On Wednesday evening, around 50 protesters showed up at the Young Americans for Freedom at the University of Utah’s watch party of the film “Damaged,” chanting “Transphobia has got to go,” and “Transition is suicide prevention.”
“Damaged: The Transing of America’s Kids” is a film that tells the stories of various trans children who claimed to have been manipulated into transitioning, YAF’s Instagram post said.
YAF hung posters throughout campus last week which read, “Men shouldn’t be in women’s bathrooms,” and “The transgender movement harms children.”
This sparked a social media response from various student organizations.
Mecha posted on Instagram and said, “Trans students deserve to be safe on campus,” and defined YAF’s posters as “transphobic hatred.”
Mecha encouraged the public to demand university administration reprimand YAF for violating various Registered Student Organization codes of conduct.
They also hosted an emergency protest at YAF’s watch party.
As protesters filed into the event room, five YAF members stood at the front of the room and prepared the film. Protesters chanted and held signs that read, “Hate speech is not free speech,” and “Protect trans students.” Due to the protester’s noise, the film was first played with subtitles and then stopped.
After 20 minutes of chanting, campus police entered the room and asked those who were disruptive to leave as the protesters continued to chant.
After another five minutes, police started escorting individuals out of the room and into the common area.
Eventually, YAF members were escorted from the room by police and taken to another room. The film was not continued.
Lucy Atwood, president of YAF, said she thought what happened at the event was unfair and that they didn’t have an “equal chance” to say what they wanted to say.
“Everyone claims diversity at the U,” she said. “But that excludes diversity of thought because everyone is trying to get YAF at Utah shut down just because we have different thoughts.”
Stella Lee, a protester at the event, said she and friends had come to the protest after being “bombarded” by YAF’s posters on Monday morning.
“I’m just somebody who really believes in human rights,” Lee said.
Keegan Hayes also protested at the event and was escorted out by police for shouting. After the event, he said the police officer was rough and bent his arms painfully behind his back while escorting him out.
Hayes said he participated in the event because he is “disgusted” by YAF’s actions towards the trans community.
This isn’t the first time campus police have gotten involved with YAF and Mecha. In April, Mecha protested at a YAF event which hosted Natalie Cline and Monica Wilbur to talk about “saving schools” from EDI, critical race theory, sex education and school choice. Campus police escorted protesters out of the event for “disrupting the meeting.”
Many attendees shared that they attended for themselves, and their friends and to advocate for trans health, including Scout Jones.
“I’m here to advocate for trans youth because gender-affirming healthcare saves lives and I know that it will someday save my life,” Jones said.
Dax Lowe, a member of YAF, said he is frustrated with the outcome of their event and that YAF wanted to put something out that everyone can watch.
“But the fact that we just get shouted out the whole time, it just shows that they don’t actually care about free speech,” Lowe said. “They don’t care about people’s ideas unless it’s their own idea. And that sucks. That’s not what our country was built on and it’s frustrating.”
Lowe said he hopes YAF can foster an environment of discussion at the school, rather than an environment of shutting people down.
One U Thriving released a statement on Oct. 27, which said the Racist and Bias Incident Team is working with appropriate departments to monitor and prevent future reoccurrence of possible biased speech on campus. It also said although some found the posters offensive, “offensive speech is still protected by the First Amendment.”
Additionally, the U’s EDI Office released a statement on Oct. 31 about the need for dignity in campus culture.
“Vice Presidents Mary Ann Villarreal and Lori K. McDonald encourage our campus community to treat each other with dignity, respect, and compassion,” the statement read.
The statement also highlighted events that are planned for Nov. 27 — Dec. 1 to support and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
Vincent Green • Nov 15, 2023 at 1:50 pm
Hate groups have no place anywhere. YAF must be stopped at all costs.
shane • Nov 9, 2023 at 12:39 am
Hmm yet again free speech as long as it is only pro LGBTQ speech or, this speech or that speech or what is it this week Pro Palestinian speech. Universities have become a shameful safe space for the worst of the fascists and they are mostly on the Left. I would love to see some of the Universities that seem to indoctrinate more than educate loose some funding. Let all of these Mecha’s and Yaf’s pay for thier own way entirely then well see how much time they have for this bs!
Trufe speaker • Nov 3, 2023 at 11:55 am
Has anybody checked the u of u dei website? The most non diverse and undiverse fake “diversity aka anti white hate” office in entire state. Kids, you must free yourselves from the mental bondage of the sickos and their professorial enablers.
google: u of u diversity >about us > various divisions.
originally all their pics were on one pages. a true freak show. Due to online mockery they broke it down you have to click on each subdivision.
Trufe speaker • Nov 3, 2023 at 11:49 am
These disruptors are likely mentally ill and they are all criminals. The police live in terror of the homosexual revenge squads. All should be charged and disciplined as required by the University rules,
Trans Community Member • Nov 3, 2023 at 3:08 am
Here is my response to Dax Lowe’s comment: “That’s not what our country was built on and it’s frustrating.”
You are not the advocates for change, you are not the advocates for a better society, you are not the advocates for acceptance. In this analogy, you are the British government. We are the Boston Tea Party.
Jack • Nov 4, 2023 at 10:54 am
That’s not true. The vast majority of American universities are on your side. The president is on your side. Facebook, Google, Youtube, Instagram, Tik Tok, practically every social media is on your side. How are we the British government at all? All we want is the ability to have our own opinion!
YAF Member • Nov 2, 2023 at 3:38 pm
Shoutout to Libby for writing an honest article. This is the first time YAF has not been misquoted, and the opinions of both sides came out in full.
Ian Ferguson • Nov 2, 2023 at 2:41 pm
Thank you for sharing this! It was a great turnout from the protesters, and really showed the values that University students care about – our expression of our right to free speech and protest, and the fact that this is a safe place for trans people, not transphobia. I especially appreciate you including the statements on the treatment protesters received from University police, as it was frankly unacceptable.