We are witnessing the rise of a generation of authoritarian student activists who define ideas they disagree with as “violence” that must be suppressed, distorting federal civil rights statutes (with the complicitness of like-minded enforcement bureaucrats) to pressure university administrators to capitulate. Sad but not unexpected to see some college LGBT activists are part of the Zeitgeist.
Similarly, via Reason:
Also recently, the student government at The George Washington University approved a measure requiring student leaders to attend LGBT sensitivity training regarding, inter alia, “using proper gender pronouns.” A conservative student group, the Young America’s Foundation chapter at GW, declined to go along. YAF treats everyone with respect, said representative Amanda Robbins, and doesn’t need to be lectured on how to do so.
You can imagine how well that went over. The campus LGBT group, Allied in Pride, responded that YAF’s “refusal to use preferred gender pronouns should be considered an act of violence.”
More. Made up? From Allied for Pride’s facebook page:
If GW YAF refuses to participate in safe zone trainings that are aimed at increasing safety and understanding, then they should be considered a hate group, and thereby, be revoked of all funding from the Student Association at The George Washington University (SA). . . . And their refusal to use preferred gender pronouns should be considered an act of violence and a violation of the non-discrimination clause required in all GW student organizations’ Constitutions.
Furthermore Reminiscent of when Dan Savage engaged in “hate speech” at the University of Chicago.
And still more. Not a joke: “UK students union passes policy banning gay white men from acting like black women.” And this lunacy is being advocated on U.S. campuses as well.
32 Comments for “The College-Based Anti-Free-Speech Movement”
posted by tom Jefferson 3rd on
Hmm. Disputes about free speech on college campuses in America is hardly new. It been a touchy issue for decades and I doubt that undergraduate students are remarkably different in this respect.
posted by Doug on
What about Governor Scott in Florida banning talking about climate change? Now there is actual anti-free speech by the government. Universities are not governments. Give it a rest Stephen.
posted by Francis on
Well said, Doug. The bastards in Tennessee trying to ban the teaching of evolution deserve to be called out as well. As does everybody in the “Intelligent Design” movement, and I do mean everybody.
posted by Houndentenor on
I agree with the ridiculousness of this. That said, as someone who spends a great deal of time on large college campuses, I have never confronted or been confronted by anything remotely like this which makes me wonder how fringe this this sort of thing really is. Perhaps in my field (music) it’s less of an issue? Or perhaps the right enjoys distorting virtually irrelevant trends in mostly ignored corners of academia for political purposes.
posted by Walker on
Did you read the links? Brown, Columbia, Chicago, and GW are not fringe.
posted by Houndentenor on
And this represents the majority on those campuses?
I just read a string of tweets this morning that implied that a certain element in the trans community was the whole community. It’s not. It never is. I agree that equating a disrepectful act like intentionally using the wrong pronouns (which is rude and should be called out) is not the same as violence. There’s a lot of that kind of hyperbole across the political spectrum. I hear it from right wingers who want to equate gays with Nazis. We should all denounce false equivalencies and other rhetorical nonsense. We also ought not conflate a few ridiculous comments as representing any kind of majority.
Also, yes, a handful of “elite” schools full of entitled students is hardly representative of American colleges and universities as a whole.
posted by Francis on
I confess to being a novice on trans matters, but it’s my understanding that not only is using the wrong pronoun (and/or the wrong name) incredibly rude, it is essentially making the trans person a potential target for real violence, possibly even murder. That being said, I would like to see it called out without the person committing the faux pas being treated as though they were automatically on the same level as the Klan.
posted by tom Jefferson 3rd on
Remember we are talking about political active college students. A political or party-based student group needs to find something to protest against, because it makes the protesters feel good about themselves (and can be a good way to meet people/have a mixer/party)
Violence against transgender people is a serious problem and would be interested to see what research has been done in terms of how safe transgender students feel, and the history of both as motivated violence on campus or in the community.
posted by tom Jefferson 3rd on
Remember we are talking about political active college students. A political or party-based student group needs to find something to protest against, because it makes the protesters feel good about themselves (and can be a good way to meet people/have a mixer/party)
Violence against transgender people is a serious problem and would be interested to see what research has been done in terms of how safe transgender students feel, and the history of both as motivated violence on campus or in the community.
posted by tom Jefferson 3rd on
Remember we are talking about political active college students. A political or party-based student group needs to find something to protest against, because it makes the protesters feel good about themselves (and can be a good way to meet people/have a mixer/party)
Violence against transgender people is a serious problem and would be interested to see what research has been done in terms of how safe transgender students feel, and the history of both as motivated violence on campus or in the community.
posted by Jorge on
A conservative student group, the Young America’s Foundation chapter at GW, declined to go along. YAF treats everyone with respect, said representative Amanda Robbins, and doesn’t need to be lectured on how to do so.
Good.
Don’t get me wrong, they deserve to be curb-stomped for openly disobeying a legitimate authority, but some rebellion is good for society. We keep talking about the need for a “national conversation on race,” so why not have one on GLBT issues?
I wonder what would happen if I pulled that kind of stunt? I imagine a lot worse than when I pulled my own snide tone. See, I *have* been sent to required trainings where they discuss preferred gender pronouns, but they didn’t call it sensitivity training, though that’s really not a bad description. That was about effective and legally necessary work with clients. A separate training was about legally mandated anti-discrimination protections. They spring the particular subjects on you later. And yes, some people *do* need the training.
The campus LGBT group, Allied in Pride, responded that YAF’s “refusal to use preferred gender pronouns should be considered an act of violence.”
Oh dear me, no. An act of insubordination is not violence. Violence is insubordination, though. Yeah, we should curb-stomp them, too for their stupidity. I am not advocating literal violence against political figures.
No, you can’t sanction them for violating the non-discrimination policy. They’ve raised a legitimate dispute over its application that must be adjudicated first. You punish them for defiance of student government authority.
It’s dangerous to label campus groups hate groups over such silly things. The returning pendulum will tar the haters instead. Let’s call them stupid groups.
I confess to being a novice on trans matters, but it’s my understanding that not only is using the wrong pronoun (and/or the wrong name) incredibly rude, it is essentially making the trans person a potential target for real violence, possibly even murder.
…..
While I respect that argument, I find that I don’t agree that the violence aspect is relevant to this expectation. That strikes me as a little like when Gloria Esteban asked (in English) her audience to cheer if they knew only Spanish. “Then how did you know what I said?”
posted by Doug on
For someone not advocating violence you certainly want to do a lot of ‘curb stomping’.
posted by clayton on
Today Ted Cruz officially entered the presidential race, making the announcement to students at Liberty University. The reports are that the students in the audience were required to attend. If these reports are true, where is the outrage that students atvthe conservative “Liberty” university were compelled to attend a political rally for a Republican candidate?
posted by tom Jefferson 3rd on
See the Daily Show clip on the announcement at Liberty University.
posted by Francis on
Yeah, that was a good one.
posted by Ricport on
Sorry, but I’ve already had my daily limit of smarmy.
posted by Jorge on
Now watch this actually be true…
I would be much more concerned about the prospect of a university founded by someone with such a history of unabashedly hateful rhetoric as Jerry Falwell receiving federal funding. People can do whatever they like with blood money, but how government money is spent is a public interest. Public money shouldn’t be spent on bloodsport.
It makes sense in a warped sort of way, though. Ted Cruz in Congress is kinda like Jesus in a temple. So a wacko Christian school has no problem ordering its students to attend the announcement of the would-be Caesar-messiah wacko bird.
posted by Ricport on
Probably because anyone with an ounce of gray matter knows that: 1) Liberty is a private institution; and 2) Liberty was founded by and for Talibangelicals, and thus, going there and expecting them not to make attending something like this mandatory is akin to being a PETA supporter showing up at a furriers’ convention, and being shocked and appalled at a discussion of how foxes make the best coats.
I just find it interesting that your comment is an echo of the Dems’ tired, old fallback: “but look at how bad the Reps are!”
posted by Tom Jefferson 3rd on
Again, it might be worth having some sort of context as to the climate on campus for transgender students and what the educational sessions actually involved.
If the University can make a case that these sessions are needed, then requiring members of a recognized student to attend has merit.
If the conservative group can show that it really knows a lot about transgender p
posted by Houndentenor on
Meanwhile the Texas State House of Representative is discussing a bill to override SCOTUS on gay marriage. So much for Republicans accepting a Supreme Court decision on marriage equality and dropping the issue. Seriously, the Republicans in the big cities and blue states really do need to visit the red states every now and then and find out what Republicans in those parts of the country really think and care about.
posted by Ricport on
How is this related to the subject at hand?
posted by Stuart on
I’m gay. I don’t think transgender exists. I think you are the sex your genitalia and chromosomes say you are.
Whew. That feels better. I just wanted to say that.
Not only do I think trans doesn’t exist, I think it is sexist. I think the idea that there are certain traits which only belong to females or males is sexist. I might observe that I have more in common with women in my culture–that doesn’t make me a woman. And, in the end, I don’t and can’t know what it means to be a woman since I’ve never known what it’s like to even potentially be able to bear children. I don’t think that can ever be understood by someone without a uterus. It is an insult to feminists who have worked hard to expand the borders of what it means to be a woman to say, “I’m feeling more sensitive, artistic and nurturing than most men I know. I must be a woman.” This insults both masculinity and femininity.
So, if I don’t believe transgender exists, do I have to give back my toaster? Or can I still be a man who is attracted to men?
posted by Dale of the Desert on
Whoa there, Stuart! You had me going there for a minute, thinking you were serious. But you were just pulling my leg, weren’t you? Lol! Bless your heart, Stuart. Aren’t you special? But stop pulling my leg, because I know what you gay people are up to. You’re all just hoping to start pulling on something else on me. Why don’t you go over there to the other side of the room and sit with those Bible thumping Christian-Plus’s who don’t believe gay exists? Because you and they are free in this great country to believe whatever you and they want, whether it matches the truth or not. Free, absolutely free, think your thinks to a fare-thee-well. I can’t hate crazy, and I gotta love special. In the meantime, I’m going to do all I can to advocate for the full rights of citizenship for you and for transgenders, whether anybody thinks they exist or not.
posted by Lori Heine on
One of my best friends–one of my oldest friends in the community–is transgender. I’ve known her for 18 years, and I’ve witnessed every mile of her journey since. She is not crazy, nor is she confused.
Of course transgender exists. The remedy for thinking otherwise is getting out more. Getting to actually, like, know some transgender people. It worked for gay men and lesbians. It is, I believe, a crucial component in the struggle for transgender rights, as well.
posted by Stuart on
I’m serious.
And your comment proves the point of this article. There is nothing in my gay gene that says I have to believe in, much less support the rights of, trans. Even trans people will say it’s not an orientation. Gay is an orientation issue, not a gender issue. I’m tired of my fully cisgender identity having to be grouped together with people who I see as having a psychological issue.
I don’t believe in multiple personality disorder or satanic abuse stories, either.
If you take away my toaster, I can just get another one with my Dolce and Gabbana credit card.
posted by Lori Heine on
Well, how nice that you’re special. Enjoy your Dolce and Gabbana credit card.
We’ll enjoy our cake. Thanks for letting us eat it.
posted by Stuart on
For years, centuries probably, being gay was seen as in some way wanting to be a woman. It has taken years to chip away at that stereotype. Gay is a “cisgender” man loving a “cisgender” man–gay is not a gender issue.
The whole point of trans is to separate gender issues from orientation issues. I agree–gay and trans are different. IMHO, being gay is a genuine, scientifically demonstrable orientation. Trans is gender dysphoria, which can be helped with sound psychology.
Again, I’m not trying to hijack this thread–I’m only pointing out that “free speech” for gays only includes that speech which the gay mafia approves beforehand.
I love my D&G haute couture toaster, BTW.
posted by Lori Heine on
In the course of transitioning, transgender people are really put through the wringer. They must undergo a lot of psychological counseling, and they’re certainly staring point-blank in the face a mighty major surgery. If not a whole series of surgeries.
It’s insulting and belittling to them to assume that they take this lightly, don’t know what they’re doing, or are simply going through a phase. When we do that, we’re doing to them the same sort of thing that a lot of straight people have done, over the years, to us.
I respect them enough to assume that they know their own hearts, minds and souls. And I’m content to leave it at that.
Now, does the politically-correct left get silly about the whole thing? That’s another story. When eight-year-old Johnny, who likes to wear his sister’s dresses, is informed by his mother that he is transgender (because she wants to think so, for whatever reason), that is child abuse. Let little Johnny grow up and decide that for himself. Tell him that you’ll love him, no matter which gender really fits. Keep the political games out of the equation.
posted by Stuart on
Most transgenders identify as heterosexual, so I’m not sure why they are part of our alphabet anyway.
And whether or not it is a psychological problem, trans is definitely sexist. It assumes there are binary boundaries between male and female. You have to assume that “male” or “female” contains something you don’t already have, so you reduce gender to the same categories feminists have been calling us out of for decades.
Anyway, this thread isn’t about transgender–though it would be nice to know if other conservative or mainstream gays buy into the whole transgender mythology.
posted by Lori Heine on
If what you’re trying to say is that left-wing extremists have made an idiotic mess out of the transgender issue, then you are certainly correct. As usual, they have gunked up a subject, overpoliticized it, and alienated a lot of people who now see trans people as pawns in a political power-game instead of as actual human individuals.
As this is exactly the same thing the political right does, the name-and-blame game is just another stupid game they play.
My transgender friend now identifies as a lesbian. Where you get the notion that “most” are heterosexual, I don’t know.
Gender issues have all been lumped together into one big, gooey, messy blob. This is why what is euphemistically termed “the community” now labels itself with an ever-growing alphabet soup of letters.
That is a very regrettable thing. It has no bearing on the mental health of trans people. It should not be used as an excuse to impugn them.
posted by tom Jefferson 3rd on
Transgender can be used as a broad term to discuss everyone who gender identity or expression or ability to change a tire is deemed to be unconventional. Although the term “gender queer” may be more popular.
Within the current context (and almost all policy implications) we are talking about people who plan on having gender reassignment surgery at some point in their life.
posted by tom Jefferson 3rd on
With sex columinst Dan Savage, their was some issue about whether or not ‘tranny’ was always derogatory, or sometimes derogatory.
In the case of an campus wide orientation policy their may be a basis for doing so as a basis ‘civility 101’, which is going to involve a discussion of civil language, words and phrases.
Again, the young conservative club wants to protest something because, well, it’s college and politically active students need stuff to protest.