(IntegrityPress.org) – Petition site Change.org took down a petition by alumnae of Saint Mary’s College who were collecting signatures to oppose a plan by the college to allow the admission of transgender students.
In its 179-year history, the institution has only admitted females so the switch to allowing men who call themselves women to matriculate would be a major change for the school.
A Change.org spokesman speaking with The Washington Times said that certain aspects of the petition were “identified as hate speech” which resulted in its removal. They also said they wanted to encourage passionate campaigns but warned that safety was a priority as well as avoiding the incitement of hate.
In June the school’s board decided to allow boys who identify as girls to be admitted to be “an inclusive community leader” and facilitate a campus in which “all women belong and thrive,” according to statements from College President Katie Conboy.
Alumni of the institution have expressed shock and outrage over the change, one woman said she was completely caught off guard by the change despite regularly following developments at the school. She wished to remain anonymous due to the obviously inflammatory nature of opposing radical gender ideologies in public.
She reported that many of the alumni she knew were upset and many weren’t even friends with one another until this issue united them. That’s why they put up the petition, to attempt to make their voices heard. It had over 1,200 signatures before it was struck down.
The petition also disclosed that current female students at the school were feeling ignored and concerned about their safety in bathrooms, locker rooms, dorms; spaces that have always been female-only.
The concept of “hate speech” is often incredibly subjectively defined and has repeatedly been dismissed by the U.S. Supreme Court as incompatible with First Amendment protections.
Saint Mary’s is a small college with less than 2,000 undergraduate students, it’s also only one of dozens of female-only colleges left in the U.S. There were 230 just 60 years ago, for comparison. Many other women’s only schools have admitted men who identify as women under a transgender rationale.
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