Radical activism at uni: no one can turn a blind eye any longer

In the space of three weeks, LGBTIQ+ activists violently prevented two conferences from taking place at the University of Geneva. The speakers, nuanced French intellectuals on the question of gender, were manhandled simply because their opinions didn't please the activists in question. The excessive nature of these recent events, which are obviously scandalous, has a positive side: at least no one will be able to pretend any longer that they don't see this phenomenon, which is endangering our Western democracies and cannot be reduced to militancy.

On April 29, a meeting with psychoanalysts Caroline Eliacheff and Céline Masson was scheduled at the University of Geneva to discuss their latest book, The Making of the Transgender Child. The talk was about the early medicalization of trans children and the calm reflection we could have on the subject, just as journalist Anna Lietti. Agitators claiming to represent the rights of trans people, homosexuals and other minorities (under the LGBTIQ+ label) succeeded in having the session effectively cancelled, deeming the book in question «transphobic».

«Your book is crap, we haven't read it.»

On Tuesday May 17, World Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, Eric Marty, a professor at the University of Paris, has been invited by the University of Geneva to present his essay Le sexe des Modernes: pensée du neutre et théorie du genre. Among other things, he presents a history of the notion of gender, from an American perspective (emphasizing self-affirmation, transparency...) and a European perspective (emphasizing vagueness, complexity...). As soon as he entered the room, he was greeted by LGBTIQ+ activists, reports the newspaper Le Temps. They spat at him, poured water over his head and tore up his notes, as well as those of the meeting's organizer. «Your book is crap, we haven't read it», chanted the twenty or so intruders.

It's all in the slogan. With these offensives aimed at fighting «reactionaries», we're dealing with dogmatic, even sectarian, exclusion, not rational criticism: we're attacking something a priori, without taking an interest. And yet, tolerance consists precisely in taking into account contrary opinions, in living with what does not convince us, or even disgusts us. And we're not talking here about points of view that border on the legal, but serious reflections that respect the law and people. Incidentally, Eric Marty, Caroline Eliacheff and Céline Masson tend to think... on the left.

The last moment to open your eyes

These boycotts are ridiculous, and the fanatics behind them must be severely punished. But let's go a step further: the fact that it has come to this in our advanced countries is explicable. The paradox lies in the fact that freedom is no more than an abstraction in a society that was partly built on this principle, and which generally guarantees it. This is because recent generations have not had to do anything to obtain their freedoms; they have not experienced the weight of the Church in society, the arbitrariness of life, nor - a fortiori - dictatorship. It's accepted that we live in an open regime, and this fact blinds us. So much so, that when freedom is trampled underfoot, the majority don't take offense, for the simple reason that they don't even see it.

And so it has been in recent months and years, with infringements of freedom of expression, competition of ideas, tolerance and artistic freedom, to irony. So much relativization in the comments, and even justification... Tintin books are burned in a school? It's out of solidarity with indigenous peoples. We rename Ten little negroes by Agatha Christie? It's because the West is racist. Too few people, especially among the elite, have known - or dared - to judge these acts as regressions. Why should they be, when they are presented in the language of emancipation, respect and progress?

Read also | No democracy without irony

The situation may finally be changing. After all, outside the circle of these LGBTQI+ protesters, hardly anyone approves of their aforementioned actions. Geneva's Liberal-Radical Party (PLR) went into overdrive immediately after the two scandals at the University of Geneva, with party president Betrand Reich denouncing this far-left activism as «the expression of a new fascism» (May 2), signalling the «twilight of the Enlightenment» (May 18). After having talked a lot about the economy, the liberal-radicals, at least at the end of the lake, are now making their presence felt on social issues, with a discourse built on heritage. This is perhaps the sign of a change of direction.

Towards a broad-based response from society?

The PLR is not alone: the setbacks of the woke« movement» or some of its bangs, are subject to the criticism and anger of many citizens, known and unknown, on both the right and the left. As far as the conservative right is concerned, this is hardly surprising. Everything is at stake with the left and the center: will we finally see in Switzerland a broad spectrum of diverse progressives, who are united in their defense of universalism, debate and the law, and thus in their refusal of the identitarian left?

This will be necessary if these violent disrupters of our universities, our media, our businesses and our lives are to be brought to order. Penal responses will not suffice: society must fight back in terms of its values and culture. Otherwise, our liberal democracies will commit suicide. This program will also provide an opportunity for part of the left and the right to at least fight a common battle - no mean feat, and when you think about it, Swiss culture lends itself to it. So, shall we get started?

Write to the author: jonas.follonier@leregardlibre.com

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