An email seen by Hillhead Review shows the University pledging support to Dr Michael Foran following a row over equality law.

The University of Glasgow has pledged its support to a lecturer following calls for him to be investigated by the University. Dr Michael Foran, a lecturer in Public Law at the University of Glasgow, specialises in constitutional and discrimination law, and has written extensively about how gender self-identification interacts with equality law.

Dr Foran took to X/Twitter to share an email he had received from Chief Operating Officer of the University, David Duncan, which read: “I am writing following the recent exchange of emails on the social media platform X (Twitter) in relation to your work on equality law.

“I want to make clear that the University supports your right (and that of all members of academic staff) to academic freedom and freedom of expression without fear of harassment and defamation. This relates in particular to your engagement with the public on matters of equality law, whether in media, social media or other forums.

“Please note that I have discussed this matter with the Principal and he is in full agreement with this position.”

In recent weeks, Dr Foran has been embroiled in a row on X/Twitter over equality law and how it interacts with gender identification. This included calls from Professor Stephen Whittle, OBE, for Dr Foran to be reprimanded by the University. 

In response to Dr Foran arguing that there are some instances in which there would be a legal basis  to exclude someone from a female-only service, Professor Whittle wrote on X/Twitter: “I am a Dr of Law with 2 honorary Doctorates for my equalities and human rights work…It is a service provider who decides who uses the services they provide including loos.

“The general public, including the self-constructed genital inspectorate & especially University of Glasgow Dr Michael Foran DO NOT have any say on whether any person can use the provided loo.

“Dr Michael Foran’s attitude to women stinks of misogyny & a despicable ‘lookist’ attitude to those women he personally finds acceptable - or not…University of Glasgow HR should give the DR a warning that it is in the Uni’s decision & NOT HIS, as to the woman who get to use the Uni’s loos.”

The row also led to an article being published in The Critic magazine in defence of Dr Foran by Roddy Dunlop KC. Professor Whittle responded to the article, tweeting to Roddy Dunlop: “You could write the same for myself. But you didn’t

“I had more than my share of harassment in the 50yrs I have argued for my community’s right to live within, not outside, of the law. Dr Foran should not promote the idea that citizens can judge women by looks…There lies Gilead”

The advocate Johnathan Brown, and groups such as Glasgow Academics for Academic Freedom were among those who tweeted in support of the University’s statement to Dr Foran.

Dr Foran told Hillhead Review: “The University has demonstrated a clear and unequivocal commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression and for that I’m very grateful. The attacks that I have received, from public figures and regrettably from fellow academics were an attempt to discredit me and my expertise. 

“Criticism of scholarship is vitally important to academic inquiry. Personal attacks attempting to cast doubt on an academic's character are not…It is regrettable that senior academics such as Professor Whittle have chosen to add heat rather than light to this important area of law.”

Published 1 November 2024