by Hannah Saunders
After a failed attempt to provide anti-Trans remarks at UW last semester, the far-right’s Chloe Cole is prepared to “Pick Up the Mic” on Nov. 18 for a speaking opportunity.
“Turning Point USA at University of Washington invites to Pick Up the Mic with Chloe Cole on November 18th at 6:00 p.m. The event will be held in Guggenheim 220,” according to the registration page.
In May, TPUSA tried to organize a “Pick Up the Mic” event featuring Cole, which quickly drew widespread criticism from students and community members, who planned to protest Cole and her anti-Trans talking points. Days leading up to the event, 19-year-old Trans UW student Juniper Blessing was brutally murdered in her off-campus housing complex.
After news of Blessing’s murder reached international headlines, frustrations regarding the TPUSA event grew, and TtS broke news that Cole’s event was cancelled due to an alleged “overwhelming” number of safety concerns. On May 13, UW students held a memorial and rally at Kane Hall to honor Blessing, which was a display of community for Trans students navigating grief and feelings of oppression. That night, students also called for TPUSA to stay off campus.
News of Cole’s return comes as Washingtonians passed the anti-Trans ballot measure, I-638, which bans Trans girls from participating in girls school sports and forces girl student athletes to provide documentation proving their sex, including through invasive genital exams. Cole has been commonly featured in the far-right media for her opposition to gender-affirming care and advocacy for healthcare bans for Queer youth.
Leave a Reply