GMU sued for issuing no-contact orders against students opposed to tampons in men's bathrooms
On Friday, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed a federal lawsuit against George Mason University (GMU) on behalf of law students Selene Cerankosky and Maria Arcara.
The students received no-contact orders from GMU's DEI office two weeks after they voiced their concerns against a student government proposal to place tampons in male bathrooms
A pro-religious liberty legal group has sued a Virginia university for seemingly punishing two law school students who objected to tampons being placed in men’s bathrooms following a private group chat discussion.
On Friday, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed a federal lawsuit against George Mason University (GMU) on behalf of law students Selene Cerankosky and Maria Arcara. The lawsuit asserts that Cerankosky and Arcara both received no-contact orders from GMU’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) office two weeks after they voiced their concerns against a student government proposal to place tampons in male bathrooms on campus.
In a class-wide group chat during September, a student said he was seeking opinions for his proposal, which Cerankosky and Arcara both opposed.
”Ms. Cerankosky voiced her concern that if GMU adopted a policy ’allow[ing] biological females into male restrooms to access period products as ‘trans men,’ then that would mean ‘female bathrooms will welcome male occupants,’” the lawsuit states. ”She asked her classmate to ’recognize the concerns of biological female students’ and how they would feel ’considerably uncomfortable if there are males using private women’s spaces on campus.’”
Similarly, Arcara is said to have ”only posted twice during this conversation to ’agree with [Ms. Cerankosky]’ and to highlight her concerns for her own privacy and safety ’if a biological man is in the [bath]room with [her] at a vulnerable time.’”
In response, the student, who said he “advocated for all,” accused Cerankosky and Arcara of bigotry, according to the lawsuit. Two weeks later on Oct. 11, the GMU DEI office issued the no-contact orders through its Title IX sexual harassment policy, preventing them from having any interactions with the student.
”They did not receive notice that anyone had complained about them and were not given an opportunity to review the allegations against them or defend themselves,” ADL writes in the lawsuit. ”Instead of allowing the students to disagree civilly and respectfully with one another and to discuss these important issues, GMU chose instead to censor the Plaintiffs.”
ADF says that the university’s actions against Cerankosky and Arcara violate their First and Fourteenth Amendments rights by discriminating against their viewpoints.
“Universities—including law schools—must preserve the marketplace of ideas for all in order to encourage civil discourse for our future attorneys, politicians, judges, and leaders,” ADF Center for Academic Freedom Director Tyson Langhofer said in a press release.
”Selene and Maria respectfully voiced their opinion about biological differences between men and women and how the other student’s proposal blurs those lines at the expense of safety, privacy, and religious conviction,” Langhofer continued. “Because of this, their academic and professional careers are now in serious jeopardy.”