Holly Lawford-Smith
I give a talk at the University of Sydney. As though it’s still 2023 in Sydney, there is opposition to the department platforming a gender-critical feminist and there are multiple requests for the talk to be cancelled (which the philosophy department refuses and the talk goes ahead without incident). Here's an article in the USyd…
In this interview, we discuss the topics of sex and gender from a gender-critical perspective. Topics include gender abolition and female-only spaces. I put to her a list of questions that are either things I don't agree with or understand in the gender-critical position, or objections I have from trans friends and colleagues, including those…
*Note: the sound cuts out for a couple of minutes from 00:10:12 - 00:12:08, but it's fine after that. And the video is sometimes bad, blame the Owl! A Heterodox Academy @ Colorado State University event, 'Gender-Critical Feminism', a conversation between Holly Lawford-Smith and Ann Little.
Tomas & Holly meet in Malibu and respond to a recent interview of Sophie Grace Chappell by Jason Chen, about Sophie's new book 'Trans Figured' and related views about sex and gender.
Lawford-Smith, Holly. ‘A Feminist Response to 'Defending Pornography'’, Fairer Disputations, April 2024.
We begin by imagining a world where children are separated by sex at birth and raised without exposure to traditional gender norms. We debate whether gender incongruence is a result of nature or social conditioning. We discuss gender affirming care for children, highlighting the complexity of diagnosing gender dysphoria amidst co-occurring psychiatric conditions and the…
On the evening of 17 April 2024, the MIT Free Speech Alliance, the Adam Smith Society, and Students for Free Inquiry hosted another Great Debate. Tonight's debate will consider the question: Is sex binary? Prior to the debate, we had a conversation with the team defending the "Yea" side, Prof Alex Byrne, Professor of Philosophy…
The MIT Free Speech Alliance and Adam Smith Society are pleased to co-host our third Oxford Union-style debate at MIT, with the following proposition: “Resolved, that sex is biological and binary, and gender identity is no substitute for sex in social policy.” The debate will be held on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.Alex Byrne, Professor…
Is it wrong for a man to buy sex from a woman? In this book, Holly Lawford-Smith argues that it is wrong: commercial sex is quintessentially hierarchical sex, and it is wrong both to have, and to perpetuate a market in, hierarchical sex. Angie Pepper argues that it isn’t wrong: men are permitted to buy…
We welcome back Nadine Strossen for a comprehensive discussion about pornography and free speech. She highlights points from her re-released book 'Defending Pornography', explaining why she supports the freedom of sexual expression. Her thought experiment is about a respected academic who makes adult videos, raising questions about personal freedom, professional reputability, and potential harm to…
