The Washington Stand, Two Female Law Students Punished for Protesting Tampons in Men’s Bathrooms:
It all started when two female law students at George Mason University spoke out against putting tampons in the men’s bathroom in a private chat. Now, they’re being punished for it, and the case Cerankosky v. Washington has emerged and made its way to court.
Selene Cerankosky and Maria Arcara, who are both third-year law students, shared their concerns in a private law student group chat over a fellow student’s proposal to put feminine hygiene products in male restrooms. Two weeks later, without any warning, the school “issued no-contact orders that prohibit them from having any contact with the other student” — which includes in-person, phone, and social media contact. Both Cerankosky and Arcara, alongside the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), believed this violated their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights as well as Virginia’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. With representation from ADF, a federal lawsuit was filed on Friday.
Daily Citizen, Female Law Students Punished for Objecting to Men in Women’s Restrooms, File Lawsuit:
“Universities — including law schools — must preserve the marketplace of ideas for all in order to encourage civil discourse for our future attorneys, politicians, judges, and leaders,” said ADF Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer, director of the ADF Center for Academic Freedom.
Selene and Maria respectfully voiced their opinion about biological differences between men and women and how the other student’s proposal blurs those lines at the expense of safety, privacy, and religious conviction. Because of this, their academic and professional careers are now in serious jeopardy. George Mason’s policy is far too subjective and allows university officials to punish students simply because their opinions about hotly debated social issues don’t align with their own. We are urging the court to restore the students’ First Amendment rights and order George Mason to stop enforcing its policy against protected expression.
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