It’s about a culture of intolerance.

I wanted to use my story to explain that “cancel culture” is not mainly about being fired or even losing a platform; it’s about a culture of intolerance and its effect on free speech. When one’s own institution abandons its founding values, it abandons those who are working to uphold them. Being personally attacked for that work, especially when the institution appears to condone it, is quite disorienting, to put it mildly.

An inability to pursue one’s academic interests, the loss of friends, and damage to one’s reputation predictably lead to the ruination of careers and mental health. One way I know this is from all the feedback I’ve received from others who went through something similar. I believe this happens because of DEI culture, the values it emphasizes and the human weaknesses it exploits.

Each case like mine ripples through campus, intimidating and silencing others. What happens in universities should nurture a thriving democracy, but the opposite is happening. But there are solutions. When those with institutional power summon the courage to uphold the value of Veritas—which is not incompatible with a form of diversity and inclusion—we can return to open debate, discovery and excellence.

But coddling men who claim to be women is way more important than all that truth and freedom stuff.