Rochester LGBTQ+ Together stands in solidarity with our transgender siblings and others in voicing our extreme disappointment in the University of Rochester for inviting a notorious TERF (trans exclusionary radical feminist), author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, to their campus as a headliner for their annual Meliora Weekend. In an age of heightened bigotry, tropes, threats and violence against transgender, non-binary and gender expansive folx, we cannot officially sanction or amplify these ignorant, hateful views. We call on U of R to rescind their invitation and condemn Adichie’s TERF stances. If you want diverse, intersectional identity in your headliners, there’s an abundance of amazing Black trans speakers locally, statewide, nationally and internationally that you could invite. Whether it was intentional or not, retaining this speaker will have a negative impact on our greater Rochester community and showing LGBTQIA2S+ students, faculty, staff and community members that you do not truly stand with all of us. Please fix this and do better with future bookings.
