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Rob Mullins

@robertmullins.bsky.social

460 followers 580 following 1.5K posts

Law lecturer, University of Queensland. My views are not the views of my employer.

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · Jun 16

My article "Does Nature Need Rights?" (coauthored with the wonderful Lulu Weis), forthcoming in the OJLS, is now available open access: academic.oup.com/ojls/advance...

Does Nature Need Rights?

Abstract. Rights of nature (RoN) appear to provide a promising alternative to anthropocentric environmental rights. But do they meet the demands of transfo

academic.oup.com

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 1h

*fait accompli

Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 1h

I'm sorry. I think you are right not to have any hope. I suspect it's just that The Times editorial staff are true believers, but it strikes me as odd to weigh in on this if it were a fait accomplis.

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Reposted by Rob Mullins

Andy McKay @korimakoecology.bsky.social · 3h

There's an assumption here that at some point in the near future this will all be over. Eg Germany post 1945.

There's also another possibility: that the US continues down this path for decades. Eg Iran post 1979.

For all of our sakes let's hope it's the first one.

Ari Cohn @aricohn.com · 1d

Some weirdo on Twitter has been absolutely melting down for like 36 straight hours because I posted:

When this is over, do not forget what ICE did, and what ICE is. And do not make room for them in society. Make sure they know that they are, and will continue to be, reviled and beneath contempt.

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 3h

I think people are underestimating the chance that e.g. California and Texas become nations in their own right within the next century.

Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 20h

It's awful that any trans person in the media has to be a model of trans people everywhere. Trans people are just people. Some are going to be rude, impolitic, unpleasant, or even just eccentric.

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 1d

Some unedifying comparisons: can you be prosecuted if you lie about being an amputee, or a Christian, or having a history of mental illness?

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 1d

Yeah that's the tell isn't it? You can have a rule that you prosecute deception as to identity, but you have to enforce it equally.

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 1d

I think from that perspective, the failure to hear from a single trans person was the cruellest part of it. (I genuinely think it is because they could not have looked a trans person in the eyes while they delivered the judgment.)

Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 1d

Yeah. I have friends at the bar and their strategy seems to be more or less "don't get sick", but I think you should all take it easier on yourselves

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 1d

How would you manage it if you really had to? It nearly happened to me once lecturing and I have no idea what I would have done.

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 2d

I've seen e.g. Yglesias and Shor taking him very seriously, which is more grist to the "they're secretly race science guys" mill.

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 2d

Oh dear

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 2d

What's the go with Astral Codex 10? I have seen suss people refer to them but haven't got the fortitude to read it.

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 2d

Yes, I agree. There is also the unforgivable sleight of hand from birth sex (per Corbett) to biological sex, which is just deceptive. No biologist would accept the Corbett criteria.

Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 2d

I'll just say that on this point I prefer the Australian approach of giving courts a general permission to look at extrinsic materials like Hansard to the extent it assists.

Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 2d

English (and maybe British) lawyers have a very constricted view of what counts as "evidence", so e.g. you aren't meant to look at Hansard to identify legislative intent except in cases of ambiguity. But I think this was an ambiguous case. I agree completely about the HRA.

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 2d

I agree with you about this (and have written about it more than once). The only defence of the SC I have seen people make (on here, not in print) is that the court had to choose the least incoherent interpretation. But (i) I don't buy it and (ii) that's not what the Court said they were doing.

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 2d

I know people I regard as very good lawyers who think it was rightly decided. And I suspect academic commentaries on judgements are usually critical. But I do think to think it was rightly decided you have to accept the coherence of the "biological sex" categories.

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 2d

This sounds like every Daily Nous thread on gender I have ever read.

Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 3d

I've been looking for papers and articles written in (even partial) defence of the judgment in FWS. So far I have: Michael Foran's paper and blog post, Karen Monaghan KC's article in Briefings, and Ben Cooper KC's paper. All three were involved on the winning side. Does anyone know of any others?

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 3d

I enjoyed this interview with the philosopher of biology John Dupré (which touches on the UK Supreme Court's use of "biological sex", among many other things): graduatejournal-leap.universiteitleiden.nl/2025/05/move...

Movement all the way down: Interview with John Dupré and Liedewij Laan: Reflections on a World that is Movement all the Way Down - Leiden Elective Academic Periodical

Philosopher of science John Dupré and nanobiology professor Liedewij Laan fundamentally challenge conventional ideas on science, movement, and objects.

graduatejournal-leap.universiteitleiden.nl

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Reposted by Rob Mullins

Lawrence Solum @lsolum.bsky.social · 3d

Please help me get the word out about the new websites for Legal Theory Blog and the Legal Theory Lexicon. Reposting here and on other social media sites is great. It would be especially helpful if law school faculty members could send an email to their colleagues with the new addresses.

Legal Theory Blog

Discover our latest articles and updates. Stay informed with recent posts that cover a variety of topics you care about!

legaltheoryblog.com

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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 3d

My own parents have done a wonderful job in retirement (after some adjustment for both of them), too. I don't think it's universal

Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 3d

I suspect I have been making my story too simplistic. Members of my own family have been very engaged in retirement too.

Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 3d

That's very interesting (and sad to hear).