A California librarian kicked out female rights advocate Sophia Lorey for allegedly “misgendering” biological men during her speech Sunday, according to a video of the incident.
Lorey, a member of the California Family Council, an organization that advocates for fairness in women’s sports and parental rights, was speaking at an event titled, “Forum on FAIR AND SAFE Sports for GIRLS,” to discuss fairness regarding biological men competing in women’s sports at the Mary L. Stephens David Branch Library in California. During Lorey’s speech about biological men being allowed in women’s sports, multiple people began yelling accusing her of “misgendering,” and did not allow her to finish despite her lawyer insisting it was her First Amendment right. (RELATED: Stanford Admin Eggs Students On As They Shout Down, Heckle Federal Judge During Talk)
California Public Library Silences Female Athlete pic.twitter.com/dHYaxBFlr1
— CA Family Council (@CAFamily) August 21, 2023
“California State law recognizes trans women as women,” one person can be heard saying in the video. “Our policy talks about treating people with respect, and if you are misgendering somebody, that is not respectful.”
Another person in the video can be heard shouting that he doesn’t want any biological men who identify as women being called men, and citing the library’s code of conduct.
Riley Gaines, a female rights advocate and former NCAA swimmer, chimed in, saying, “This is ridiculous, but not shocking….a female athlete silenced for calling a spade a spade.”
This is ridiculous but not shocking….a female athlete silenced for calling a spade a spade. They won’t even engage in a civil conversation. Props to this gal for sticking her ground.
Do we know the librarians name and/or phone number? We need silent majority to do its thing https://t.co/EzlqGDbTZo
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) August 21, 2023
Lorey said that her “dream” as a young girl was to be a college soccer player. “But current 10-year-old girls cannot live out this same dream as long as men are allowed to compete in women’s sports,” Lorey continued.
“Allowing biological men in women’s sports does not create an equal playing field, instead robs young biological girls of their athletic aspirations,” Lorey said.
She is then interrupted by shouting in the room, and Erin Friday, a lawyer who identifies as a Democrat, approached the podium. “We all have First Amendment rights whether you believe in what I believe or whether I believe in what you believe,” Friday said.
Lorey and Friday left the event after Scott Love, director of the library, told them they were not allowed to speak due to “misgendering.”
“Government officials don’t have a right to shut down speech they don’t like even if the speech is offensive to some. I believe males and females are different and stating that fact shouldn’t have gotten me kicked out of an event. All I did was say that men are playing in women’s sports. No one should be punished for stating a biological fact,” Lorey told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Mary L. Stephens David Branch Library did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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