Since its release one week ago, FPIW’s video, College Kids Say the Darndest Things: On Identity, has amassed over 1.35 million views on YouTube and Facebook.
It has been covered by a number of individuals and media outlets around the world: Washington Times, National Review, Rush Limbaugh, HotAir, TownHall, Breitbart, Allen West, Mandiner (Hungary), Christian News Network, College Fix, The Hayride, Patheos, Twitter).
In case you haven’t had a chance to see it, you can see the video and the transcript below.
Transcript
Joseph Backholm: There’s been a lot of talk about identity lately. But how far does it go, and is it possible to be wrong? We went to the University of Washington to find out.
Backholm, to student: Are you aware of the debate happening in Washington State around the ability access bathrooms, locker rooms, spas, based on gender identity and gender expression?
Student 1: I think people should be able to have access to the facility…
Student 2: I think bathrooms could and potentially should be gender-neutral because there doesn’t need to be a classification for differences…
Student 3: I think people definitely should have the ability to go into whichever locker room they want…
Student 4: Uh, I feel like at least public universities should try and do their best to accommodate for those who do not have a specific gender identity…
Student 5: You know, whether you identify as male or female and whether your sex at birth is matching to that, you should be able to utilize the resources…
Backholm: So if I told you I was a woman, what would your response be?
Student 6: (shrugs shoulders) Good for you, okay! Like, yeah!
Student 2: Nice to meet you…
Student 7: I’d be like…what? Really?
Student 8: I don’t have a problem with it…
Student 4: I’d ask you how you came to that conclusion…
Backholm: If I told you that I was Chinese, what would your response be?
Student 6: I mean I might be a little surprised but I’d say, like, good for you! Yeah, be who you are!
Student 3: I would maybe think you had some Chinese ancestor?
Student 4: I would ask you how you came to that conclusion and why you came to that conclusion…
Student 5: Um, I would have a lot of questions (laughing), just because on the outside, I would assume that you are a white man…
Backholm: If I told you that I was seven years old, what would your response be?
Student 6: (struggles to answer)
Student 3: Um, I wouldn’t believe that immediately…
Student 1: Uh, I probably wouldn’t believe it but I mean, it wouldn’t really bother me that much to go out of my way and tell you, “no, you’re wrong.” I’d just be like, “oh, okay, he wants to say he’s seven years old…”
Student 6: If you feel seven at heart, then…so be it, yeah! Good for you.
Backholm: So if I wanted to enroll in a first grade class, do you think I should be allowed to?
Student 1: Uh, probably…not, I guess? I mean, unless you haven’t completed first grade up to this point and for some reason need to do that now…
Student 6: If that where you feel mentally you should be then, I feel like there are communities that would accept you for that…
Student 4: I would say so long as you’re not hindering society, and you’re not causing harm to other people, I feel like that should be an okay thing…
Backholm, If I told you that I am six feet, five inches tall, what would you say?
Student 8: (long pause)
Student 5: Now that, I would question…
Backholm: Why?
Student 5: Because you’re not… (laughing) No, I don’t think you’re six foot five.
Student 3: If you truly believe you’re 6’5”, I don’t think it’s harmful…I think it’s fine if you believe that…it doesn’t matter to me if you…think you’re taller than you are.
Backholm: So you’d be willing to tell me I’m wrong?
Student 3: I wouldn’t tell you you’re wrong…
Student 8: No, but I’d say that I don’t think that you are…
Student 6: I feel like that’s not my place, as like another human, to say someone is wrong or to draw lines or boundaries…
Student 1: No, I mean, I wouldn’t just go like, “oh, you’re wrong and it’s wrong to believe in it,” because again, it doesn’t really bother me how you want to think about your height or anything…
Backholm: So, I can be a Chinese woman…?
Student 5: (laughing) Um, sure…
Backholm: But I can’t be a 6’5” Chinese woman?
Student 5: (long pause) Yes…
Student 4: If you thoroughly debated me or explained why you felt that you were six foot five, I feel like I would be very open to saying that you are six foot five…or Chinese…or a woman.
Backholm: It shouldn’t be hard to tell a 5’9” white guy that he’s not a 6’5” Chinese woman, but clearly, it is. Why? What does that say about our culture? And what does that say about our ability to answer questions that actually are difficult?
Closing slide: If you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for anything.
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