There are several things in the world - strip clubs, sex stores, bars, exclusive private clubs, nightclubs, discos, golf courses - where kids are banned pretty much all the time. Everyone seems OK with that. They are after all, adult experiences. I'm just having a lot of trouble with the notion that college is not also an 'adult experience' (and not all adults at that) and perhaps for this (among a lot of other behaviors occurring in and around the college environs).
There are lots of things on a college campus that junior high/HS kids probably should not be exposed to, such as the routine knowledge of how to make things explode that is found in all college level chem classes, but everyone is down with NEVER including as part of a Jr.High level science class. Right?
Back when I went - stone age I know - people did this streak thing. Now would I encourage a bunch of people to strip naked and run around an elementary school? No. That would be wrong. Was it 'wrong' in the same why when they did it at midnight (drinking/drunk usually) around the Quad? Dumb, sure, bonding moment perhaps, fun - oh those college days crap - sure, idiotic in the Midwest in fall? Oh yeah. Over the line stupid after the first snowfall?, Nah, I remember it as 'invigorating'. But 'wrong' as in some moral rule has been broken, not really. (Men running naked through the snow tend not to have much to show for it at any rate.)
Now, those just two examples - and I could add TONS - of things taught and done in colleges that make it a very adult place. Not kid tested Not mother approved.
Now...No one is forced to go to college. Hence, no one is ever forced to go to one particular college. The range of colleges (and universities, yeah, yeah) is huge, and that's a good thing. Not all people are the same, and not all institutions can teach everything. Some like Evergreen here are pretty damn tree-huggin', FruitLoops, both feet in the air liberal (in the classical sense of those words) while others like Liberty University, Oral Roberts, and almost any college with 'Bible' in the name, tends to a more restrictive experience. Schools that have some configuration of 'science / agriculture / technology/Tech' in the school's official name skew education in a different direction that schools that have 'art' or 'arts and letters' in name do. People can, and should try to match their college to themselves and find the best condition in which to thrive. Right? Right.
So, it's pretty simple so far right? If you want a good science education you don't to to a school with Bible in the name, if you want bitchin' Bible studies classes avoid science and technology schools. CalTech teaches a very different kind of genesis than does Jacksonville Theological Seminary and Revelation Message Bible College - right?
Furthermore, all colleges (and they all used to take this stuff real seriously, and many still do) have formal polices for students and teachers that spell out a code of conduct, and the institution itself has guidelines about what specific values are to be upheld, and which downplayed. And part of Evergreen's mission/codes/policies is a very open and accepting LGBT policy.
We all applaud that don't we? Don't we? Don't we think OR and Liberty and _________ Bible College are 'against us' for not only not have polices in place to protect LGBT students, but work actively to kick them out? So getting the libs to turn on the libs and criticize a college for having (and truly trying to make it work) a policy of accommodation to TG individuals, well that's pretty special isn't it?
Because this person - and I'd submit every other crunchy on that campus - CHOSE to go to Evergreen because of those very mission/codes/policies (even if they didn't know them in a formal sense, they knew it was a 'liberal' school), just like anyone going to Oral Roberts ain't going for the swinging good times, and nobody goes to BYU for their legendary drinking parties. Just like no group should have the right or freedom to go to OR and force them to 'lively up themselves' or open a bar in the middle of the BYU campus (unless the university, facility and students all agreed, and no chance of that happening), no one outside the college should be able to force Evergreen accommodate them either. Some YMCA swim club (or whatever) should not be able to dictate what that college policies are. If it's not to their liking they should stay off campus. And kids in particular need to massively supervised on a college campus to the point that it's best not to bring them.
Evergreen should be allowed to uphold it's policies on it's campus, that's more important than a swim team. Colleges are far more important to the future than swim teams are (unless the oceans really are rising that fast) and it's important to have as wide an array of colleges as possible. Because up to this point in history no one has had a monopoly on truth and/or discovery. So, that being true, we need to promote all possible alternatives.
OK, colleges are keys to the future, they are labs, things are tested there and moved into general population here on Prison Planet. What happens there can spread out. Do you want Now Going Backwards in TG Rights to be a new trend?
SEE.... Why should their 'rights' to be who they are, accepted as part of the school's own policies, be on a time table?
What, they can only be outwardly TG in these* special locations, at these* special hours? Is that what you're suggesting? Hey, can I get you down to like 20 TG minutes a day? Would that be alright?
MOREOVER - if you can get away with this crap at Evergreen, then where's that train going to stop? Near you ? On you? If they can get away with this type of restriction, how many more restrictions (and in how many more places) will they push for?
You know if you start carving out exemptions there's no end to it. Everyone will want one (trust me on this). All God's Chlin' Wants A Special Exemption. And if 'for the children' is the overriding value to TG rights, the TG Trump Card, then so much for TG persons to ever teach, or work with kids, or adopt - this goes a long way, it's a HUGE door to open, and once it's open you ain't going to be able to close it very easy.
Had other people at the school had problems with it? The other women and men of the facility, where are their protests? Well, in fact, they don't exist because the very code of Evergreen is basically 'if you have a problem with LGBT people, then the problem is yours' not ours - so get your own head straight." It's considered (un PC if you will) and hence, a liability to bring it up at all. Everyone at Evergreen - as part of it being so damn warm and fuzzy and liberal and all, is expected to treat trans persons like they would any other person. Period.
And now you want to give some outside group the power to alter that policy to it's will.
TRANSGENDER RIGHTS STRICTLY ENFORCED! (unless in the presence of swim team - or other non-member of the college community)
or is it...
TRANSGENDER PEOPLE HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS (after the completion of all necessary operations, chemical treatments and psychiatric sessions including passing the MMPI at least once and whatever else the powers to be fancy as being necessary)
And based on what? A story on Fox, or in WND? Really?
