One thing her mother worried about was her daughters confidencethat is, until Lindsay reached university. As a result, Shepherd was called in by her supervisor Nathan Rambukkana, Professor Herbert Pimlott and Adria Joel, the universitys manager of gendered violence prevention. Shepherd put her finger down on her laptop, an audio application open, and hit the record button. Then in September 2017, mass protests erupted on the University of California, Berkeley when former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos spoke on campus, albeit only a few words before he was reportedly whisked away to safety by police. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Shepherd, 22, is an MA student at Waterloos Wilfrid Laurier University. Peterson rose to fame as the foremost critic of the Liberal governments trans rights Bill C-16. This could be a glimpse her futureone where she feels alienated. Some days thats harassment. She wants a salad, but then she looks at the clock. Rambukkana said he will sit in on Shepherds tutorials from then on. The problem I had with it was he was shutting down the conversation right away, Shepherd says. She is teaching assistant for a class called Canadian Communication in Context. A few weeks ago, as part of a lecture on gendered language, Shepherd showed a 5 minute clip of a debate between Nicholas Matte, a professor of Transgender Studies, and University of Toronto psychology professor Jordan Peterson. Theres an idea that theres a gender spectrum by I dont think thats a valid idea. In fact, she says she disagrees with Petersons position. Trans adults are 22 times more likely to attempt suicide than the general public, according to a 2017 study from the University of Saskatchewan and Dalhousie University, published in the journalTransgender Health. Its early December and a professor in one of Shepherds courses asks her to put away her laptop. Shepherd says shell direct a tweet at the Rainbow Centre, cordially inviting them to join everyone at the rally. I wanted to hear all opinions, she said. 1997-2023 LifeSiteNews.com. In any case, Im going to go drink gin. She decided to show the TVO debate without picking a sideand then opened it up for class discussion. I am a leftist. Lindsay does not want to be associated with them in any way. Theyre gathering here because of Shepherd: the teaching assistant who showed her class of first-year undergrads a short video clip featuring controversial University of Toronto professor Jordan Peterson as part of a debate from a public broadcasting show; the self-described leftist who opened up a discussion on the use of gendered pronouns, without picking sides herself; the grad student who through tears stood up to her supervisor and two other Laurier staff members who reprimanded her for potentially breaking the law by showingthose video clips neutrally and without offering context; the free speech advocate who leaked the audio of that meeting to the press, opening up the university to criticism of stifling free speech on campus; the Laurier newcomer who got an apology from both a professor and the university president; and, now, the social media star with more than 30,000 Twitter followers. Joel also works closely with collaborators in the ShowStages collective, which focuses on designing and implementing video narratives for the theatre. It puts a shudder in my heart as a Canadian that we could even possibly be in a situation like that.. But when the Rebel posts its interview from the rally with Shepherd, four days after the factnone of her answers skewedShepherd begins to hear the criticism, even disappointment. Adria Joel has been working as a Group and Workshop Coordinator for Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region for 1096 days. Shepherd is between two movements, one of transgender people speaking up for their rights and another of right-wing free speech protectionists fighting against political correctness on school campuses. Or the benefits of organized religion. Before she showed anything, she stated: Im just going to show this for the purposes of discussion. This is not a new issue on campuses. And the reality is that when people like Peterson speak, it has consequences in the real worldconsequences I have to live through every day.. Theres no being happy about that., He knew Shepherds story was coming, though. Ezttal azonban hek voltak a jtkhoz, mivel . They carry signs that read I stand with Lindsay or Everyone you meet knows something you dont. One sign says I (heart) free speech and trans people. Another, with a picture of Jordan Peterson, reads: This man is your friend. Lindsay Shepherd (born 7 December 1994) is a Canadian columnist who became known for her involvement, as a graduate student and teaching assistant, in an academic freedom controversy at Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) in Waterloo, Ontario, in 2017.. When the speeches are over, some from the free speech rally wander across the street to talk to the counter-protesters. Adria Joel is a Manager, Gendered Violence Prevention & Support at Wilfrid Laurier University based in Waterloo, Ontario. (Not him or her.) Finlay is trans and non-binary, a term used when ones gender identity is neither male nor female. He shot into the media spotlight after voicing his opposition to political correctness and Canadas Bill C-16. Shepherd recorded her meeting with Rambukkana, without his knowledge. [] At no point should your discussion devolve into should gender fluid and trans peoples identity come into question., Rambukkana could have handled the meeting with Shepherd better, even his own colleagues will acknowledge. Birthplace: Cisne, Wayne County, Illinois, United States. Jordan Peterson was one of the foremost opponents to the Bill. People gather for a counter protest to the free speech rally at Wilfrid Laurier University on November 24, 2017. VILE: Paris Hilton says she has frozen 20 boys via IVF as she waits for a girl, Rosary-wearing Jill Biden promotes contraception to Kenyas young people, US govt data reveals shocking miscarriage, still birth rates after COVID jab compared to flu vaccine, Canadian pastor forcibly removed from drag queen story time for kids vows to keep protesting, Epstein-linked Clinton aides suspicious death ruled suicide despite being tied to tree, shot in chest, Shepherds main interrogators and accusers - left, prof. Nathan Rambukkana and right, prof. Herbert Pimlott, WLU Laurier president Deborah MacLatchey announced Monday that a report by independent investigator and lawyer Robert Centa found no student filed a complaint against Shepherd for showing a video clip about gender neutral pronouns, the Toronto, Shepherd, 23, was reduced to tears in a private meeting with her supervising professor Nathan Rambukkana and two others when they berated her for airing without commentary a clip of a debate on TVOs, Centas findings come as a relief to Shepherd, she told the, Meanwhile, 20 Laurier faculty members released a open letter Monday supporting their colleagues caught on tape, according to the Toronto, Ms. Shepherd replies that she doesnt see how it could be threatening. On average, Adria Joel works for one company for 1 year 6 months. Expertise. 4 Family Life Lane They also want more safety measures installed at diversity and equity office buildings, such as a panic button and reinforced glass, andamong other asksthe school to hire a trans person of colour full-time as a counsellor within the diversity and equity office to offer mental health support for students. Yes. The meeting ended on a discussion about the possibility of Shepherd losing her position as a teaching assistant. A RECORDING has been leaked of a teaching assistant being interrogated for presenting both sides of the debate over gender pronouns. A teaching assistant who was brutally bashed by a 122kg student has denied her attackers claims that she sparked the classroom assault. Peterson's complaint has to do with the specific things said by Rambukkana . Ive never heard that either. He then looks over at the signsTrans people deserve justiceand gets very close to the group and points at the top word: trans. Her mother wouldnt allow it until Lindsay was about 12, and even then they got rid of it after a couple years. Joel told Shepherd that she had caused harm and violence to trans folk by presenting Petersons position that the government should not force Canadians to use recently coined pronouns to describe transgender people. At least not on the record with the media. When a journalist showed up to document the subsequent rally on public grounds, protesters demanded a safe space away from reporters. He then asked if anyone had questionsthey didntand sat at the back of the room for the rest of the tutorial. Nathan Rambukkana and Herbert Pimlott of Canada's Wilfrid Laurier University was trying to place the blame on teaching assistant Lindsay Shepherd. Days later, and unrelated to the events at Laurier University, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered an apology to LGBT Canadians in Parliament for the countrys historical injustice and systematic oppression and rejection.. She was trying to make the point that it influences people a great deal.. We dont live in a society where people should be free to speak hatred, Bird says. He says hes afraid to be out there holding this sign and that his own queer and trans community will be angry at him when they see pictures of him at the rally. Shepherd remembers he opened by acknowledging the situation and while he couldnt go into specifics because of confidentiality reasons, he told the students if they needed emotional or mental support, they should feel welcome to go to the campus wellness centre. Get the signs. But we cant dispense between the distinction between singular and plural Its not a tenable solution and thats the best of the solutions.. Really? Shepherd asks. Its basically been my lifes work. Even the day of the free speech rally Finn was advised by colleagues not to come to campus. Film je nastal po odmevnem romanu avtorja mnogih knjinih uspenic Johna Grishama. We Care2. In legitimizing this as a valid perspective, Rambukkana starts, before Shepherd cuts in, saying: In a university, all perspectives are valid., Rambukkana replies:Thats not necessarily true, Lindsay., Rambukkana talks about Petersons popularity among the alt-right community, and at one point says that playing a clip of the University of Toronto professor, without giving any context for the students, is like neutrally playing a speech by Hitler.. In legitimizing this as a valid perspective, as if this is another valid perspective. In November 2017, the two men, accompanied by Adria Joel, then the universitys manager of gendered and sexual violence prevention, grilled Shepherd about her decision to play part of a government-funded television program featuring a debate with Peterson to students. All Rights Reserved. As such, the counter-protesters hold placards around their shirts that read Trans People Deserve Justice. Many of them keep their faces covered under a scarf. And theres all this crap on TV. This is unacceptable behaviour for employees of any institution of higher-learning, which are supposed to foster critical thinking from a position of neutrality, not filter the reality that their students are exposed to in order to further their personal political agendas. Really?, Its not just telling them, say Rambukkana. On Nov. 10, thePostpublished a story about what went down in that meeting. He says the best-case scenario is the school adopts the so-called Chicago Principles of Free Speech, a guideline from the University of Chicago, that states it is not the proper role of the University to attempt to shield individuals from ideas and opinions they find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even deeply offensive.. Joel Adria. Critics said the students were shutting down free speech. 4 Family Life Lane We had to wash it, clean it, and recycle it, says Mahdi Ghodsi. The chair of the department of communications, Peter Urquhart, showed up at her tutorial that day to address the class. But you guys seem to think that Im pro-Jordan Peterson, or something., Near the end of the recording, when Shepherd again insists that she remained neutral in presenting the clip, one of the administrators responded: Thats kind of the problem., Shepherd repeated to Global News that she had presented the debate between Peterson and Nicholas Matte neutrally. The Citroen Jumper is available on Axess models, offering great performance and technology, including the latest in driving and safety aids. There is always a midwife on-call to provide care when you need it, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. According to LinkedIn Adria Joel started working on 2008, then the employee has changed 9 companies and 11 jobs. Its terrible that this sort of thing is happening, he says in an interview. Our approach to freedom of expression and academic freedom does not include intolerance and it does not include hate, President MacLatchy says. She has had supporting roles in the films Pacific Rim Uprising (2018), Life of the Party (2018), Triple Frontier (2019), 6 Underground (2019) and Morbius (2022). By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service. The task force will develop a policy to balance academic freedom and freedom of speech with Lauriers vision mission and values by March 2018, according to the Star. However, many players of the game were confused . We reject efforts of those who have seized this episode as a strategic opportunity to disparage disciplines and scholars with commitments to improving social and economic equality within universities and in society at large, the letter said. In order to generate interestbecause grammar is a boring topic[other TAs] were doing things like dissecting celebrity tweets and fixing the grammar and structure, he says. She was told, for example, Youre perfectly welcome to your own opinion, but when youre bringing it into the context of the classroom, that can become problematic and that creates an unsafe learning environment., But when they leave the university, theyre going to be exposed to these ideas, so I dont see how Im doing a disservice to the class by exposing them to ideas that are really out there, says Shepherd, breaking into tears. A l'UCI en estat crtic. Grammatically speaking, that means students coming to the Rainbow Centre will chat with them. Join the conversation, you are commenting as. When Rambukkana brings up the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and suggests Shepherd created an unsafe learning environment, she starts to cry. We should be allowed to have our own opinions as individuals.. Its not like they can skew what I said. There was some message written on papers, says Kurtis Rideout, The Cords editor-in-chief. Lindsay Shepherd speaks on panel on 'BILL C-16 and COMPELLED SPEECH: One Year Later' July 18, 2018. for attacks she has suffered and the loss of a future academic career. Protestors called it a victory, arguing that the event would further harm victims of sexual violence. Peterson also expressed skepticism about Lauriers commitment to free speech, tweeting Wednesday: Weak words: Wilfrid Laurier University encourages and protects freedom of expression At the same time, we reject and do not support discourse that involves hate, intolerance and intimidation. But, WLU, the devil's question: who defines the latter? I work in live entertainment, installation and theatre. Trans people are also 14 times more likely to have thoughts of suicide. What she knows now is she wants to continue her schooling. But for me, thats the spirit of the university.. Shepherd replied that she thinks its because she showed a debate clip that had Jordan Peterson in it. Its been a hard month for both at the Rainbow Centre, a service within the schools diversity and equity office that supports education and advocacy for queer and trans students. Shes very principled, he says. After he declined to comment,Macleanswas contacted by several communications studies students and faculty. Then Shepherd prepped a year-old clip from the Ontario public broadcasting showThe Agenda, where the discussion centred around genders, rights and freedom of speech. I feel generally uncomfortable on campus., Neither Finlay nor Hewson is opposed to freedom of speech. To me theyre an attempt to control language in a direction that isnt happening organicallybut by force, Peterson continues. Its not obvious to me how you could be both because those are, by definition, binary categories. And what are those words? Youve silenced them because theyre now not willing to say what they wanted to say., Jordan Peterson tweeted his support for the student. She spoke with her mom back in B.C., who told her it might be a good idea to record the conversation. Two were speaking out against Peterson, while the other two were standing up for Petersons point of view. So too did the universitys president, Deborah MacLatchy. Its always come down to talks of coerced speech and what Im allowed and not allowed to say., So youve never heard anyone say fk trans people? the other replies. So where does the university go from here? Shepherd finds herself at the epicenter of a debate that has erupted at universities, in online chatrooms and newspaper editorials across the continent; where Laurier has been pulled into disrepute and its academics brought to the edge of paranoia. She simply didnt have the time or the energy. And the National Posts Christie Blatchford has critiqued Lauriers 13-member task force on free expression, another response by the university to the Shepherd debacle, as stacked with faculty who put political correctness ahead of free debate. A bulletin board on campus at Wilfrid Laurier University on November 24, 2017. Illinois Family Action Adria Joel Posts tagged: Adria Joel Laurier University and the Transsexual Pronoun War Written by Ben Cohen Wilfrid Laurier University teaching assistant Lindsay Shepherd, never anticipated she would be at the center of a media firestorm. Her class was talking about pronouns, gendered language and using they as a singular. Shepherd was the only one who knew the session was being recorded. Shepherd writing her speech ahead of the rally, November 24, 2017. as za ubijanje A Time to KillOglejte si na Neo.io. Don't have an account? Since the audio of the meeting was leaked, Rambukkana has made a public apology to Shepherd. Shepherd has maintained she went public with her recording to expose the repressive atmosphere at the university, not because she wanted retribution. During an undergraduate tutorial, she played a video of a debate between two university professors, Jordan Peterson and Nicholas Matte, that aired on Ontarios public broadcast channel. One, I was being askedas everyone isto use a certain set of words that I think are the constructions of people who have a political ideology that I dont believe in and I also regard as dangerous, Peterson says. Death: Immediate Family: Son of Alpheus Siebert Wilhoyte and Martha Florence Wilhoyte. Looking for Joel Adria? I dont get why Im being seen as transphobic, by virtue of me just exposing people to an idea, Shepherd, who was reduced to tears, said. Shepherd talks to every media outlet that asks her. What happened to Ms. Shepherd in that meeting was shameful, MacLatchy says in an interview. 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