The American Studies Student Organization of Kennesaw State released a statement on Thursday, Sept. 13, stating that the LGBTQ Resource Center was forced to remove university logos from a resource center pamphlet about gender-neutral pronouns.
The LGBTQ Resource Center provides pamphlets to students that contain information about various pronouns used by transgender and non-binary students. The AMSTO’s statement said that this pamphlet — along with pamphlets located on the Kennesaw and Marietta campuses informing students, staff and faculty on the whereabouts of single-stall and gender-neutral restrooms — were also removed from the LGBTQ Resource Center’s website.
In the statement, also posted on their Facebook page, AMSTO said that “these resources should be made available online once again.” They also called on KSU President Dr. Pamela Whitten and her administration to “come out in support of LGBTQ students broadly, and transgender students specifically.”
The Sentinel reached out to Whitten in an email, asking for her response to AMSTO’s request. University Spokeswoman Tammy DeMel responded with a statement from K.C. White, the vice president for student affairs.
“We deeply value the broad range of experiences and perspectives our students bring to KSU, and remain steadfast in our commitment to promote a supportive and inclusive environment where all students can be successful,” White said.
The pamphlet about gender-neutral pronouns, called “Pronouns Matter,” caused a national uproar earlier this year in March as news outlets such as Fox News and Campus Reform published articles reporting on the pamphlets. KSU received backlash after the articles gained attention on social media.
The Kennesaw Pride Alliance later held a teach-in and released an academic letter on March 19 to address misinformation about the pamphlets and the resource center that was spread by news media outlets.
Responding to criticism locally, on March 26 of this year, the Georgia General Assembly held a meeting where then Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Ken Harmon spoke in front of Georgia state representatives about the pronouns pamphlet. Harmon said that there is “no official policy that mandates the use of gender-neutral pronouns” on KSU’s campuses.
At the hearing, Harmon also said that the university was not going to adopt the pamphlet and it is not “sanctioned by the university.”
State Representative Earl Ehrhart referred to the pronouns pamphlet as a set of “fantasy language” and that if the university had sponsored the pamphlet it would be “problematic,” as others may not find it “appropriate.”
In the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey done by the National Center for Transgender Equality, 57 percent of transgender and non-binary respondents in the state of Georgia reported that they avoided using public bathrooms within the past year because they were afraid of being confronted.
Transgender and gender non-conforming respondents of Georgia also responded that they have had to limit the amount of food and water consumed so as to avoid using the bathroom for fear of being harassed.
For more information about gender-neutral restrooms on campus and resources available to LGBTQ students, faculty and staff, visit the LGBTQ Resource Center on the second floor of the James C. Carmichael Student Center.