More solidarity with the theocratic fascists

And now the Goldsmiths LGBTQ+ Society has joined the reactionary Goldsmiths Feminist Society in solidarity not with the secular feminist human rights campaigner Maryam Namazie but with the people – the men – who tried to bully her into silence at her talk on Monday. Yes that’s right. Solidarity with the bullies who did their best to shout down a woman advocating religious freedom and human rights.

Following recent events on- and offline, we would like to state and show our solidarity with the sisters and brothers of our Goldsmiths ISOC

We condemn AHS and online supporters for their islamophobic remarks and attitudes. If they feel intimidated, we urge them to look at the underpinnings of their ideology. We find that personal and social harm enacted in the name of ‘free speech’ is foul, and detrimental to the wellbeing of students and staff on campus.

In our experiences, members of ISOC have been nothing but charming, patient, kind, and peaceful as individuals and as an organization.

We hope this series of events prompts reflection in all parties involved, but also onlookers. Allyship consists of apologies, bearing with and deconstructing discomfort, respecting the necessary privacy of safer spaces, and opening our hearts to humans unlike ourselves.

We can all stand to improve in this area- which ideally is a daily, humbling practice and not a label.

Friends tell me they (the LGBTQ+ Society) have been deleting comments ever since, no matter how polite. They left this comment on their own post ten hours after posting (and after deleting all comments to that point):

Goldsmiths LGBTQ+ SocietyWe stand by Isoc and our statement is not negotiable. We reserve the right to moderate the comments and all islamaphobic, racist or inflammatory comments will be removed. Attempts have been made to flood this page in order to silence us, and we will not allow it to continue nor back down from our position.

How heroic! They won’t back down from their courageous stance with the bullies and against the human rights activists.

H/t David and Rosie

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