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In the hard news business, it is well understood that if it bleeds, it leads. In cultural news, the same principle applies. Not a day goes by that we dont see a story of a panel discussion in jeopardy or cancelled, a controversial film withdrawn, or an academic on the incorrect side of a cultural debate de-platformed. One could be forgiven for assuming that cancel culture reigns supreme in the public forum.

Its gratifying, therefore, to report that a speaking engagement featuring a highly controversial researcher and clinician in the hot-button field of gender dysphoria will take place as planned at McGill University. The cancel-culture mould in this case was not broken by chance. A good strategic plan prevented a predictable brush fire of protest from becoming a conflagration.

Within the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University, the Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry (DSTP) pursues and promotes research, training and consultation in the domains of social and cultural psychiatry. Under the rubric of the Culture, Mind and Brain Program, an ongoing sub-division of the DSTP, with links to affiliated faculty in other McGill departments and worldwide, the DSTP is presenting a lecture, titled Children and Adolescents with Gender Dysphoria: Some contemporary research and clinical issues, to be delivered Jan. 23 by Dr. Ken Zucker, professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto.

The cancel-culture mould in this case was not broken by chance

Dr. Zucker, a pioneer and leading expert in the field of gender dysphoria, is a cancel-culture veteran, and remains a magnet for trans activists ire. In 2015, when he headed up the Gender Identity Clinic at Torontos Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), a post hed held for decades, he was targeted for condemnation by trans activists, who accused him of practicing conversion therapy, a false allegation that led to his summary dismissal. Dr. Zucker successfully refuted the charge in a later lawsuit against CAMH, resulting in a payout and retractions, but not in reinstatement. Dr. Zucker does in fact endorse supervised hormone therapy where warranted for adolescents on a case-by-case basis, but is a proponent of watchful waiting and for treating patients holistically.

DSTP Professor Samuel Veissire, organizer of this event, has been keeping me up to date on responses. To be honest, when I received his invitation to the talk and I saw Dr. Zuckers name, I entered it into my calendar with a question mark. I assumed the odds were high that he would be de-platformed by an administration browbeaten by activists. Im happy to be proven wrong.

Thats not to say there was no opposition. Queer McGill issued a warning on its Facebook page, repeating the canard about conversion therapy and advising friends that the talk would be given from a non-trans perspective. Prof. Veissire made a point of meeting with Queer McGill to hear their complaints and concern. Their position was basically no conversation without us at first, but he argued persuasively and respectfully that it is also reasonable for parents to assume their right and to honour their responsibility to be involved in decisions around radical physical changes in their children. This outreach in itself, letting people who object to the talk know that their perspectives are welcome in the conversation, I imagine went some distance in calming potentially roiled waters.

The Facebook pages comments were refreshingly diverse, and maturely considered. One queer woman of colour posted, I understand that this talk isnt for everyone, but I feel like we tend to be quick on condemning what we perceive like an attack, and police each other instead of practicing patience with different levels of understanding or even taking the opportunity to speak our truth.

Prof. Veissire also sent out a call for support on a sex research email list. Other scholars then shared it on Twitter. Responses were intended for both the administration at McGill and the public record, to show people or groups who had asked for the talk to be cancelled that there was widespread support for Dr. Zucker.

The Facebook page's comments were refreshingly diverse

Letters attesting to Dr. Zuckers eminence in his field flowed in from authoritative colleagues, such as Northwestern University psychology professor J. Michael Bailey, Columbia Universitys Developmental Psychoendocrinology Program director Heino F. L. Meyer-Bahlburg, University of Toronto psychiatry professor Ray Blanchard, and Harvard University psychology professor Steven Pinker.

Most touching was an ardent testimonial from Pique Resilience Project, a support group for detransitioned women. They wrote that they themselves would greatly have benefited from the more careful, evidence-based treatment approach that Dr. Zucker uses in his clinical practice. Their email concludes, Perspectives like Dr. Zuckers are critical to ensuring that more individuals dont make the mistake we did.

Most people, Prof. Veissire believes, want to see more brave conversations on difficult topics, but are reluctant to be publicly associated with politically unorthodox views. His private conversations with students have convinced him that when they see evidence that other people they trust are also open to these conversations, peoples fears ease up a bit.

Perhaps, as Prof. Veissire mused, 2020 will be the year of reason in the culture wars spin. Perhaps. Just minutes before filing this column, I was made aware that the Pride Therapy Network of Montreal had sent a letter dated Jan. 20 to Prof. Veissires asking that Dr. Zucker be de-platformed. And on Wednesday McGills Joint Board-Senate Subcommittee on Queer People also wrote the organizers to express disappointment and ask that the event be cancelled. It wont be. A more constructive approach would be for their members to attend the presentation and contribute their perspectives to the discussion in a civil fashion.

Email: kaybarb@gmail.com | Twitter:

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Originally posted here:
Barbara Kay: Will 2020 will be the year of reason in the cancel-culture wars? - National Post