The reality of cancel culture

Cancel culture is causing a “generational divide” and a lack of diversity in conversations around
transgender rights. Professor Patricia Karvelas spoke in the Inaugural Honorary Professorial
Lecture in support of transgender rights slamming the “policing of gender” and “moral panic
debates”.
Professor Karvelas admitted the “concept of wokeness” and “cancelling voices should not be the
way we proceed”. She urged that members of the transgender community need to be in the room
for the conversation.
Associate Professor Holly Lawford Smith, Senior Lecturer at Melbourne University in gender
critical feminism, agreed “there’s not an honest debate going on” but was concerned of the
voices against transgender rights being the ones that were not heard.
Speaking on her own history of being “cancelled” Ass. Prof. Smith agreed there is a generational
divide between “new wave feminism” that acknowledges transgender women as women, and
feminism that is not inclusive of transgender women. She continued saying that speaking out
against transgender rights can leave people “alienated” or “politically homeless”.
Assoc. Prof Smith faced large backlash over the past 5 years including on campus protests, calls
for her to be sacked and being labeled as “transphobic” after publicly expressing her views on
transgender issues online.
Prof. Karvelas was clear in stating the transgender community are “suffering extremely high rates
of abuse and distress” and urged the conversation needed to “come back to facts,” urging people
needed to be respected for their differing views.
Both Assoc. Prof. Smith and Prof. Karvelas were on opposing sides of the issue, they were both
clear there was a serious gap in the conversation on gender rights and transgender issues.