Mick Hartley

Via Jerry Coyne, the story of the Oberlin College (Ohio) lacrosse coach, Kim Russell, who dared to share a social media post in support of women’s sports and female athletes:

In a documentary IWF produced telling her story, Russell talks about loving her lacrosse student-athletes as her own children. But following an Instagram post where Russell congratulated swimming star Emma Weyant for being the “real winner” of the 500-yard freestyle at the NCAA championships in 2022 after she officially came in second behind UPenn’s Lia Thomas, one of her own lacrosse players reported Russell’s post to Oberlin’s athletic director. The report triggered a series of lengthy disciplinary meetings and a full-fledged character assassination campaign against her involving Oberlin faculty and the women’s lacrosse team.

Evidence now available to the public, the audio recordings depict the onslaught of verbal attacks Kim was met with from Oberlin administrators:

“Unfortunately, you fall into a category of people that are filled with hate in the world.”

“It’s acceptable to have your own opinions, but when they go against your college’s beliefs, it’s a problem. For your employment.”

“What Oberlin College subjected Kim Russell to for simply believing biological truths was nothing short of a modern, Maoist struggle session,” said Andrea Mew, storytelling coordinator at IWF and producer of the documentary.

Amidst the backlash, Russell has continued to work as a coach for Oberlin College, where she is “walking on eggshells.” In the documentary, she acknowledges she is still at risk of being fired, but says that defending the integrity of women’s sports and exposing the college for trying to silence her is worth it.

Kim Russell’s story is a testament to the aggressive push within institutions to adhere to dogmatic ideology at the expense of fairness and freedom of thought. 

Particularly within academic institutions in the US, where gender ideology reigns supreme.