The University at Buffalo Graduate Student Association (GSA) stands in solidarity with transgender students and other members of the LGBTQIA+ community at UB. While we vehemently support students’ right to a freedom of speech, we strongly condemn the hateful views of Mr. Knowles and the inflammatory rhetoric he will bring to campus. All students deserve to be safe on campus, regardless of gender identity, and we question the University’s commitment to the safety of marginalized groups on campus. We are once again disappointed with the University’s decision to continually give a platform to speakers who will cause harm to members of the university community.
We call on President Tripathi and other University administrators to ban the targeted harassment and pervasively hostile environments created by giving space to speakers like Mr. Knowles (and others in the past such as Allen West and Ben Shapiro). We expect the University to help create diverse dialogue and spaces without allowing members of our community to be targeted.
We stand in solidarity with transgender students and members of the LGBTQIA+ students at the University at Buffalo, as well as any other members of historically marginalized student groups on campus. Students, faculty and staff have a right to learn and to work in an environment that is free from transphobia and other forms of bigotry.
J Coley, President
Jennifer Schechter, Vice President
Joshua Joseph, Treasurer