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A debate is schedule at The Michigan League next week featuring noted anti-feminist Milo Yiannopoulos.

(Melanie Maxwell | The Ann Arbor News)

Controversial English journalist and noted anti-feminist Milo Yiannopoulos will be taking part in a debate on The University of Michigan campus next week that organizers admit pushes boundaries.

The debate is being presented by The Michigan Review, a conservative student publication at U-M. Editor in Chief Omar Mahmood said the group invited the speakers to campus because of the need for a more diverse set of opinions on campus.

"I think that because conservatives are what you might call the underdogs on campus, their views need to be more boldly stated," Mahmood said, before adding "We want both perspectives there, battling it out."

Known for his extreme opinions against feminism, Yiannopoulos has been traveling in the U.S., Canada and Europe over the past several weeks where he has been giving speeches on the topic of freedom of speech.

The debate will be held at second floor ballroom in The Michigan League on Tuesday Feb. 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. The debate will feature Yiannopoulos and fellow English writer and noted feminist Julie Bindel as the two discuss the topic: "Does Modern Feminism Have a Problem with Free Speech?"

Topics expected to be discussed during the debate include: affirmative action, rape culture, the wage gap, feminism, and the legal-rape supporters Return of Kings. Questions will also be fielded from the audience.

"I expect a lively, entertaining debate between very popular, provocative activist and journalists," Mahmood said.

The debate will be moderated by U-M Women's Studies and Political Science professor Lisa Disch.

Mahmood admits that the two speakers were selected because of their extreme viewpoints and controversy surrounding them.

"This promises to incite, along with a lot of hurt feelings and hopefully some critical thinking as well," Mahmood said. "They make no attempt to hide that."

Yiannopoulos has been critical of a perceived rape culture, going as far as to compare the concept to fictional character Harry Potter as they are both fantasy in his opinion. Bindel has argued against the rights of transgender women saying they don't belong in women's only spaces.

U-M spokesman Rick Fitzgerald, said the university is aware of the debate, but made it clear that the event was being sponsored by a student organization and not the university.

"The University of Michigan often plays host to speakers of all different backgrounds and points of view," Fitzgerald said. "Our university community is used to having a wide range of points of views expressed here in Ann Arbor and on our campus."

In several instances recently, Yiannopoulos' events have been cancelled due to the controversy surrounding his extremist opinions.

A planned debate between Yiannopoulos and Bindel in October of last year at The University of Manchester in England was cancelled after university's Students' Union banned them from campus.

The union said the duo's various opinions on topics ranging from rape culture to transgender women violated the union's safe space policy.

Yiannopoulos was scheduled to speak at Ohio State University on March 1, but that event has been cancelled as well.

Last week, during a stop at Rutgers University, several students protested Yiannopoulos saying that he promotes hatred and should have not been allowed on campus for the event.

However, Mahmood said he's not worried about next week's debate being cancelled as he is working closely with The Michigan League and safety officials to ensure the safety of those at the event.

"Come hell or high water, this event will happen," Mahmood said.

Fitzgerald said he was not aware of any concerns raised by students on campus about the planned debate, but that doesn't mean there aren't concerned students. He added that he was not aware of any university plans to cancel the debate.

Mahmood expects to hear from critics regarding the debate, but says students on campus need to understand the mission of the organization.

"They understand The Michigan Review is here to challenge people biases, and to push them over their comfort zones," Mahmood said. "We do that with the best of intentions."

The debate is free of charge and open to the public.

Matt Durr is a reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Email him at mattdurr@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter.