This letter is a direct response to the event “Why The Pro-Life Movement is Center Stage in the Culture War” taking place on December 1, 2021 at St. Francis Xavier College Church. The speaker of the event, Matt Walsh, has publicly expressed that he will change the title of his talk to “What Is A Woman? How The Trans Agenda Erases Women And Denies Reality.” He is known for making degrading statements about LGBTQ+ identities, including pathologizing non-cisgendered individuals on multiple occasions. He has also made denigrative remarks that negatively stereotype other marginalized groups, such as on the basis of race. This rhetoric is dangerous, yet part of a pervasive cultural script that condones bigotry to be upheld by the smokescreen of ‘free speech’. 

In his upcoming talk at SLU, Matt Walsh plans on discussing the biological ability to carry a pregnancy in order to ostracize transgender women. Young transgender people face physical violence and discrimination, have a disproportionately higher rate of attempted suicide compared to cisgender folks, and the life expectancy of Black transgender women is between 35 and 37 years due to compounded layers of traumas. Bringing a speaker on campus that targets this already vulnerable demographic is insensitive, considering we have already lost 2 SLU students to suicide since the start of the semester. Additionally, associating childbirth with womanhood is also dangerous for cisgender women who are unable to carry children, have had one or more miscarriages or still births, or do not want to pro-create. Child-birth should not determine a person’s gender identity nor should it delegitimize their womanhood. Doing so can be very triggering and lead to mental distress. 

SLU has made strides, in recent months, to address student mental health including the initiation of the Provost’s Student Well Being Task force. Additionally, as a reactionary measure to the tragedies this fall, SLU has ameliorated their mental health services, including increasing available counselors and offering student mental health days as part of the fall semester. However, Walsh’s event stirs up the already tense and volatile university atmosphere, such that any progress that has been made over the last few months will be unraveled.

Faculty and staff have close interactions with students on a daily basis, thus we are aware that students value our perspective on this matter. We want to be clear – Matt Walsh’s viewpoints, rhetoric, and tactics do not represent the perspective of the undersigned SLU faculty and staff. We denounce any narratives that perpetuate insularity or impugn the dignity of the individual, including their vibrant and intersectional identities. As faculty and staff at a Jesuit institution, we welcome civil discourse, dialogue, and generative discussion from diverse viewpoints and experiences; we do not endorse harassment, bullying, or threatening tactics. We want to use the power of our position to affirm transgender and nonbinary students, in particular — we see you, you matter to us, we care for you and we hear your concerns. As a result of our commitment, the Division of Diversity and Innovative Community Engagement (DICE) has facilitated two listening sessions on the week of November 15th where students, faculty, and staff gathered to discuss this event, as well as the intersection between reproductive health and justice. More of this joint communication is needed as we seek to shift the university’s environment to one of community mindedness, such that we can emulate the ideal of OneSLU.

The undersigned SLU faculty and staff stand with all students because of the significance of gender, race, socioeconomic status, ability, and sexual orientation in producing marginalized social locations and experiences. We acknowledge the harm that this event will cause and has already caused. We will be working together, in conjunction with students of diverse backgrounds, to work toward policy change such that this type of divisive speaker has no platform at Saint Louis University — an institution which prides itself on inclusivity, due to its all-embracing Jesuit mission.

Signed…

Aubra Ladd, Program Coordinator, Division of Diversity and Innovative Community Engagement

Jennifer Korte, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication

Keli Jackson, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication

Amber Johnson, Professor, Department of Communication

Patricia McQueen, Administrative Assistant II, Departments of Accounting, Management, and Operations & Information Technology Management

Camas McKay, Program Coordinator, Office of Admission

William P. Johnson, Professor, School of Law

Kelsey Mesmer, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication

Sabrina W. Tyuse, Professor, School of Social Work

Harold Braswell, Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Programs, Health Care Ethics

Eddie M. Clark, PhD, Professor, Department of Psychology

Elizabeth Richard, Associate Professor, Department of Communication 

Nathan L. Grant, Associate Professor, Department of English; Editor, African American Review

Belinda Dantley, Assistant Dean for DEI, School of Law

Darcy Scharff, Professor, Department of Behavioral Science & Health Education

Scott Sell, Program Coordinator, Biomedical Engineering

Stephen Casmier, Associate Professor, English

Victor St. John, Assistant Professor, Criminology and Criminal Justice

Kasey Fowler-Finn, Associate Professor, Department of Biology

Cort W. Rudolph, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology

Bryan Sokol, Director and Associate Professor, Psychology & Center for Social Action

Terri Weaver, Professor, Department of Psychology

Kim Powlishta, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology

Kenya Brumfield-Young, Assistant Professor, Criminology and Criminal Justice

Kristin Kiddoo, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology

Amy Bautz, Professor, Department of Fine and Performing Arts

Robert Cropf, Professor, Department of Political Science

Aaron Johnson, Associate Professor, Department of Fine and Performing Arts

Robert Pampel, Director, University Honors Program

Lydia Bullock, Program Coordinator, Student Development 

Charles E. Graves, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Annie Artiga Garner, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology

Dana Baum, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry

Austin Burns, Graduate Instructor, Department of Psychology 

Carrie Burnett, Research Assistant & Graduate Instructor , Department of Psychology 

Abram Gregory, Graduate Instructor, Department of English

Salvatore DiBono, Research Assistant, English Department 

Sofia Origanti, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology

Clint E. Johnson, Research Assistant & Graduate Instructor, Department of Psychology

Jack Friedrich, Research Assistant, Department of Psychology

Lisa Willoughby, Associate Professor, Psychology

Haley Cobb, Research Assistant, Department of Psychology

Kolin Heck, Research Assistant & Graduate Instructor, Department of Experimental Psychology

Gretchen Arnold, Associate Professor, Women’s and Gender Studies

Devin Johnston, Professor, English

Tommy DeRossett, Graduate Instructor, Psychology Department

Toby R. Benis, Professor and Department Chair, English

Regina Walton, Executive Assistant, DICE

Shannon Cooper-Sadlo, Associate Clinical Professor and Program Director, School of Social Work

Daniel Smith, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Theological Studies

Nathaniel Rivers, Associate Professor, Department of English

Natalie Floeh, Director, Department of Academic Advising

Heather Lewis, Assistant Clinical Faculty, Applied Behavior Analysis 

Kristi Richter, Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Social Work

Jewell Dehon, Graduate Instructor, Department of Psychology

Ruth Evans, Professor, Department of English

Annette Kilian, Graduate Instructor, Department of English

Katie Gearin, Writing Consultant, and Graduate Instructor, Department of English  

Andrew Sweeso, Research Assistant & Writing Program Instructor, Department of English

Emily Marler, Graduate Instructor, Department of Psychology

Susan Spencer, Associate Professor, Department of Biology

Krista Braun, Research Assistant & Graduate Instructor , Department of Psychology

Claudia Karagoz, Associate Professor, Departments of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures and Women’s and Gender Studies

Vincent Casaregola, Professor, Department of English

Amanda Izzo, Assistant Professor, Department of Women’s and Gender Studies

Noelle Fearn, Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Director, School of Social Work

Bradley Bailey, Associate Professor, Department of Fine and Performing Arts

Simone Bregni, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

Rhonda BeLue, Professor and Chair, Department of Health Management and Policy

Mel Nicolas, Administrative Assistant, School of Social Work

Phyllis Weliver, Professor of English & Director, Walter J. Ong, S.J., Center for Digital Humanities

Savanah Warners, Graduate Instructor, Department of English

Richard Colignon, Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Christina García, Assistant Professor, Department of Languages, Literatures, & Cultures

Rachel Linn Shields, Graduate Instructor, Department of English

Katie Rootes, Associate Professor, Family and Community Medicine

Amy Cooper, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Sarah Bauer, Instructor of Spanish, Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Sheri Anderson-Gutierrez, Assistant Professor, Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures

Clare Schuchardt, Grant Coordinator and Research Assistant, Department of Health Management and Policy

Benjamin Looker, Associate Professor, Department of American Studies

Jonathan Fisher, Professor, Department of Biology

Rabia Rahman, Assistant Professor, Nutrition and Dietetics

Sydney Rice, Graduate Instructor, Department of English

Amanda Sebesta, Instructor, Department of Biology

Phyllis Terry Friedman, Clinical Professor, Department of Psychology 

Joseph Schafer, Professor, Criminology & Criminal Justice

Ryan Prewitt, Graduate Instructor, Department of English

Claire Jennings, Research Assistant & Graduate Instructor, Department of English

Bobby Wassel, Assistant Director, Center for Social Action

Jesse Helton, Associate Professor, School of Social Work

Evelyn Meyer, Associate Chair, & Associate Professor of German, Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures

Chad Huddleston, Adjunct Professor, Sociology and Anthropology

Katrina Moore, Associate Professor, African American Studies and History 

Kathleen Eck, Graduate Instructor, Department of English

Tiffany Rosenzweig, Adjunct Professor, Sociology & Anthropology

Sofia Hingorani, Research Assistant, Department of Communication

Thomas Martin, Associate Professor, Fine and Performing Arts

Cathleen Fleck, Associate Professor and Chair, Fine and Performing Arts Department

Candice Thomas, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology

Jessica Trout, Assistant Director of Advocacy and Civic Engagement, Center for Social Action

Susanne Chawszczewski, Director of Campus Ministry

Ashley Milam, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology

Emily Komos, Micah Program Coordinator

Abby Stylianou, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science

Benjamin Smyth, Manager, Service Leadership Program

Brooke Taylor, Honors Program Manager

Hailey A. Hatch, Research Assistant & Graduate Instructor, Department of Psychology

Dominic Dowdy-Windsor, Coordinator, Fine & Performing Arts Department

Arianna Contreras, Adjunct Instructor, Department of Language, Literature and Culture

Natalie Monzyk, Adjunct Professor, Department of English & Department of Women’s and Gender Studies

Michael Hankins, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry

Erin Schmidt, Campus Minister

Jason T. Eberl, Director and Professor, Albert Gnaegi Center for Health Care Ethics

Julie O’Heir, Director, Prison Education Program

Cynthia Enghauser, Campus Minister, Department of Campus Ministry

Michelle Verner, Campus Minister, Department of Campus Ministry

Jim Roach, Campus Minister, Department of Campus Ministry

Christopher Prener, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Michael Mancini, Associate Professor, School of Social Work

Emily Lutenski, Associate Professor, Department of American Studies

Julia López, Adjunct Professor, College of Public Health and Social Justice

Stephanie Solomon Cargill, Associate Professor, Center for Health Care Ethics

Scott Berman, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy

Katherine Gutiérrez-Glik, Graduate Instructor, Department of English

Flannery Burke, Associate Professor, Departments of American Studies & History

Whitney Linsenmeyer, Assistant Professor and Program Director, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics

Jennifer Buehler, Associate Professor, School of Education

Ruth Warner, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology

Vithya Murugan, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work

Tanesha Johnson, Research Assistant, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences

Ashley Doonan, Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Psychology

Lauren Murphy, Research Assistant, Department of Psychology

R. Lauren Miller, Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Amy Preis, Outreach Coordinator, Parks College of Engineering, Aviation, and Technology

Cheryl Rathert, Associate Professor, Department of Health Management and Policy

Stephanie Tennill, Assistant Professor of Music, Department of Fine and Performing Arts

Annie Smart, Professor, Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

Megan Ferber, Assistant Professor, Family and Community Medicine

J. Cameron Anglum, Assistant Professor, School of Education

Karen I. Hall, Assistant Professor, School of Education, Educational Leadership

Kathryn Mitchell Pierce, Assistant Professor, School of Education

Wynne Moskop, Professor, Department of Political Science

Kevin Roach, Research Assistant and Instructor, Department of Education

Sue Ratz, Marketing Manager, Parks College of Engineering, Aviation, and Technology

Molly Schaller, Associate Professor, Higher Education Administration

Michelle Sanford, Project Manager, Research

Nancy Bell, Director of Theatre, Departments of Fine & Performing Arts Department

Daniel Freeman, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Merlene Gilb, Assistant Professor, School of Education

Dixie Meyer, Associate Professor, Family and Community Medicine

Allen Brizee, Director of Writing Across the Curriculum in the University Undergraduate Core, Associate Professor, Department of English

Rachel Rimmerman, Director of Business and Outreach, WATER Institute

Russell Tallant, Adjunct Faculty, Department of Languages Literatures and Cultures

Pascale Perraudin, Associate Professor, Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

Scott Harris, Professor, Department of Sociology & Anthropology

Cara Wallace, Associate Professor, School of Social Work

Donny Schmidt, Flight Instructor, Center of Aviation Science

Fred Rottnek, MD, MAHCM, Professor and Director of Community Medicine, Program Director of the Addiction Medicine Fellowship

Melissa Burgess, Coordinator of Academic Support

David Rapach, Professor, Department of Economics

Kate Moran, Associate Professor, Department of American Studies

Kelly Lovejoy, Assistant Professor of Spanish, Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

Diane M. Richter, Assistant Clinical Professor, Director of ICAS, School of Education 

Dana Stiles, Research Assistant & Graduate Instructor, Department of Psychology

Erica K. Salter, Associate Professor Health Care Ethics

Anneke Bart, Associate Professor and Associate Chair, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Jack Schwarz, Flight Instructor, Center of Aviation Science

Rachel Greenwald Smith, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Graduate Studies, Department of English

Becca Muder, Campus Minister, Department of Campus Ministry – Office of Mission and Identity  

Kara Christopher, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology

Leah Sweetman, Director of Community Engaged Learning, Center for Social Action 

Blythe Janowiak, Associate Professor, Department of Biology

Robert Hughes, Associate Chair and Professor of Music, Fine and Performing Arts

Nila Petty, Associate Professor, Fine & Performing Arts

Emily Boyd, Coordinator, Office of Professional Oversight, President SLU Women’s Commission

Stacey Harris, Professor, Department of Mathematics & Statistics

Emily Dumler-Winckler, Assistant Professor, Department of Theological Studies

Jennifer Semsar, Administrative Assistant, Department of Women’s and Gender Studies

Cynthia Stollhans, Professor, Department of Fine and Performing Arts

Antony Hasler, Associate Professor, Department of English

Lucy Cashion, Associate Professor, Fine and Performing Arts

Daniel Chornet, Communication Studies, Program Director (Madrid Campus)

Emily Phillips, Instructor, English Department

Patrick Cousins, Assistant Director, Department of Campus Ministry

Marcia McCormick, Professor, School of Law

Ilene Berman, Assistant Professor, Fine and Performing Arts

Lori Baron, Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Theological Studies

Elizabeth Block, Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics, Department of Theological Studies

Ruth Shach, Research Assistant, Department of Psychology

Claire Herman, Alumni Engagement Officer, Alumni Engagement

Yolonda Wilson, Associate Professor, Department of Health Care Ethics

Julianne Mason, Academic Advisor, School of Nursing

Alexander Ocasio, Coordinator of Academic Support for University Writing Services

Isaac Arten, Assistant Professor of Christian Theology, Department of Theological Studies

Brian Sholl, Assistant Professor of Theological Studies

Joan Hart-Hasler, Associate Professor of Classics, Languages, Literatures & Cultures

Dan Finucane, Associate Professor, Theological Studies

Christopher M. Duncan, Professor, Department of Political Science

Rich Hennicke, Assistant Adjunct Professor, School of Social Work

Holly Seitz Marchant, Assistant Professor, Theatre & Dance Program, Department of Fine & Performing Arts

Chelsea Trotter, Graduate Instructor, Theological Studies

Dan Kozlowski, Associate Professor, Department of Communication

Yvette Joy Liebesman, Professor, School of Law

Mandie Butler, Senior Academic Advisor, School of Education 

Susan McGraugh, Clinical Professor of Law

Brendan Roediger, Professor and Director of Civil Litigation Clinic, School of Law

Anjeanette LeBoeuf, Assistant Professor, Department of Theological Studies

Heather Bednarek, Associate Professor, Department of Economics

Scott Ragland, Professor, Department of Philosophy

Rachel Lindsey, Assistant Professor, Theological Studies

Heather Stout, Accessibility & Wellness Programs Coordinator, School of Law

Shannon Morse, Assistant Dean of Students, School of Law

Beth Barrett, Associate Clinical Professor, School of Social Work

Henry Ordower, Professor, School of Law

Jeffrey Scherrer, Professor, Family and Community Medicine

Mary Pat McInnis, Dean for Career Services, School of Law

Andy Harper, Assistant Professor, Department of English

Elizabeth Pendo, Professor, School of Law

Christian Shields Cunningham, Program Coordinator, Student Development

Julie King, Program Coordinator, School of Education

Lee Smith, Professor, School of Nursing

Ellen Carnaghan, Professor, Political Science

Nia Sumpter. Graduate Assistant for The Institute of Healing Justice and Equity, Department of Communication 

Matt Vigil, Adjunct Professor and Clinic Staff Attorney, School of Law  

Jon Baris, Assistant Dean, School of Law

Stephen Belt, Associate Professor, Aviation Science and Parks College Chief Diversity Officer

Luella Loseille, Assistant Director for Diversity and Inclusion, Cross Cultural Center for Global Citizenship, DICE

Ryszard Koziel, Graduate Assistant, Department of Psychology

Bradley E.S. Fogel, Professor, School of Law

Lexi Strasburg, Research Assistant, Department of Psychology

Joel Jennings, Assistant Professor and Undergraduate Director of Sociology and Anthropology

Matthew Nanes, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science

Donna LaVoie, Professor, Department of Psychology

Lauren Choate, Adjunct Professor and Clinic Social Worker, School of Law

Ali Fisunoglu, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science

Dorsa Ghoreishi, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Christopher Tinson, Chair, Department of African American Studies

Russell Blyth, Professor, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

María Romo-Palafox, Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics

Dulcis Infantem Cohors, Research Assistant, Department of English

Anne McCabe, Faculty Member, English Department, Madrid Campus

Laura Tedesco, Associate Dean Arts and Sciences, Madrid Campus

Roswitha Zahlner, Women´s and Gender Studies faculty at SLU Madrid 

Hamish Binns, Program Director, ESL and Modern Languages, Madrid Campus

Daniel Brewer, Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics 

Anne Dewey, Professor, Department of English, Women’s & Gender Studies, Madrid Campus

Brody Johnson, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics & Statistics

Dennis Wacker, Professor Emeritus, Department of Mathematics & Statistics 

Sara Rae Womack, Administrative Assistant II, Department of Fine & Performing Arts

Ellen Barnidge, Associate Professor, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education

Ozlem Ugurlu, Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Colleen McCluskey, Professor, Department of Philosophy

Lisa Puetz, Administrative Assistant, Department of Languages, Literatures, & Cultures

Elena Bray Speth, Associate Professor, Department of Biology

Joyce Brown, Student Services Associate, School of Law

Morgan Hazelton, Associate Professor, Political Science and Law (by Courtesy)

Diane Devine, Career Counselor, Career Services

Heidi Moore, Administrative Assistant II, Department of Sociology & Anthropology 

Falethia Hawthorne, Program Coordinator, School of Law

Jennifer LK van Driest, Director of Academic Advising for Parks College of Engineering, Aviation, and Technology

Ricardo Wray, Professor, Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education

Tara Houston, Alumni Engagement Officer, Alumni Engagement

Ysabel Vandenberg, Research Assistant, Center for Health Care Ethics

Rebecca Hyde, Professor, Pius XII Memorial Library

Terri Foster, Administrative Assistant, Department of American Studies 

Cathy Zimmer, Business Manager, College of Arts & Sciences

Enbal Shacham, Professor, Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education

Jean Pierre Bonnet-Laboy, Assistant Director for Diversity and Inclusion, School of Law

Mary Katherine Rackers, Research Assistant, Department of Philosophy 

Petina Benigno, Assistant Director of Academic Support and Bar Exam Preparation, School of Law

Anne Sebert Kuhlmann, Associate Professor, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education

Helen De Cruz, Professor and Chair, Department of Philosophy

Kent Staley, Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator, Department of Philosophy

Antonia Miceli, Professor, School of Law

Lindsay Thomas, Research Assistant, Department of Psychology

Kearney Liuzza, Development Officer, School of Law

Jessica Seavers, Assistant Director, Student Financial Services

Heidi Ardizzone, Associate Professor, American Studies

Debra Cashion, Digital Humanities Librarian, Pius XII Library

Louise Edwards Neiman, Assistant Director, University Honors Program

Linda Warren, Associate Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator, Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences

Julie Gibbons, Program Director of Donor Relations, Stewardship 

Jill Bright, Assistant Professor, Pius XII Memorial Library

Amanda Cox, Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering

Kathryn P. Banks, Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Law

Andrea Thornton, Graduate Instructor, Center for Health Care Ethics

Rebecca Steins, Research Assistant, Department of Psychology

Dal S. Yu, Adjunct Instructor, Department of Mathematics & Statistics

Lauren Borato, Graduate Assistant, Department of Psychology

Ingah Davis-Crawford, I., Instructional Resources Coord. & Mgr. Scholarship Commons Repository, Law Library

Torrie Hester, Associate Professor, Department of History

Miriam Joseph, Research & Instruction Librarian/Professor, Pius Library; Assistant Provost

Sarah Adams, Graduate Intern, Campus Ministry

Lindsay McDaniels Swearingen, First Year Navigator, Billikens First Chapter Program

Airiana Smith, Internal Operations/Compliance Intern, Athletic Department 

April Trees, Professor, Department of Communication

Eliza Angarano, Career Counselor, Career Services

Janet Oberle, Deputy Director of Athletics

Amanda Barton, First-Year Navigator, Billikens First Chapter

Sally Beth Lyon, Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership

Heather Freehill, Senior Academic Coordinator, Billiken Student-Athlete Academic Support Services

Justin Vilbig, Geospatial Data Scientist, Geospatial Institute

Lesko Brandon, Alumni Outreach Coordinator, Office of Development

Erica B. Lauriello, Head of Patron Services, Pius XII Memorial Library

Mary Woods, Swimming & Diving Graduate Assistant

Brandy Fox, Graduate Instructor, Health Care Ethics

Roy Tippett, Academic Coordinator, Department of Athletics

Katie Stamatakis, Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics