting with his legs apart in a miniskirt, with his underwear visible, flanked by two admiring young women - in long dresses.
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underwear → sit → dresses
Sex Matters, the gender-critical advocacy group, said it appeared no-one at Oxford had questioned whether Matt Rattley's actions 'might amount to harassment of female students'.
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actions → say → students
Many of the female staff fawn over him.
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Many → fawn → him
It does feel like sexual harassment.
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It → feel → harassment
You feel as though you're being forced to participate in someone's sexual fetish without being given a choice.
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you → feel → choice
It's like being forced to watch porn.
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It → force → porn
You either comply or feel you're risking your job by objecting.
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you → comply → job
'After the training, I sent the organisers feedback, asking how they would respond if the female trainer they hired for the event wore a "strap-on" penis'.
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they → send → penis
Another Oxford lecturer said that students and academics fear speaking out.
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students → say → ?
'Oxford people are very reluctant to speak out in public about Mr Rattley, because although the University is pretty good about free speech in the abstract, it comes down hard on anyone who says anything about another identifiable member of the University,' she said.
'
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she → speak → University
I privately asked a fellow at St Hilda's what, if anything, they were doing about this.
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they → ask → this
She said that, as far as she knew, no student had complained, and unless and until that happened, it was very unlikely that the College would do anything.'
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College → say → anything
A former student at the college said: 'This case is one that really troubled me throughout my time as a student and that I continue to find disturbing and disillusioning.
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I → say → that
'At first, I thought it was a joke—fancy dress.
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it → think → ?
Had I been an undergraduate in his class, I know I would have felt very conflicted and deeply uncomfortable.
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I → know → class
I'd also have felt guilt for thinking negatively of someone whose internal state I simply couldn't know.
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I → feel → state
I certainly wouldn't have made a formal complaint.
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I → make → complaint
…and 18 more, not listed.
The Aporia
