2022 University of Oxford LGBT History Month Lecture

Stephen Whittle, Professor of Equalities Law at Manchester Metropolitan University, will give the 2022 University of Oxford LGBT History Month Lecture.

Professor Whittle started his academic career teaching Family Lives and Social Policy with the Open University and joined Manchester Metropolitan University in 1993.

Stephen transitioned from female to male in 1975. He had a degree in Geography in African and Asian Studies from Sussex University, but after losing numerous jobs because of being transgender, he decided to obtain legal training. He primarily wanted to challenge the discrimination he and other trans people experienced. He went on to obtain a Masters, and a PhD.

Stephen was a co-founder of Press for Change (PFC), the UK’s trans rights lobby group. PFC’s successful campaigns have resulted in several major case law successes at the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights, including the Gender Recognition Act 2004, and full protection under the Equality Act 2010. Stephen has advised on transgender rights and law to the UK, Scottish, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Hong Kong, and South African governments, as well as the European Union and the Commission, and the Council of Europe. He has authored many academic papers, non-academic articles, several books and writes a regular blog.

This is a joint event organised by the LGBT+ Staff Advisory Group and the Equality and Diversity Unit.