A bearded Oxford lecturer has shared new photographs of him wearing prosthetic breasts – following criticism over professional standards.
Biochemistry tutor Matt Rattley posted the lecture-theatre photograph on LinkedIn on 14 October, describing the students behind him as “my freshers for their first Mech lecture of the year”.
Two days earlier, he shared a photograph wearing a fitted burgundy top alongside an update about the beginning of Oxford’s academic year.
“First week is upon us in Oxford,” he wrote, adding that he had “already had a couple of teaching sessions” and would be meeting tutors later that day.
Clinical psychologist Dr Dionne Joseph, who posts as “Dr P” on X, was among those who publicly objected when photographs of Rattley wearing giant prosthetic breasts circulated earlier this year.
In a post dated 24 April, she questioned whether his appearance was appropriate when lecturing students and described his behaviour as “boundary-violating”.
In a further post on 25 April, Joseph characterised his appearance as a “bedroom sex fantasy”.
The criticism also prompted discussion about whether wearing prosthetic breasts at work could amount to harassment.
Oxford sociologist Michael Biggs told spiked there was “a strong case” that Rattley was creating a degrading and offensive environment for female students that could constitute sexual harassment.
Employment barrister Akua Reindorf KC discussed the legal questions on X on 29 April.
“In my view, it’s strongly arguable that wearing giant prosthetic breasts at work is conduct related to sex,” she wrote.
“Then the question is whether it’s either deliberately violating women’s dignity etc or it’s reasonable for women to feel that way.”
She added that, if wearing the prosthetic breasts was linked to identifying as trans, a female employee must not be treated less favourably for objecting.
Oxford confirmed to [Un]Captured that Rattley is a non-stipendiary lecturer at St Hilda’s College and holds a part-time lectureship in its Department of Biochemistry.
Rattley also tutors GCSE and A-level students. In a separate LinkedIn post, he explained that teaching teenagers helped inform his university teaching.
He lists they/them pronouns on his LinkedIn profile.
Responding on behalf of both the university and St Hilda’s College, an Oxford spokesperson said:
“The University of Oxford is committed to being an inclusive and welcoming place where all members of our community feel respected, valued and able to be themselves. We expect everyone involved in teaching to maintain appropriate professional standards and to treat students with respect.
“We do not comment on individual personnel matters. Students who have concerns about their teaching arrangements can raise them through established University or college procedures, as appropriate.”
Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns for sex-based rights charity Sex Matters, said: “It is unlikely that lawmakers ever intended to normalise and protect a bearded man wearing giant fake breasts to teach young women at university.”
She questioned whether Oxford had considered the appropriateness of his behaviour, whether it might amount to harassment or make female students uncomfortable.
“There’s no evidence that this man identifies as a woman, but transgender demands muddy the water so that normal standards of behaviour are undermined,” she said.
“The impact on women doesn’t seem to feature.”
McAnena urged university leaders to “call time on behaviour that many female students and academics are likely to find insulting and inappropriate, and show that they have some respect for their female colleagues and students”.
Rattley was invited to comment through the university.
