Professor Who Refused to Use Requested Pronouns for Transgender Student Wins $400,000 in Lawsuit

A professor at a university in Utah has won $400,000 in a lawsuit over the academic institutions’ demand that he use a student’s preferred pronouns.

Nick Meriwether, a philosophy professor at Shawnee State University, responded “Yes, sir” to a male student’s question during class in January 2018.

When the class ended, the student approached the professor to inform him that he identifies as transgender. The student demanded to be referred to as a woman and with her/she pronouns.

Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented the professor in court.

Meriwether didn’t agree to the student’s request, however did offer to call the student by any name they wanted. The upset student told the professor he would be fired and filed a complaint with the university.

An investigation was then launched which ultimately determined that Meriwether “effectively created a hostile environment” for the student because he would not use the preferred pronouns.

The university said that it was Meriwether’s job to use such language and therefore not First Amendment-protected speech. Meriwether pushed back, arguing that they violated his rights when they compelled him to go against his Christian beliefs. He then filed a lawsuit against the school and was assisted and represented in court by Alliance Defending Freedom.

“After a three-year fight against the university, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit reportedly ruled in 2021 that Meriwether’s rights had been violated,” A report stated.

Meriwether was granted $400,000 as a result of the lawsuit.