Northwestern University's Failure to Act on Trans Student Threats
When trans student S. Yarberry witnessed a jagged, bright red cross painted over the blue, white and pink stripes of a trans flag memorializing a student who died last year on Northwestern's campus, he was left feeling uneasy about the university's response to what he perceives as threats against trans students.
The Cross of Burgundy, a symbol associated with far-right movements, had been painted onto the Rock, a giant boulder known for its free speech and student expression. The university officials refused to intervene or paint over the symbol unless it posed an "immediate threat, explicit harassment, or prohibited vulgarity," which Yarberry claims was not the case.
Experts say that the Cross of Burgundy is a conservative and reactionary symbol that is anti-trans rights. Matthew Gabriele, a professor at Virginia Tech University, notes that this iconography has become popular among far-right groups in recent years, including its use at 2022 political rallies in Spain.
Yarberry believes that Northwestern's decision not to intervene on this occasion reflects the university's tendency to protect free speech for some groups but not others. He argues that the institution seems more interested in appeasing conservative interests than in addressing the concerns of marginalized students like himself.
The situation highlights a broader issue with how universities handle hate speech and harassment on campus. While Northwestern has taken steps to address similar incidents in the past, such as removing an account of sexual assault from The Rock, its response to this specific incident seems inconsistent.
In October 2020, Northwestern staff used pressure washers to remove a message accusing the university of complicity in a sexual assault attack. In that case, the leaders believed the painting would be triggering for survivors. This distinction is telling when considering how universities respond to hate speech and harassment against trans students.
Yarberry suggests that the agreement between Northwestern and President Donald Trump, which unfroze $790 million in federal research funding in exchange for a declaration that gender is immutable, has eroded trust among trans students and their allies. With this deal, the university appears to have compromised on its core values by accepting a definition of trans people that excludes them from existing categories.
To address these concerns, Yarberry and other trans students are now taking matters into their own hands, working together to raise awareness about what the symbol means and pushing for Northwestern's leaders to publicly announce how they plan to protect transgender students and employees.
When trans student S. Yarberry witnessed a jagged, bright red cross painted over the blue, white and pink stripes of a trans flag memorializing a student who died last year on Northwestern's campus, he was left feeling uneasy about the university's response to what he perceives as threats against trans students.
The Cross of Burgundy, a symbol associated with far-right movements, had been painted onto the Rock, a giant boulder known for its free speech and student expression. The university officials refused to intervene or paint over the symbol unless it posed an "immediate threat, explicit harassment, or prohibited vulgarity," which Yarberry claims was not the case.
Experts say that the Cross of Burgundy is a conservative and reactionary symbol that is anti-trans rights. Matthew Gabriele, a professor at Virginia Tech University, notes that this iconography has become popular among far-right groups in recent years, including its use at 2022 political rallies in Spain.
Yarberry believes that Northwestern's decision not to intervene on this occasion reflects the university's tendency to protect free speech for some groups but not others. He argues that the institution seems more interested in appeasing conservative interests than in addressing the concerns of marginalized students like himself.
The situation highlights a broader issue with how universities handle hate speech and harassment on campus. While Northwestern has taken steps to address similar incidents in the past, such as removing an account of sexual assault from The Rock, its response to this specific incident seems inconsistent.
In October 2020, Northwestern staff used pressure washers to remove a message accusing the university of complicity in a sexual assault attack. In that case, the leaders believed the painting would be triggering for survivors. This distinction is telling when considering how universities respond to hate speech and harassment against trans students.
Yarberry suggests that the agreement between Northwestern and President Donald Trump, which unfroze $790 million in federal research funding in exchange for a declaration that gender is immutable, has eroded trust among trans students and their allies. With this deal, the university appears to have compromised on its core values by accepting a definition of trans people that excludes them from existing categories.
To address these concerns, Yarberry and other trans students are now taking matters into their own hands, working together to raise awareness about what the symbol means and pushing for Northwestern's leaders to publicly announce how they plan to protect transgender students and employees.
I don't get why NWU didn't just take care of the flag right away, especially since it was painted on a symbol that's basically anti-trans rights 
. It's not like they were going to let some conservative group use their campus as a megaphone without pushing back.
. They're trying to balance free speech with protecting marginalized students, but it's not working. It feels like they're just playing by the rules and letting hate groups get away with stuff.
. Northwestern needs to step up its game and show that trans students are worth fighting for 
. We need more transparency and accountability from the university on how they're going to address this stuff.
I remember when we used to be able to have a debate on campus without someone getting offended or having their feelings hurt... 
It seems like Northwestern is stuck in the past, not taking threats against trans students seriously. They should be painting over that symbol ASAP! 
The fact that they're only intervening when it's explicit harassment or vulgarity is just too much. What happened to protecting everyone on campus? 
& btw, that deal with trump is super sketchy...i dont think it's a good look for nw 
u gotta stand up 4 ur trans students 
. i mean come on, paint over a symbol that's clearly anti-trans and expect the students to just chill? it's not about free speech when it's used to hurt ppl. u cant have ur cake and expect trans ppl 2 be ok with it too 
nw u got students takin matters into their own hands because no one at admin is listenin 
. Like, wut about marginalized students like S. Yarberry? Shouldn't they b protected too? 
. They'r raisin awareness about the symbol & pushin for NW U leaders 2 publicly state how they'll protect trans students & employees. I'm low-key hopin they succeed tho 
, especially since it involves a trans student, S. Yarberry 
. I mean, come on Northwestern, can't you see that painting the Cross of Burgundy over a trans flag is basically a slap in the face 
. And what's up with all this talk about free speech vs protection of marginalized students? 
. Do we want to accept hate groups or do we stand together against them? 
. We need Northwestern to publicly declare their commitment to protecting trans students and employees 
. It's time for change 
! #NotInOurCampus #TransRightsAreHumanRights #FreeSpeechForAll
i feel 4 S Yarberry n all the trans students out there who r dealin w/ dis kind of thing its not cool wen u hav a uni thats supposed 2 be a safe space 4 every1 but instead jus turns a blind eye or makes it hard 4 them to express therself cuz of some conservatives who dont get it 
. Like, universities need to get real about protecting marginalized students like trans folks from hate speech and harassment. This whole thing with the Cross of Burgundy just seems like a slippery slope - if they're not gonna step in when someone paints it up, what's next? They gotta be clear that hate speech ain't okay, regardless of who's behind it 
and it's just not cool. I mean, come on, a red cross painted over a trans flag? That's like putting up a sign that says "we don't care about your feelings". Northwestern needs to step up its game and show that they're actually taking the concerns of their marginalized students seriously. It's not like this is the first time there's been an issue with hate speech on campus, but it feels like they're just not doing enough to address it. And let's be real, the fact that they only intervened when it was a "non-explicit vulgarity" thing? That's just a cop-out 
.
. It's not about suppressing dissenting views, but about protecting people from harm and harassment 
. It's like they're being forced to accept a definition of identity that doesn't acknowledge their experiences 
. what's really interesting is that trans students like S. Yarberry are taking matters into their own hands, working together to raise awareness & push for change 
. maybe this is the wake-up call we need - universities r not just institutions of higher learning, they're also supposed to be safe spaces for everyone