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Over the past two weeks, the University of Sussex has vigorously and unequivocally defended Professor Kathleen Stock’s right to exercise her academic freedom and lawful freedom of speech. These freedoms apply to and benefit us all. 

A vital part of a healthy University community is the ability to discuss, debate and respectfully disagree with a wide range of views and beliefs. This is all the more important when the rights of people to hold the beliefs in question are protected by law, as is the case for those with gender-critical views, which is a protected philosophical belief. In law those characteristics that are protected are: age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. 

The University cannot and will not tolerate discrimination based on protected characteristics, including sex and philosophical belief, and we will take action through our policies and procedures if this happens.

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