Demonstrators from the Student Action Branch of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property gathered at The Arch on Thursday morning to protest what they called “LGBT ideology,” marking their return to campus after an appearance last year.
Among other chants, American TFP demonstrators recited the mantras, “Keep America strong, stop the sexualization of children” and “adversity is not diversity,” along with Catholic prayers including the Hail Mary.
The American TFP is a Catholic American advocacy group part of a larger Tradition, Family and Property movement. Evan Olwell, the Midwest coordinator for TFP Student Action, said the group opposes gender-affirming care and social transitioning in the name of “protecting children.” The same group came to Northwestern last April, advocating for similar causes.
The demonstrators, consisting primarily of high school and college students, protested at the University of Wisconsin-Madison earlier in the week and Loyola University Chicago this afternoon. Olwell said the students are spending their spring break traveling to universities across Illinois and Wisconsin.
“We wanted to spread a point of view that may not commonly be heard in the classroom nowadays,” Olwell said. “We are a student group that’s very concerned with the transgender movement, especially its sexualization of children nowadays.”
Protesters held signs calling on passing cars to honk “against transgender ideology for children” and “against gender ideology.” Several motorists driving by on Sheridan Road honked.
Olwell said two NU master’s students passed by and “thanked the group,” but he believed others refrained from voicing their support because of “pressure on campus” to fit in with dominant beliefs.
Weinberg freshman Hattie Saal disagreed. She said the lack of support for the TFP Student Action protesters proved LGBTQ+ students can “exist happily and freely” at NU.
“As a queer person myself, I find it incredibly harmful that this ideology has found its way to my campus,” Saal said. “Obviously they do have a right to express themselves freely under the First Amendment, but I find it very offensive to be throwing this in our faces.”
TFP Student Action protesters handed out flyers titled, “10 Reasons Why Transgenderism Is the Family’s Worst Enemy.” Some passersby took the flyers, while others declined — vocally.
One passerby told the protesters, “Don’t give me your closed-minded crap.” Another took a flyer and ripped it up in front of a protester, who called her “childish” in response.
A representative from the NU Division of Student Affairs stood by the Arch, monitoring the protest. He said he was stationed to ensure the protesters didn’t force students to take flyers or step onto campus property, which would have violated University demonstration policies. If they did, he said, the protesters would be removed.
While the demonstrators stayed on the public sidewalk — and outside the jurisdiction of the University — Communication freshman Guadalupe Ramos said she was upset with the protestors’ very presence.
“I think it’s kind of ignorant for them to come here, of all places,” Ramos said. “We don’t support those kinds of beliefs.”
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