UNC Law students protest free speech project examining preferred pronoun requirements

Students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) School of Law recently protested a pro bono legal project examining university policies that require using preferred pronouns.

Campus Reform obtained screenshots of social media posts, emails, and other materials relevant to the events.

The project, titled “Project 52,” is part of UNC Law’s Pro Bono Program, an extracurricular activity in which UNC Law students “provide high quality, low cost legal services to individuals in need” as part of their legal education.

The pro bono project in question involves the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a free speech watchdog. 

In the project description, FIRE says that they need a law student researcher to “identify the frequency with which universities maintain such policies” requiring the use of preferred pronouns, and “analyze the policies to determine if the maintenance of such policies poses a threat to the First Amendment rights of students and faculty.” 

“Forcing queer silence is violence,” read a social media post reacting to the project. 

The American Constitution Society (ACS) Board also advertised sign-making and a “silent protest” of the FIRE project in an email to the “UNC Law Community.”

“Over the past few weeks, our LGBTQ+ classmates and classmates of color have been asked to tolerate… a pro bono project that suggests recognition of a person’s identity is a legal question rather than a fundamental right,” the email states.

It continues, “Compounding this trauma is the abject silence from our school administration and the absence of any feeling that queer and trans voices are heard and respected at this school.”

[RELATED: ISU petition demands changes to make LGBT students feel ‘safe’]

Another social media post tells students to “[b]oycott winter break pro bono projects” because the UNC administration “forced” Project 52’s posting. 

“This project IS VIOLENT,” the post goes on to say, adding that FIRE is an “anti-trans and anti-queer right-wing ‘free’ speech organization.”

[RELATED: University of Tennessee dubbed most ‘unfriendly’ toward LGBTQ students]

Pro Bono Initiatives Director Allison Constance emailed students on Nov. 16, saying that while “taking down a project like Project #52 would be considered viewpoint discrimination,” she is aware that the project “has been the source of hurt, sadness, and frustration for many students.” 

Constance also shared her commitment to creating an “inclusive and affirming environment” and said that some “changes may result in fewer pro bono opportunities.”

In an email to Campus Reform, UNC Media Relations Manager Pace Sagester wrote, “The project met the criteria set forth by the Pro Bono Program bylaws. The project has remained on the list for Pro Bono’s winter project sign up.” 

FIRE Director of Policy Reform Laura Beltz told Campus Reform that “the project is meant to provide us with a greater understanding of how common these types of policies are, how they are drafted, and whether any of the policies risk violating the fundamental rights of freedom of speech and private conscience.” 

“Not using an individual’s preferred pronoun can be part of a pattern of unlawful harassment and/or discrimination,” Beltz continued.  “But like any other speech code, a college policy that requires the use of preferred pronouns is ripe for administrative abuse.” 

[RELATED: University of Tennessee dubbed most ‘unfriendly’ toward LGBTQ students]

Regarding student and faculty opposition to the project and FIRE itself, Beltz stated, “As a free speech organization, we strongly support the rights of students to voice their opposition: even to us!”

“In the meantime, we are glad a student has signed up to help us with this pro bono research project and we look forward to continuing to do the hard work to protect every individual’s right to free expression.” 

Campus Reform reached out to the UNC School of Law, the ACS Board, and Allison Constance for comment. This article will be updated accordingly. 

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