A series of academic lectures at the University of Oxford has been cut short after repeated disruptions by activists opposing the speaker’s views on sex and gender law.
The talks, delivered by law lecturer Dr Michael Foran, were intended to explore legal questions surrounding sex, gender identity, privacy, and single-sex spaces, but became the focus of heated protests during their early sessions.
Academic Series Focused on Gender and the Law
Dr Michael Foran, an associate professor of law at the University of Oxford, had been presenting material linked to his recent book, Sex, Gender Identity and the Law.
The lectures examined how legal definitions of sex have evolved over time and how those definitions intersect with issues such as freedom of expression, privacy rights, and the operation of single-sex spaces.
The programme was hosted at Keble College, part of the University of Oxford, and was open to both students and members of the public.
First Disruption During Opening Lecture
Tensions emerged on May 29 during the opening lecture titled How Sex Changed. As Dr Foran prepared to begin speaking, two individuals approached the front of the lecture hall and addressed attendees directly.
Video footage later circulated online showed one protester reading a statement accusing the lecturer of disguising bias behind academic work.
The speaker urged attendees to leave the venue, describing participation as “platforming” and calling the lecturer “bigoted” and “transphobic.”
Some attendees remained, while others left in response to the protest. The incident interrupted the session before it could properly begin.
Second Lecture Also Interrupted by Activists
A further disruption occurred at a second talk focused on Single-Sex Spaces, held the following week.
According to accounts shared online, the same pair of activists again stood in front of the audience to challenge the lecture.
This time, several attendees reportedly responded by telling the protesters to leave.
After they exited, two additional individuals—believed to have been seated within the audience—stood up and continued the protest before being escorted out by event staff.
Footage of the incidents was later shared publicly by author Julie Bindel, who said she had received the recordings from a student present at the event.
Decision to Cancel Remaining Lectures
Following the repeated interruptions, Dr Foran announced that the rest of the lecture series would not go ahead.
In a post shared on social media platform X, he said escalating disruptions had made it impossible to guarantee a safe and constructive environment for attendees.
He added that the decision, while regrettable, was taken because the protests had undermined the academic purpose of the series.
He also stressed that students should not be subjected to harassment at educational events.
Dr Foran later uploaded a recording of the second lecture without the protest footage, explaining that he had removed it to preserve the academic focus of the material.
Reactions From Writers and Campaigners
The cancellations prompted strong responses from commentators and advocacy figures.
Author and human rights campaigner Joan Smith suggested the disruptions reflected fear of the ideas being presented, describing the protesters’ actions as an attempt to silence debate rather than engage with it.
Former sailor and women’s sport advocate Tracy Edwards said the situation was discouraging, arguing that universities should remain spaces for open discussion and intellectual exchange rather than confrontation.
Kate Barker, chief executive of the LGB Alliance, criticised what she described as a broader trend of shutting down opposing views within gender identity debates.
Dr Emma Hilton, a biologist and chair of the human rights organisation Sex Matters, also commented that disagreement should be addressed through engagement rather than disruption, describing academic debate as central to university life.
Wider Context of Ongoing Campus Tensions
The incident comes amid continuing disputes at UK universities over speech, protest, and gender identity discussions.
Similar disruptions have occurred in recent years, including protests at events featuring feminist academic Kathleen Stock at the Oxford Union.
The broader legal and political backdrop has also shifted.
A UK Supreme Court ruling clarified interpretations of sex within the Equality Act 2010, stating that references to “woman” and “sex” relate to biological sex in certain legal contexts.
More recently, updated guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission reinforced that single-sex services may be based on biological sex, including in areas such as sport and healthcare provision.
As debates over gender law continue across academic and public spaces, the cancelled Oxford lecture series has become the latest flashpoint in an increasingly polarised national conversation.
