ISBI [39] Monash University - Alumni Encouragement (V2)
1. Background
On 27th Jun 2024 we emailed the University asking them to provide a position on whether or not it is possible for a human to change sex.
We have had no response so we are asking alumni to write to the VC to encourage her to provide one.
2. Monash University Has an Institutional Position on the Matter
It is clear from the University’s policy1 that the University has taken an institutional position that it is possible for a human to change sex/gender. (Before the UK’s GRA 2004 the terms sex and gender were used interchangeably. Since then sex/gender/gender identity have been conflated, making it nigh impossible as to what term is meant. We take the position that references to gender means a reference to sex (male or female)
(a)
Pronouns are sexed and refer to a preceding noun in a sentence. For example, “The man entered the room, and he shut the door behind him”. The pronouns “he” and “him” refer to “The man”. In the sentence “The ‘trans’ woman entered the room, and she shut the door behind her” the pronouns “she” and “her” are grammatically wrong because a ‘trans’ woman is a biological male. For the University to accept the she/her pronouns for a man who identifies as a woman is to accept that a male observed at birth can become a female.
3. Please write to Professor Pickering,
Below is a suggested email to send to Professor Pickering:
To: Sharon.Pickering@monash.edu
cc: ISBIMAN@outlook.com
Subject: [39] Is it Possible for a Human to Change Sex?
To Professor Sharon Pickering,
Vice-Chancellor and President,
Monash University
Dear Professor Pickering,
The Substack Post
https://mneill.substack.com/p/isbi-39-monash-university-alumni
shows that Monash University has taken the position that it is possible to change sex.
Please can you:
Provide evidence that a male observed at birth can become a female
or, like Sussex University, state that it is not the University's position that a male observed at birth can become a female. You could add a statement along the lines that the University recognizes that some people claim a Gender Identity that does not match their birth sex and, in the interests of diversity and inclusion, the University makes accommodations for such beliefs?
If the University’s position is not provided by 25th Aug 2024, the University’s position will default to: “The university declines to state its position on whether a human can change sex”
As my alma mater I feel this will be an abandonment of the University’s responsibility to provide scientific knowledge to the academic community and to the public at large.
Please can you copy in ISBIMAN@outlook.com in your response to me?
Yours sincerely,
<Name>
<Address>
<Degree Subject and year of graduation>
4. The process
The alumni encouragement process is defined here:
https://mneill.substack.com/p/isbi-alumni-encouragement-phase-v3
5. We are
Martin Neill
Louise Moody
Alessandra Asteriti2
Version History
Version 1: 18 Jul 2024
https://www.monash.edu/students/support/lgbtiqa/gender-affirmation
(Accessed 18 Jul 2024)
Click on the link for the background to this initiative
https://mneill.substack.com/p/isbi-is-human-sex-binary-and-immutable