Sex & Gender /

Californian Librarian Asks Women’s Sports Forum To Leave Event, Cites Transphobia

‘Your First Amendment rights are not higher than my First Amendment rights’ said one speaker

Published: August 21, 2023
  |   By Christopher Bertman

A librarian at Mary L. Stephens Davis branch library in Davis, California shut down a forum on men in women’s sports over “transphobic” remarks from guest speakers.

The event, titled “Forum on FAIR AND SAFE Sports for GIRLS,” was held Sunday and was scheduled between 4 and 6 p.m. featuring former female California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes along with legal experts in Title IX and women’s rights policy.

Sophia Lorey of California Family Council launched the forum by noting the library had a code of ethics requesting attendees “respect each other” and “hear each other out.”

During her introduction of the event, one attendee asked if Lorey would “misgender” people throughout the forum. Lorey then requested the audience to hold questions for the end of the event, to which another speaker said anyone interrupting would be asked to leave the event.

A librarian spoke up from the back of the room saying he didn’t want any transgender females being referred to as males, citing the library’s code of conduct, to which attendees applauded.

Another speaker, who identified herself as licensed California attorney Erin Friday, requested the librarian provide the code of conduct requiring the speakers to “abdicate” her First Amendment right to free speech.

“Trans women are women!” one person in the audience interjected.

“California State law recognizes trans women as women,” the librarian said, adding transgender-identifying people are protected under State law. “Our policy talks about treating people with respect, and if you are misgendering somebody that is not respectful.”

The audience applauded the man’s comment.

Friday reiterated her question by asking the librarian to provide specific California code detailing his assertion — to which the librarian responded saying he didn’t have it available.

Lorey detailed her experience growing up wanting to play soccer in college because it was her dream and “all [she] ever wanted to do.”

“But current 10-year-old girls cannot live out this same dream as long as men are allowed to compete in women’s sports.”

Members of the audience began saying “no” and expressing dissatisfaction with Lorey’s comment while one woman interjected, “You can’t do that.”

Librarian Scott Love said he would give the speaker one warning before asking the group to leave. Another person in the crowd pointed out, “Nobody has to be here.”

“Allowing biological men in women’s sports does not create an equal playing field, [but] instead robs young biological girls of their athletic aspirations,” the speaker said.

Lorey attempted to continue her presentation, though was asked to leave by the librarian, at which point Friday approached the lectern and spoke.

“I appreciate that you are all showing your First Amendment rights,” she said, adding she was a big supporter of the amendment. “I love the fact that you have your signs and that you are here today.”

“But we all have First Amendment rights whether you believe in what I believe or whether I believe in what you believe,” she continued as attendees began interjecting. “But as an American, I am allowed to have my First Amendment right just like you are.”

The attorney elaborated on First Amendment rights to speech though a member of the audience insisted the speakers must abide by the library’s rules.

“I am a Democrat of 37 years,” Friday declared, adding she voted for same-sex marriage, though attendees continued speaking over her.

One attendee insisted the event was taxpayer funded through the library, to which Friday countered by saying attendees were not permitted to talk over speakers per the library’s rules.

“Why are you afraid to listen to what we have to say?” the attorney asked. “I’m not here to convince you of anything. You can go on your way and believe what you want to believe.”

Friday insisted attendees could “excoriate” and “doxx” the speakers after the event.

“Your First Amendment rights are not higher than my First Amendment rights,” she said. “We all have them.”

Friday reiterated she was excited to speak in front of people who disagreed and noted expressing your opinion was an American quality.

“I asked you to leave earlier,” Love said, adding he was following through with his request.

Love, attendees, and guest speakers began speaking over each other as the attorney insisted she could not be compelled to speak differently by the library — to which the librarian repeated his request for the guest speakers to leave.

The commotion continued as Lorey questioned why she was being asked to leave.

“You’re being disruptive,” the librarian told her.

At that point, Lorey asked Love to identify himself.

“Notice it’s men shouting her down and silencing her,” wrote former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines on X. “Isn’t this way the original feminist movement fought against? So much for #MeToo.”

“This is ridiculous, but not shocking….a female athlete silenced for calling a spade a spade,” Gaines said in another post. “They won’t even engage in a civil conversation. Props to this gal for sticking her ground. Do we know the librarians name and/or phone number? We need silent majority to do its thing.”

“This is yet another real world reminder as to why it is so crucial to never play their language manipulation game,” wrote an account called Courage Is A Habit. “Remember it started with, ‘It’s just a pronoun and about manners? What’s the big deal.'”

“Dictators always start with language.”

The post continued: “The Transgender Cult is part of a larger Marxist revolution that begins in schools, as it always does. Always reject their attempt to weaponize your kindness. If everyone refuse[s] to play the pronoun game, then he can’t kick everyone out of the meeting.”

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