Free Speech and the Abigail Shrier Event

by James A. Bacon

It is gratifying to see the editors of The Cavalier Daily engage in an exchange of ideas, albeit indirectly through dueling editorials, with conservative proponents of free speech at The Jefferson Independent, the University of Virginia’s independent student publication, and The Jefferson Council.

It is even more gratifying to see that the CD editors embrace a principle in an editorial yesterday with which we whole-heartedly agree: “Free speech does not guarantee comfort” (even though we’re pretty sure that it’s our comfort that deserves no guarantee, not their own).

However, even as they tout the University of Virginia’s No. 6 ranking in the Foundation of Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) 2024 free speech survey, the authors argue that there are justifiable limits on speech — and that those limits should apply to people at UVa whose views they happen to dislike.

The event precipitating the editorial is the impending visit to UVa of Abigail Shrier, a journalist whose writings about the role of social contagion in the spread of transgender identity among adolescent girls has triggered trans activists across the country. “We must … recognize that certain types of speech simply should not be tolerated here on Grounds,” writes the editorial board, “even if this speech is technically permissible under the law.”

Shrier is scheduled to speak at 7:00 p.m., October 11, Room 125 of Minor Hall. You can register to attend the event here.

UVa is to be commended for its No. 6 FIRE ranking, although, to be sure, the competition in American higher ed today is exceptionally weak. The university garnered that rating mainly on the basis of formal UVa policies, such as the Board of Visitors’ endorsement of free speech and viewpoint diversity, and the administration’s enforcement of rules prohibiting the disruption of speeches and events. The Jefferson Council gratefully acknowledges the cooperation of the University Police Department and the office of Student Affairs in ensuring that the Shrier event goes smoothly.

Breakdown of UVa rankings among 248 institutions surveyed. Source: FIRE

However, official policy does not extend to tolerance of “uncomfortable” viewpoints among faculty and students. The same FIRE survey that the CD alluded to also ranked UVa 222nd out of 248 institutions for “comfort with expressing ideas.”

Surely that atrocious statistic can be attributed in some part to fact that the Cavalier Daily, the primary source of university-related news and views for most students, tars those with whom it disagrees as bigots and haters. States the editorial:

If folks in our community use the First Amendment as a vehicle to promote bigotry, we must exercise our own rights to ensure these abhorrent actions do not go unchallenged. When the Jefferson Council hosts a discussion in the coming days with an anti-transgender author, for example, students can and should vehemently protest this decision.

This Editorial Board unequivocally and staunchly opposes the views expressed by this author, and we’ll use our platform to say so. We hope that many other students on Grounds will also take steps to signify their disapproval. Whether this means voicing support for our LGBTQ+ peers, arguing against the decision to platform hate or choosing not to associate with individuals who have demonstrated a proclivity for bigoted beliefs — the decision to share our discontent is consistent with our collective commitment to the freedom of speech, and so too is the claim that anti-transgender voices should have no place in our home.

One of the benefits of free speech and open dialogue is that it creates opportunities to counter factual error. The claim that “anti-transgender voices should have no place in our home” implies that some anti-transgender voices at UVa are saying such a thing. No one does. The assertion is delusional. To the contrary, Shrier gives ample and often sympathetic play to “transgender voices” in her book, “Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters.”

I would be shocked if any of the editorial writers criticizing Shrier have read the book. In all likelihood whatever they know, or think they know, about Shrier comes third or fourth hand from like-minded sources, which quote other like-minded sources, which quote other like-minded sources. I have read “Irreversible Damage,” and I can tell you that no thinking person can describe her views as “anti-transgender,” much less “bigoted.” To the contrary, she is far more compassionate than ideologues who “affirm” the transgender identity of anxious, depressed adolescent girls by treating them with testosterone injections and breast-removal surgery without the benefit of extensive counseling.

I invite the Cavalier Daily editors to attend the Oct. 11 event and hear what Shrier actually says, as opposed to what her enemies say she says. To attack her views without bothering to learn them first-hand is to revel in ignorance.

As far as our views at the Jefferson Council, we support without reservation the right of UVa students to peacefully protest Shrier’s appearance, and we whole-heartedly support the right of The Cavalier Daily editorial staff to express views that we personally find ill-informed and offensive. Our vision is for UVa to be a place where ideas collide and viewpoints contend.

One more thing: We acknowledge that The Cavalier Daily editorial falls short of demanding that Shrier be disinvited from the grounds. Given the mood on some other college campuses, that’s actually saying something. We are thankful for small favors.

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Timothy J Scovill
Timothy J Scovill
1 year ago

UVA has taken a turn that insults the vision of its own founder. Speech does not need to be regulated in any way other than how the legal parameters dictate.

Rob May
Rob May
1 year ago

Free Speech at UVA??? What a joke!!! The alumni association CENSORED ME and removed all my posts for simply (and respectfully) questioning their vax stance and EVEN using our own research article as evidence! This on top of previous censorship of a student and EVEN KICKING THEM OUT OF THE SCHOOL for simply questioning a tenured professor (lower case intended). As I’ve said, Jefferson is rolling in his grave as our beloved University founded on FREE SPEECH AND TH0UGHT has come to this. Heartbreaking is a true massive understatement……

UVA Alumni page censorship Final Censorship.png
walter smith
walter smith
1 year ago

I see we have the notorious down voter who down votes comments anonymously is now rating articles? A 1 rating…
More of that “unequivocal” from JR et al…
I guess he missed the Communist mumbo-jumbo about being a “generous” listener.
Here is the translation of “generous listener” – smile at the idiot speaking while thinking he/she (because a xe or they would be an ally and you would have to support whatever xe or they said) is so beneath you intellectually and when the unenlightened (maybe a Walmart shopper) stops speaking, address none of the points and merely say “thank you for your comments.” (If possible, pick as the next speaker an ally to hammer home the right opinion and protect the poor students who had to listen to that hate speech.)

Do you think the Anonymous Down Voter is paid by UVA because the UVA Pravda Today and Communist Cavalier Daily aren’t enough controlled propaganda?

Wahoo74
Wahoo74
1 year ago

Superb article, Jim. Free speech is under attack at UVA. The Jefferson Council is fighting back to restore it.

We’ll see if the leftists show respect or disdain for the First Amendment this Wednesday at Abigail Shrier’s talk.

Ann
Ann
1 year ago

Fantastic, measured and reasoned article, Jim Bacon.
“To revel in ignorance” is not at all what Mr.Jefferson envisioned for any student of his university. And as for faculty
Conduct, 222nd out of 248th for actual, on the Grounds freedom of viewpoint expression, is abysmal. Must fix this.
Thank you for highlighting Truth in such a respectable way.

walter smith
walter smith
1 year ago

Gotta love the oh-so-brave anonymous down voter, dontcha?
How much of UVA’s $14 billion is devoted to fighting the evil TJC trying to promote actual intellectual integrity and “diversity?”

When I first commented, the article had a 1 rating and then got all the way to a 3 with a few honest opinions.

Now it’s back down and I and a few others have even more negative votes!

But the oh-so-brave anonymous down voter remains anonymous and won’t posit an actual, you know, opinion, because that would require thinking and possibly subject himself to the violence of criticism.

Great and Good – Marxism for your education. Remember – the implicit message of JR’s religious manifesto is that UVA may have been great prior to Messiah Jim’s arrival, but Messiah Jim was necessary for UVA to be “good.”

Under JR, UVA is running towards no longer great, and simultaneously towards a societal cancer, indoctrinating kids into Marxism, and indebting them at the same time! While JR pulls down $1 mil a year. And the DEI dept sucks out millions in salaries and many more millions in indirect costs.

“Inclusive excellence” is an oxymoron. I am not that stupid. You should not be either.

Baylor Trapnell, Arch.69'
Baylor Trapnell, Arch.69'
1 year ago

I guess British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would be banned from speaking at The University by the activist nincompoops for having recently, publicly declared, “Men are men and women are women.” How dare these nobodies tell me who I can hear speak.

walter smith
walter smith
1 year ago

At least you didn’t say “numnuts.”
Get the fainting couches out! Quickly!

Baylor Trapnell, Arch.69'
Baylor Trapnell, Arch.69'
1 year ago
Reply to  walter smith

Reply to Walter Smith: Definition of nincompoop: “a person lacking in judgement or prudence, fool, simpleton. A person lacking in sophistication.” Take your pick! Thanks.

walter smith
walter smith
1 year ago

Bert Ellis got “struggle-sessioned” when UVA released private emails that really had nothing to do with UVA business, they were his opinions about some of his detractors, whom he referred to as numnuts. He was made to apologize for the lack of collegiality. In reality, his term was far too generous.

Meanwhile, he has been referred to as a racist, a homophobe, a white supremacist. These same terms have been thrown at The Jefferson Council. I’m not going to hold my breath for the public retraction and humiliation…

Walter smith
Walter smith
1 year ago

Wow! The brave anonymous down voter strikes again!
How much does Jim Ryan pay you for your valiant service in the name of Marxist indoctrination?

walter smith
walter smith
1 year ago

OK…so maybe we don’t have the brave anonymous down voter here. It looks like we have the posse of crazed transphilics, who aren’t exactly into being a “generous listener.” Jim Ryan quietly tuts tuts from Carr’s Hill, but won’t condemn his “allies,” just like all he could say about Emma Weyant being CHEATED out of her prize by William “Lia” Thomas (who appears to be 6’4″) that it was a “difficult” issue.
I am not being mean here. It is not a difficult issue. You cannot ever change your sex. You can change aspects, imperfectly, at great cost, and, with honest scientific studies (harder and harder to come by) usually with greater psychological costs.
A lifetime of hormone treatments to try to compensate for what every cell in the body already is cannot be defined as a success or ever complete.

If you loved the people suffering, you would not affirm their mental sufferings. The treatment may be crazier than the persons suffering. That or evil.

Instead of just down-voting like the crazed mob you appear to be, why not try coming to the event and respectfully listening?

Angela Box
Angela Box
1 year ago

The Article Rating is not working. I tried to give it a 5 star but could not.
The article was outstanding!