‘POOR EXCUSE OF A PROTEST’: Trinity University leftists attempt to sabotage Riley Gaines event
The group encouraged followers to take tickets to the event to ‘limit the reach her transphobic messages will have.’
The Chair of the group hosting the event called this a ‘poor excuse of a protest’ and said that the activists ‘actively do not want any dialogue to happen, and it appears they are scared of it.’
Student activists at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, recently attempted to sabotage an event featuring women’s sports advocate and swimming champion Riley Gaines.
The Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT) at Trinity hosted Gaines on Monday, though the group Trinity University PRIDE attempted to disrupt the event.
In an Instagram post that was also shared by the Trinity University Progressives, the PRIDE group alerted followers about the event, and claimed that Gaines is a “notoriously transphobic speaker.”
The organization called on followers to “sign up for a ticket . . . to help limit the reach her transphobic messages will have. The more tickets we can reserve for our supporters (whether you show up or not), the fewer will be publicly available.”
“By signing up and either not showing up, or showing up but joining us in protest, you are helping to limit the reach transphobic messages have on our campus,” the post continued. “Spread the word and get as many people to sign up and fill up seats as possible!”
“There is no place for transphobia at Trinity,” the post concluded.
Trinity PRIDE claims it is “passionate about creating a welcoming space for all queer students.”
Chairman of the YCT Nate Dunning told Campus Reform that YCT “firmly stands by the principle of freedom of speech . . . We believe in the right of every individual to express their views openly, regardless of whether we agree or disagree. This freedom is essential to a healthy and vibrant public discourse.”
He added that “[w]hile we encourage respectful dialogue and debate as the means to address important societal issues, we discourage any form of disruption to this event.”
[RELATED: ‘DEFEND BASIC TRUTHS’: Riley Gaines campus tour continues]
Trinity Chapter Chair of YCT Clayton Lansford told Campus Reform that “Pride at Trinity got lazy, utilizing a poor excuse of a protest to try and sabotage our event.”
Though Lansford confirmed that the YCT chapter “welcomes the free exchange of ideas surrounding this event, and would welcome a protest or counter event,” he added that the PRIDE group’s members “are not protesting, they are trying to reserve seats and then no[t] show, they actively do not want any dialogue to happen, and it appears they are scared of it.”
Campus Reform reached out to Trinity University, Trinity University PRIDE, and Trinity University Progressives for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
