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Week 5 is finally over! Take a break from studying to catch up on the past two weeks in Stanford-related news.
Stanford Reacts to Trump Memo on Gender
Description: Transgender military ban protest at the White House in 2017
Photo Credit: Ted Eytan / Wikimedia Commons
Following the Judge Kavanaugh’s tumultuous confirmation hearing, the Stanford community is once again grappling with another highly contentious political issue: the Trump Administration’s memo defining gender as sex assigned at birth, disregarding other gender identities. This move will “roll back recognition and protections of transgender people under federal civil rights law” gained during the Obama administration, according to the New York Times.
Stanford’s campus has long been supportive of transgender and gender non-conforming students, taking measures such as installing more gender neutral restrooms on campus over the last few years. This will not change, as Stanford Vice Provost of Student Affairs Susie Brubaker-Cole and Vice President for Human Resources Elizabeth Zacharias reaffirmed the administration’s dedication to protecting all forms of gender, gender identity, and gender expression, noting that California’s state law will continue to do so as well. They also included a list of resources for those impacted, both emotionally and legally, by the potential changes.
Many student groups on campus also reaffirmed their support for members of the LGBTQ+ community and others affected by the memo. In an email addressed to the entire Stanford community, Queer Student Resources and the Weiland Health Initiative expressed their commitment to fighting for marginalized communities, saying: “We will continue to build solidarity and make change… we will not be erased.” They also called on allies of the community to continue showing respect and support and included a list of campus, local, and national resources. The Stanford Democrats expressed a similar point of view, as president Gabe Rosen said in a statement to the Daily that the group found the memo “appalling.”
Stanford College Republicans took the opposite stance, asserting in a Facebook post on Monday that they “hope President Trump’s administration follows through” and that “the GOP is the moral party and the pro-science party, and this represents the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that fact.” This statement is unsurprising given SCR’s history of promoting a “two genders only” platform, as seen in the description for their Make Stanford Great Again event held last spring.
The issue of gender identity is highly sensitive and has a significant impact on many members of the Stanford community. Stanford Politics will continue to keep you updated with regard to this and related issues, all of which are certain to gain momentum leading up to midterm elections.
Assault Charges Dropped
Almost a week after SCR President John Rice-Cameron pressed charges against Melissa Hernandez ‘21 after an alleged physical assault, SCR announced on Facebook that the charges were being dropped in an “expression of goodwill” and to “diffuse tension on campus.” The post also requested that Hernandez issue an apology for her actions:
We would hope that the student who assaulted our president last week will also do her part to contribute to a more respectful and civil Stanford, including by apologizing and acknowledging the right of all students to express their views peacefully.
Leaked RA Memo
On Oct. 14, an email from the staff of an all-freshman dorm in Stern hall detailing student’s behavior during the previous night, including levels of intoxication and specific names, was accidentally sent out to the entire dorm instead of just the RFs. An apology email from an RA was sent out to residents soon after the incident, followed by a more official apology email from the RFs. Here is an excerpt from the memo, as quoted by the Stanford Daily:
“Around 11:45 [p.m.] … [a student] had thrown up in the … bathroom,” the memo said. “[One student] and [another student] helped her clean it up and I provided Clorox wipes. [One student] was coherent and also helping clean.”
Stanford Community Vigil for Tree of Life
Description: Stanford community gathers at memorial vigil in White Plaza
Photo Credit: Chabad at Stanford
In light of the mass shooting that took place in the Tree of Life Congregation, a Pittsburgh synagogue, on Saturday morning, the Stanford community gathered on Sunday to honor the victims in a memorial vigil organized by the Jewish Student Association, Hillel, and Chabad at Stanford. The New York Times described the attack as one “among the deadliest against the Jewish community in the United States,” and students on all sides of the political spectrum condemned the incident. In a Facebook post, SCR offered prayers and expressed a commitment to “combating anti-Semitism.”
Stanford Politics Podcast is Back!
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Stanford Politics Podcast — bringing you insightful commentary on campus and national news as well as interviews with Stanford professors and administrators, student leaders and political figures — is back. Check out the first episode of the school year, “Midterms, Brett Kavanaugh, and Taylor Swift,” on SoundCloud, iTunes, or your preferred podcast-listening platform!
And In Case You Missed It…
The Failings of French Republicanism (Erica Scott / Stanford Politics)
Dinesh D’Souza invited to speak on campus, funding request pending (Julia Ingram / The Stanford Daily)
Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (BA ’50, JD ’52) Reveals Dementia Diagnosis, Steps Away from Public Life (Matthew Haag / The New York Times)
SIG hosts ‘Party at the Post Office’ event to increase voter turnout (Erin Woo / The Stanford Daily)
The first step to choosing the 'right' college? Ignore the rankings, says Stanford researcher (Krysten Crawford / Stanford Graduate School of Education)
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PS: Don’t forget to vote in the midterms!