UMVA has learned that a highly anticipated speech by detransitioner Chloe Cole at the University of Washington has been canceled due to alleged threats from Antifa.
Cole, who transitioned from female to male between the ages of 12 and 16, was set to speak at the university as part of Turning Point USA's "Pick Up the Mic" initiative, but announced the cancellation in a video statement on Tuesday.
According to Cole, Antifa had assembled a "local militia" to shut down the event, with explicit threats to her life, which her security team and local police were unprepared to handle.
The threats against Cole have raised concerns about the level of ideological conformity enforced on college campuses, with some accusing the left of selectively defending free speech while suppressing opposing views.
Cole's speech was targeted by a pro-Palestinian group, UW Divest News, which urged students to protest the event, calling Cole a "transphobic right-wing grifter" and encouraging them to "bring flags, drums, or anything to make some noise."
The cancellation comes on the heels of a recent assassination of a prominent conservative figure, which Cole cited as a reason for taking the threats against her more seriously.
The episode has sparked concerns about the growing trend of ideological intolerance on college campuses, where certain viewpoints are seemingly tolerated while others are met with hostility and violence.
Cole's decision to cancel the speech has been met with criticism from some who argue that it sets a bad precedent for allowing threats to dictate the terms of public discourse.
The incident highlights the challenges faced by individuals who dare to challenge prevailing narratives on college campuses, and the apparent double standard applied to defending free speech.
