Senator Ted Cruz of Texas mocked the practice of sharing individual, sometimes made-up, pronouns. Addressing the annual Turning Point USA Student Action Summit in Tampa, Florida, Cruz lashed out at “woke” college campuses and recalled an instance in a classroom where a student shared her pronouns.
The summit has the purpose of offering leadership training and championing student activism. Its goal is to connect students together with political leaders such as Cruz, former President Donald Trump, Trump Jr., Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham, Rick Scott, Gov. Ron DeSantis, congressman Matt Gaetz, Sen. Josh Hawley and several other notable “right wingers,” as described by Creative Loafing Tampa.
Speaking to conservative students, Cruz said: “Your classmates, even if they’re scared to say it, are looking around thinking this stuff is nuts.”
“I talked to a student recently at one of our woke college campuses who said she is required in every class to introduce herself and to give her pronouns,” Cruz stated, to the booing of the crowd. “Well, I’m Ted Cruz, and my pronoun is ‘kiss my ass,'” he told the conference to cheers, according to a video on Twitter.
“The more crazy they get — every time they do something ridiculous — part of me weeps but part of me celebrates,” he added. “Because it is accelerating the country coming back. It is opening eyes. I promise all of y’all on campuses across the country — your classmates, even if they are scared to say it — are looking around thinking, ‘This stuff is nuts.'”
Cruz brought to the attention of those in attendance his interaction with Supreme Court Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson concerning her refusal to provide a definition of a “woman.”
“What the hell is wrong with you idiots,” Cruz said, adding “this stuff ain’t complicated and yet the more crazy they get – part of me every time they do something ridiculous – part of me weeps, then part of me celebrates because it is accelerating the country coming back.”
In a survey that was released last month by the Pew Research Center, 34% of people said that it was extremely or very important to use a person’s correct pronouns after transiting.
Another poll, released in May, revealed that approximately 60% of all respondents said that children should not be able to choose their own pronouns and should instead be identified by the gender assigned at birth. The same survey said that a majority – 63% – of those surveyed believe that teachers should be able to exercise discretion when referring to a child using pronouns.
According to experts, using someone’s correct gender pronouns is also a way to recognize gender diversity and create inclusiveness, however no one is required to use the pronouns that people make up for themselves.
“Whether intentional or not, using the wrong pronouns can be hurtful, angering, and even distracting,” the National Institutes of Health says. “Some might find it equivalent to being told they do not matter or deserve respect. Invalidating someone’s identity puts a strain on how a person moves about in society and how that individual interacts with others.”