The Paradox of Tolerance: An Analysis of University Encounters with Free Speech Issues

• In Event: Feminist Approaches to Higher Ed

Abstract

With the rise of Right Wing transphobic rhetoric and legislation across the US, university campuses continue to encounter tensions between the right to free speech and purported commitments to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Several recent encounters involve Turning Point USA, one of the fastest-growing student organizations in the United States. The group has aligned with transphobic, pro-capitalist, pro-gun, and anti-abortion efforts, speakers, and events. This paper will examine a particular incident between a grassroots effort by students at a large state university in the North East and the school’s TPUSA chapter in relation to free speech.

Presenter

• Katherine Roos, Department of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies, The Ohio State University