Laurier University Censorship Controversy

Submission 28,979

Overview

Laurier University Censorship Controversy refers to an online backlash directed toward Laurier University after graduate student Lindsay Shepherd leaked audio recorded while she was reprimanded for airing a video clip of professor Jordan Peterson in late November 2017.

Background

On November 1st, 2017, Shepherd taught a tutorial class on language during which she presented a debate from the show The Agenda broadcast on the Canadian public education television channel TVOntario between professors Jordan B. Peterson and Nicholas Matte over the use of gendered pronouns (shown below).

Following Shepherd's tutorial class, she was contacted to meet with her supervising professor Nathan Rambukkana, associate professor in communication studies Herbert Pimlott and manager of gendered violence prevention and support Adria Joel.

On November 10, the news site National Post published an article titled "Thought police strike again as Wilfrid Laurier grad student is chastised for showing Jordan Peterson video," which discussed audio of the meeting secretly recorded by Shepherd. In the recording, Shepherd is told that by playing a clip of Peterson she was promoting transphobia, whom professor Rambukkana accusses of being a member of the alt-right, that playing the clip was potential illegal and that playing the debate was akin to "neutrally playing a speech about Hitler." On November 20th, the full audio recording of the meeting was subsequently circulated online after being released by the National Post.^[3]

Developments

Shepherd's Response

On November 16th, Shepherd created the @NewWorldHominin^[8] Twitter feed to speak out about the controversy. That day, she responded to critics accusing her of being right-wing, saying "I am a leftist. But I do not represent the leftism of Rambukkana/Pimlott, who believe in shutting down opposition" (shown below).^[7]

Online Reaction

On November 19th, Redditor RustyMcTavish submitted an article about the controversy titled "Supressing ideas, stifling free speech, is making Wilfrid Laurier University unsafe" to /r/canada,^[5] where it gathered upwards of 2,300 points (87% upvoted) and 1,300 comments within 72 hours.

On November 20th, Jordan Peterson posted a tweet condemning the Laurier professors for "claiming that showing a video of someone talking about pronouns was illegal."^[4] On November 21st, Redditor BadDogToo submitted a post about the controversy to /r/canada,^[2] referring to the incident as the "Wilfrid Laurier inquisition."

On Twitter, several prominent author and academics condemned the professors heard in the audio recording, including author Sam Harris and NYU professor Jonathan Haidt, who described it as Orwellian.

Interviews

On November 22nd, 2017, the Canadian news site GlobalNews^[1] published an interview with Shepherd (shown below).

Nathan Rambukkana's Open Letter

On November 21st, Professor Rambukkana published an open letter to Shepherd, in which he apologized for "how the meeting we had proceeded" and for comparing Peterson to Adolf Hitler.^[6] Additionally, Rambukkana added "maybe we ought to strive to reach across all of our multiple divisions to find points where we can discuss such issues, air multiple perspectives, and embrace the diversity of thought."

Laurier University's Apology

Also on November 21st, Laurier President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah MacLatchy sent an email to students of the university apologizing for the way Shepherd was treated in the meeting.

"After listening to this recording, an apology is in order. The conversation I heard does not reflect the values and practices to which Laurier aspires. I am sorry it occurred in the way that it did and I regret the impact it had on Lindsay Shepherd. I will convey my apology to her directly. Professor Rambukkana has also chosen to apologize to Lindsay Shepherd about the way the meeting was conducted."