Last Monday UCLU Catholic Society came to blows with UCL Union after their event ‘The Church and Homosexuality - How to Defend Your Views’ was cancelled at the last minute. UCLU Activities and Events Officer Doris Chen, Democracy & Communications Officer Dan Warham and Women’s Of- ficer Beth Sutton stormed down to Newman House to inform the society that the event was off.
They repeatedly told the CathSoc President, Ignatius Pinto, that there was no political mo- tivation at play during a very circular exchange in the foyer of Newman House - despite the fact that controversial speaker and anti-choice campaigner Peter D. Williams topped the bill.
Nonetheless, some Catholic Society mem- bers are angry at what they view as an attack on their freedom of speech. Chen called these accusations ‘completely unfounded’ and added that ‘I decided to cancel the event when I was certain that CathSoc had failed to go through our outside speaker process.’ After the event was blocked and the sabbs left, the Catholics sloped off to the Cardinal’s Arms, the bar in Newman House. Once there, instead of the UCLU CathSoc holding the talk, a group of people who all happened to be associated with the group simply sat and listened to Williams discuss some of the things he would have said in the bar.
As Beth Sutton exited the building, her Abortion Rights-branded tote bag caught the attention of a passing elderly Catholic woman, who snuck up behind her and whispered “I’ve been looking at your bag” before creeping off, leaving Sutton to revel in the subtleties of her quest to preach the pro-choice gospel to all.
Peter D. Wil- liams told The Cheese Grater that the debacle was ‘censorship by bureaucracy’. He claimed that ‘anyone talking about the issue is portrayed as homophobic. Catholics are not homophobic, we believe in respect, care and love.’ Had the speech gone ahead, Williams would have spoken on Catholicism’s teachings on homosexuality and whether legislation is limiting freedom of speech. When asked about his own views, he replied ‘all actions should have a purpose […] Any sexual act which cannot fulfil the procreation element is wrong. This is not homophobic.’ Embarrassingly, he has been turned away from UCLU events before, when Debating Society failed to pre-approve him.
UCL’s LGBT+ Students’ Network vehemently disagreed with Williams, stating that ‘The frame they [Catholic Society] use is nothing but homophobia. Although they hide behind excuses, their workshop will give way to discrimina- tion of LGBT+ students.’ The Network supports UCLU’s decision to cancel the event, but view it as a political issue. ‘The union has a duty of care for its members […] and this event clearly did not fit with this.’
Catholic Society, on the other hand, attempted to assure their members that it was a simple misunderstanding. Their President, Ignatius Pinto, took full responsibility. Having apologised for his part in the mess, he promised to ensure that all relevant paperwork is submitted in the future.
Democracy and Communications Of- ficer Dan Warham tried to put the issue to bed, telling The Cheese Grater that ‘I don’t think it is political censorship. We were given no opportunity to vet the speaker and no chance to stop the talk be- fore.’ Peter Williams has spoken of plans to reschedule the event, however, so this is an argument that could run and run.