University fined after limiting free speech on trans ideology

The University of Sussex has been fined £585,000 by the higher education watchdog for failing to protect free speech in the case of gender-critical academic Kathleen Stock. The Office for Students (OfS) found that the university’s transgender policy had a “chilling effect” on lawful debate, leading staff and students to self-censor.

The investigation, which lasted three-and-a-half years, concluded that Stock “felt unable to teach certain topics” due to the university’s policies. A former philosophy professor, she resigned in 2021 after facing protests and harassment over her views on gender identity.

In response to the ruling, Sussex’s vice-chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, accused the OfS of using the case to stoke “culture wars”.

In turn, Stock criticised the university’s response, writing in UnHerd: “I would have thought there was an opportunity here to regretfully concede past mistakes on someone else’s watch, then move on.” She also argued that the university’s past policies had made it “practically impossible” to debate gender identity issues from a critical perspective.

The OfS ruling partly focused on Sussex’s former trans policy, which required course materials to “positively represent trans people and trans lives.” Stock described this as an “egregious” restriction that limited academic freedom. She warned that many universities still enforce “dim-witted, claustrophobic policies” that prioritise student activism over open debate.

Professor Arif Ahmed, the Government's Free Speech tsar, has urged universities to review their policies to avoid similar penalties in future. He noted that while Sussex’s fine was reduced from a possible £3.3 million, future cases could face harsher financial consequences.

“This is the first case of its kind,” Ahmed stated. “Clearly, future cases will not be the first, so there will be a potential for higher fines.” He also emphasised that new free speech laws coming later this year would allow the OfS to act “more straightforwardly and more quickly.”