Federal judge supports Christian activist banned by university for referring to transgender student as ‘male’.
Christian Activist Wins Injunction Against University of Wyoming
A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the University of Wyoming (UW) from censoring a Christian activist who referred to a transgender student as “male.” This ruling comes after Todd Schmidt, an elder at Laramie Faith Community Church, set up a table on campus with a sign stating, “God created male and female and Artemis Langford is a male.” Mr. Langford, a transgender student who joined a sorority, prompted a lawsuit against the national Greek organization. The court has ordered the university to allow Mr. Schmidt to continue tabling on campus while the case proceeds.
Initially, the university asked Mr. Schmidt to remove the student’s name from his sign. After refusing, he eventually complied when threatened with police intervention. However, he continued to engage in debates with passing students throughout the day.
Mr. Schmidt defended his actions, stating, “I’m just trying to tell the truth and bring people to God. That’s all there is. There are not any more genders than that. Biology teaches everybody about that,” as reported by the student newspaper Branding Iron.
As a result of the incident, the university imposed a one-year sanction on Mr. Schmidt, preventing him from reserving a table in the UW student union until the spring of 2024.
In response to the university’s actions, U.S. Senior District Judge Nancy Freudenthal ruled in favor of Mr. Schmidt, stating that his speech was protected under the First Amendment. She emphasized that mentioning the student’s name was necessary for him to fully express his opinion and engage in a debate about gender identity, which she deemed a matter of public importance.
The judge clarified that Mr. Schmidt’s speech was not harassment or discrimination but genuine expression and debate. She highlighted the importance of college campuses as a “marketplace of ideas” that encourages inquiry and challenges assumptions.
The university, while disappointed with the ruling, has stated that it will comply with the terms of the preliminary injunction. It is currently considering whether to continue defending its policy in court.
“Providing a forum for free expression and the airing of diverse views is a foundational principle for UW. However, the university must also prioritize protection of its students from unlawful harassment and discrimination,” the university said in a statement.
Sorority Sisters Lawsuit
In a separate lawsuit, seven sorority sisters from the UW chapter of K
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