DAN MOSKOVITZ (HE/HIM)
Rutherford House will host a panel discussion of TERFs on Tuesday night after Te Herenga Waka greenlit their booking. UniQ and QED are organizing a counter-protest.
Sall Grover, founder of Australian app Giggle for Girls exclusively for women, faces a lawsuit from transgender woman Roxanne Tickle. Ms Tickle was banned from the app due to being trangender. The case is currently in the Australian Federal Court awaiting a final verdict. Grover intends to escalate to the High Court if unsuccessful.
Grover is currently touring New Zealand to discuss the case with local TERFs, including an event at Pipitea campus on Tuesday evening.
“This event poses a direct threat to the inclusivity and safety of our community,” said UniQ president Khai Dye-Brinkman in a statement. “Our protest is not against free speech but against speech that actively works to marginalize and endanger transgender people.”
The Women’s Rights Party, which shares many of the same stances as Grover, is one of her key backers in her anti-trans crusade. They got 2500 votes, equating to 0.08% in the 2023 election.
Te Herenga Waka was keen to wash its hands of the event when pressed, stating that campus facilities are available to external groups on payment, and that security staff would be on-site. However, both the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor declined invitations to Grover's event.
“We urge VUW to consider its role in hosting events that propagate discrimination and to advocate for policies that uphold the safety and inclusion of all students and staff,” added Dye-Brinkman.
UniQ’s protest will begin at 4.30pm on Tuesday 9 July and meet at Pipitea campus, with marshals providing directions. Sall Grover’s event is scheduled for 6pm.
EDITORIAL NOTE: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated Sall Grover's event begun at 9pm, instead of the correct time, 6pm. The article was updated with the correct time on 09/07/24