In a startling turn of events, a sociology professor alleges that the Canadian government effectively “no-platformed” her for her views on biological sex. Alice Sullivan, a distinguished scholar at University College London IOE’s Social Research Institute, revealed that her talk titled “Why do we need data on sex and gender identity?” was abruptly canceled by the Canadian authorities. Not only was her presentation scrapped at the last minute, but her honorarium was also denied, leaving Sullivan bewildered and frustrated.
Oh, Canada!
Cancelling a woman for believing there are biological women on International Women's Day. https://t.co/23HGzO4aQS
— The College Fix (@CollegeFix) March 26, 2024
According to Sullivan, her talk was intended to explore the importance of collecting data on both sex and gender identity, rather than defaulting solely to “gender” as mandated by the Canadian government’s data collection practices. Scheduled to coincide with International Women’s Day on March 8, Sullivan’s presentation aimed to foster meaningful dialogue on a crucial aspect of social research.
However, the situation took a baffling turn when Sullivan sent her slides for translation into French. Suddenly, the person who initially invited her informed Sullivan of the event’s cancellation without providing a satisfactory explanation. Furthermore, Sullivan was informed that her honorarium would not be paid, with the department allegedly seeking to avoid any record of her involvement.
In response to inquiries, a spokesperson for the department’s Communications Branch justified the cancellation by stating that Sullivan’s event was supplanted by another offering from the Canada School of Public Service, which ostensibly better aligned with the theme of International Women’s Day 2024.
The incident has reignited debates about academic freedom, censorship, and the politicization of data collection. Sullivan’s experience serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the challenges faced by scholars who dare to challenge prevailing orthodoxy in their fields.
