Students Protest Pronouns and Dresses

We all know that the country is in trouble. And maybe a red wave will address a few problems in the short-term, depending on how sincere any newly-elected conservatives are. But even if there are some immediate improvements, there is another generation waiting in the wings to come into its majority, and many of them are firmly indoctrinated and want nothing to do with any Commitment to America.

Case in point, on Tuesday, public school students in Virginia were staging walkouts over changes proposed by Gov. Glen Youngkin regarding transgender issues at the state’s department of education. Just the News reports that under the proposal, teachers would refer to students by the pronouns that appear on their permanent records, which can be changed only with official documentation. Teachers and other staff members would only be able to use preferred pronouns in certain situations. Additionally, parents would be informed on any school matters they wish, and students would only be able to use bathrooms that correspond with their sex at birth.

Meanwhile, in Spanish Fork, Utah, students at the American Leadership Academy staged a protest in front of the private school on Monday. The issue? The dresses that some students chose to wear to the weekend homecoming dance. Around 60 students claim that they were banned or ejected from the dance because their dresses violated the dress code. They also allege that the dresses were approved prior to the event and that the school engaged in “body shaming.” The protestors claimed that larger students were told that their dresses were not appropriate. If actual body shaming occurred, then the school should take responsibility for that and apologies should be made. But we also live in an age where disagreement of any kind is seen as shaming, a phobia, privilege, or making someone feel unsafe. Terms with which American teens are all too familiar.

Pronouns and homecoming dresses. Those are the issues upon which these future leaders have chosen to take stands and even mount protests. There are, of course, a myriad of things that should have students concerned, not the least of which should be if they are getting the education they need to succeed in life. But pronouns and semi-formal wear are carrying the day. They might have spent that time donating food to the poor, or if they are so fashion-conscious, even clothes. If they had been protesting over the Second Amendment, the border situation, or climate change, at least they would have picked actual issues. I may not agree with their positions, but at least it would have been protests of substance.

Because we live in the age of Instagram and TikTok, it is not a surprise that these students are enraged over these things. Children are being conditioned to see themselves as the center of the universe. And they have been taught or have seen that protesting and making demands is the way to get what one wants. Once upon a time, students might have been encouraged to forego a demonstration for dialogue. Once upon a time. And who knows, future activists might come in handy, later.

Of course, self-expression does have its limits, depending on where one is and what one is saying. According to Fox News, the group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression ranked Columbia dead last in its College Free Speech Rankings. Some students were surprised at the rating, while another said, “Of course people think they can’t say things. I think people think they might be judged by the majority.” Many said that they believed in being tolerant, but hate speech should not be tolerated. And I think we all know what falls under “hate speech” on your average college campus. A freshman commented, “I’ve heard some people with certain political views might not be able to express their opinions because it might be perceived as offensive. Obviously, you can say whatever you want, like, physically, but there’s going to be social repercussions. People should just be more careful about what they say.”

People should be more careful about what they say. Unless of course, they are saying, doing, and protesting all of the right things.