Controversial film branded as transphobic prevented from being shown for second time
A controversial film faced backlash once again as peaceful protests took to the University of Edinburgh
On Wednesday afternoon, roughly 100 protesters stood their ground against the university’s decision to screen Adult Human Female, a documentary which claims to be feminist but has been branded transphobic.
Organised by LGBTQ activism group Cabaret Against the Hate Speech alongside the University of Edinburgh Staff Pride Network, the protest took place outside the Gordon Aikman lecture theatre, as a result of their concerns not being heard.
The lecture theatre was blocked by a second, separately run protest, which led to security staff refusing to intervene and the screening being cancelled for the second time.
Jaime Prada, LGBTQ+ human rights activist and liberation officer at the University of Edinburgh believes the university is aware of the problems they are causing: “The protest was a celebration of queer joy. Not a single person was violent. People were singing, dancing and chanting all through the evening. People of all ages came together to celebrate that we are here and stronger than ever.
“The university administration allowed for the transphobic event to be organised. They knew the harm it would pose to the queer community on campus.
“Still, they keep defending that they respect trans people. Yesterday[Wednesday] we proved that they do not have the power to do so. We take it from them. They will respect us.”
The university has said that the event was cancelled due to safety concerns which were raised.
The directors of the film, Deirdre O’Neill and Mike Wayne have said that their film ‘is not homophobic’ in a statement, and that it has ‘lesbians speaking about how their sexual boundaries are under threat from men who claim to be women.’
Robyn Woof, trans and non-binary liberation officer at Edinburgh university student association believes the problem is deeply ingrained: “The repeated attempt to screen transphobic propaganda at the university is just one example of the university’s structural transphobia. Although the peaceful cabaret we organised to resist the screening was unconnected with the direct action I am so proud that once again brave students at our university have prevented the screening going ahead.”
She went on to say: “This film has been freely available online for over a year. The people attempting to watch the film were in the vast majority neither staff nor students at the university. This wasn’t an academic screening so much as an opportunity for radicalisation.”
Robyn also expressed how the university is failing to protect the community, far beyond the film: “They have refused to put period products in all toilets despite years of lobbying by myself, previous trans and non-binary liberation officers and other members of EUSA.”
Currently, sanitary products are only available in female toilets.
The Glasgow Standard has reached out to Edinburgh university for a comment.
The first minister spoke on the issue in parliament, saying he had not seen the film, however urged the university to ‘defend freedom of speech’.
He added: “We should ensure that our universities – and society more generally – are a place where we can have that robust exchange of ideas.”