California library silences speaker for saying men shouldn’t be allowed in women’s sports

(The Daily Signal) – A California librarian kicked out female rights advocate Sophia Lorey for “misgendering” biological men who identify as transgender during a speech Sunday, according to a video of the incident.

Lorey, a member of the California Family Council, an organization that advocates fairness in women’s sports and parental rights, was speaking at an event entitled “Forum on Fair and Safe Sports for Girls” at the Mary L. Stephens Davis Branch Library in Davis, California. Her topic was fairness in the context of biological males who compete in girls’ or women’s sports.

During Lorey’s speech, multiple people began yelling, accusing her of “misgendering,” and didn’t allow her to finish despite her lawyer’s insisting it was her First Amendment right.

“California state law recognizes trans women as women,” one librarian can be heard saying in the video. “Our policy talks about treating people with respect, and if you are misgendering somebody, that is not respectful.”

Another person can be heard shouting that he doesn’t want any biological men who identify as women being called men, citing the library’s code of conduct.

Riley Gaines, a women’s rights advocate and former NCAA swimmer, chimed in, saying: “This is ridiculous, but not shocking … a female athlete silenced for calling a spade a spade.”

Lorey said her “dream” as a young girl was to be a college soccer player.

“But current 10-year-old girls cannot live out this same dream as long as men are allowed to compete in women’s sports,” Lorey said.

“Allowing biological men in women’s sports does not create an equal playing field, [and] instead robs young biological girls of their athletic aspirations,” she said.

She is then interrupted by shouting in the room, according to the video. Erin Friday, a lawyer represwenting Lorey who says she is a Democrat, approached the podium.

“We all have First Amendment rights, whether you believe in what I believe or whether I believe in what you believe,” Friday said.

Lorey and Friday then left the event after Scott Love, director of the library, told them they were not allowed to speak further because of “misgendering.”

Neither Lorey nor the Mary L. Stephens David Branch Library responded immediately to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.