Richard Dawkins has spoken out, after students called for author Germaine Greer to be blocked from giving a talk because of her anti-transgender views.

Feminist author Greer was due to give a talk at Cardiff University next month – but cancelled the talk of her own accord after a number of activists protested her repeated derogatory comments about trans women.

Greer has previously spoken out against “man’s delusion that he is female”, claiming trans women are “some kind of ghastly parody” but will never be women because they do not know what it’s like to have a “big, hairy, smelly vagina”.

The author has since caused more outrage, referring to Caitlyn Jenner as a “he/she” who “wanted the limelight that the female members of the family were enjoying”.

Wading into the row, evolutionary biologist and atheist author Richard Dawkins has lashed out at people who tried to get Greer blocked from speaking over her comments.

Taking to Twitter to challenge the v, he said: “Students who suppress a distinguished scholar’s lecture because they disagree with her have no place in a university.

“Those who think it’s nonsense are entitled to stay away. Or come and argue. They should not censor views they think are nonsense.

“A university is not a ‘safe space’. If you need a safe space, leave, go home, hug your teddy & suck your thumb until ready for university.”



Greer has appeared in a number of high-profile media outlets since complaining that she is being censored.

In a BBC News report broadcast to millions of people, she complained her voice was being silenced, saying: “I was going to talk about women and power, because I think there is a lot of triumphalist [sic] talk that masks the real historic situation.

“And apparently people have decided that because I don’t think that post-operative transgender men are women I’m not to be allowed to talk.”