A lecturers’ union is refusing to let its officers take part in debates at an equality summit if they are white, straight, able-bodied men.

The equality conference of the University and College Union said that members must declare their ‘protected characteristic’ – whether they are gay, disabled, female or from an ethnic minority – when applying to attend.

Activists say that it means representatives who do not qualify cannot participate in all of the discussions – even though they have been elected by their union branch.

A lecturers’ union is refusing to let its officers take part in debates at an equality summit if they are white, straight, able-bodied men. At Oxford University (pictured), campaigners tried unsuccessfully to have a statue of Cecil Rhodes at Oriel College torn down

They would be barred from ‘break-out’ sessions that organisers claim are a ‘safe space’ for those with the ‘protected characteristics’ to talk openly about their situations.

There are four sections of the conference – for women, LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people, ethnic minorities and those with disabilities.

Though there were also some ‘joint sessions’ last year, for break-out discussions reps must have the relevant ‘characteristic’.

That means reps would be barred from debates on areas they were not affected by, and a straight, white man who was not disabled would be unable to attend any.

Yesterday critics branded the policy ridiculous – arguing that people from all walks of life can be dedicated to the cause of equality.

Emma-Jane Phillips, who sits on the UCU equality committee, said: ‘Equality reps are passionate about equality regardless of their own situation.

To infer that someone does not understand someone’s situation just because you don’t tick a box is insulting.’

The Northumbria University lecturer said it meant some reps would have to lie about having a protected characteristic to be able to attend – something she said they would be unwilling to do.

She told Times Higher Education magazine: ‘It is ridiculous that people who regard equality as their life can’t attend our equality conference.’

The issue was raised at UCU’s congress, held in Liverpool last week, when a motion was proposed to give equality reps the automatic right to attend conferences without having to ‘self-identify’. However, it was defeated – the only motion not to pass during the summit’s opening day.

Students at Cardiff University tried to get feminist Germaine Greer banned from speaking because of her views on transgender people

Ciara Doyle, senior lecturer in youth and community studies at the University of Greenwich, told the congress that she would not attend the conference if all equality reps were allowed to attend.

She said the that break-out sessions would be dominated by those with no personal experience of the issues being discussed, adding: ‘We see in the union movement that… some people’s voices are far louder than others.’

It comes amid a growing culture of students demanding ‘safe spaces’ in which people are banned who might express offensive views.

The concept was established to help women, gay people, ethnic minorities and the disabled feel more comfortable during their studies. However, critics say the idea has been taken too far after a series of high-profile exclusions.

Last year, Bahar Mustafa, diversity officer at Goldsmiths, University of London, was criticised for banning white men from an equality meeting and writing on Twitter: ‘Kill all white men.’

Students at Cardiff University tried to get feminist Germaine Greer banned from speaking because of her views on transgender people.

And the historian David Starkey was dropped from a promotional Cambridge University video over claims he was racist.