Vanderbilt Republicans attacked for hosting a debate on gender transition for minors: A 'space for bigotry'
One LGBTQ group protested, 'Our lives and rights are NOT up for debate'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Left-wing students protested the existence of a debate on the legality of transgender procedures for minors, claiming such a discussion could be offensive to the LGBTQ community.
Vanderbilt University's College Republicans (VCR) hosted the debate on April 4, taking up the issue of a Tennessee bill which effectively prohibits healthcare providers from administering gender transition procedures to individuals under the age of 18. The contentious bill, signed by Gov. Bill Lee, R., on March 2, takes effect on July 1.
Chandler Quaile, a junior at the university who also serves as the community relations director of the LGBTQ awareness group Vanderbilt Lambda Association, was among those upset about the debate being held.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}VANDERBILT UNVERSITY CLINIC RESPONDS TO CLAIMS OF UNETHICAL TRANSGENDER SURGERY ON MINORS
Vanderbilt University stadium. (Photo by John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Quaile used a megaphone to protest before the debate began, arguing it was offensive to the transgender community and "the audience was complicit in the spreading of hatred," according to The Vanderbilt Hustler. He was later escorted out of the building by a campus police officer.
In the weeks leading up to the debate, several other students and organizations spoke out against it.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"[It's] potentially opening up the space for bigotry," Kendelle Grubbs, a junior at Vanderbilt, alleged of the VCR-hosted discussion during a student government elections debate in March, The Hustler reported.
Shane Mumma, president of Vanderbilt College Republicans, had a different take on the topic.
"I don’t think it’s productive to denounce debates," he said, according to The Hustler. "I think debates like this are very important on college campuses, especially a school like Vanderbilt, where we value free speech so much."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}VANDERBILT QUIZ SAYS CONSTIITUTION WAS ‘DESIGNED TO PERPETUATE WHITE SUPREMACY’: REPORT
Nashville, Tennessee: Sign at the entrance to Vanderbilt University (iStock)
Vanderbilt College Democrats called for the event to be canceled before it took place, accusing VCR of instigating transphobia in a social media post.
"The Vanderbilt College Democrats are in no way associated with this event and condemn the debate altogether," the Vanderbilt Democrats' Executive Board wrote in an Instagram post published on March 23.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Hosting this event mere weeks after TN enacted some of the most oppressive anti-trans legislation in the country is incredibly tone deaf and attendance at these sorts of events tells trans and LGBTQ+ students that their existences on our campus is up for debate. We reaffirm that trans students on Vanderbilt's campus belong, and trans and nonbinary minors deserve access to life saving gender affirming medical care," the post continued.
Vanderbilt University's campus in Nashville, Tennessee. (iStock)
In its own lengthy statement posted to Instagram on April 2, the Vanderbilt Lambda Association showed solidarity with the transgender community, called for the College Republicans to cancel the debate and urged others to boycott it altogether.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This event implies that transgender lives are up for debate and their healthcare is a matter of opinion rather than a human right… Our lives and rights are NOT up for debate," the statement read in part.
The organization announced it would be hosting an alternate event at the same time as the College Republicans' debate held last Tuesday.
Fox News Digital reached out to Vanderbilt College Republicans, Vanderbilt College Democrats and Vanderbilt Lambda Association for comment.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A member of the College Republicans group wrote in part:
"What is most astonishing to us at VCR is that the same people who are saying it so obviously is wrong and evil and terrible to not [let trans kids transition] are the same people, it seems, who refuse to be open to a debate about it. If it truly is so wrong and evil and terrible not to agree with them, would that not become painfully apparent in a debate? But, of course, they did not think that way. Instead, they seem to believe they are right by default and no one should dare to challenge their view. We have never held such a perspective as we, by hosting these debates, are always willing to allow others to scrutinize our stances on issues."