Volume 100 Issue 3 Feb. 17 - April 20, 2025
I think I need help.
Editor’s note: This edition about mental health contains stories with references to suicide and other sensitive issues Support from the Counseling Center More than a coach Into the light
As you start a new semester, remember – we’re here for you! Whether you’re feeling under the weather, need a checkup, or just have questions about staying healthy, Med Center Health at WKU Health Services is your go-to care team, right here on campus.
Our services include:
• Walk-in and scheduled appointments
• Cold and flu care
• Mental health support
• Vaccinations and immunizations
• Wellness resources and more
Give us a call at 270-745-CARE or visit us online at wku.edu/healthservices to learn how we can help you have a healthy semester.
New! Schedule appointments by texting MCHDOC to 270-796-3200
Morgan Schroeder, PA-C
Demara Goodrich, APRN
Miranda Bonner, APRN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Print edition published two times each semester by WKU Student Publications at Western Kentucky University. First copy: free | Additional copies: $5
EDITORIAL BOARD
Price Wilborn Editor-in-Chief
Ali Costellow
Content Editor
Eli Randolph
Photo Editor
Jake McMahon
Sports Editor
Bailey Reed
Newsletter Editor
OTHER
Shelbi Bale
Design Editor
Cameron Shaw
Assistant Content Editor
Adin Parks
Assistant Photo Editor
Emmy Libke
Multimedia Editor
LEADERS AND ADVISERS
Nicole Johnson
Cherry Creative Director
Carrie Pratt
Herald Adviser
Avari Stamps
Advertising Advisor and Sales Manager
Keelin Davis
Advertising Manager
Chuck Clark Student Publications Director
POLICIES
Opinions expressed in the College Heights Herald are those of student editors and journalists and do not necessarily represent the views of WKU. Student editors determine all news and editorial content, and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions.
CONTACT US
REPORT AN ERROR: herald.editor@wku. edu 270-745-5044
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270-745-2653 or 270-745-5044
ADVERTISING: herald.advertising@wku.edu
270-745-6285
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: herald.opinion@wku.edu
ON CAMPUS:
Adams Whitaker Student Publications Center, 1660 Normal St.
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NEWSLETTER: WKUHerald.com/newsletter
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Letter from the Editor
You matter and you are not alone
College is hard. Believe me, I know. As a graduating senior, I’m sure you and I have felt many of the same things. I can’t claim to know all of your struggles, because the two of us don’t have the same experiences. But I can assure you that you’re not the only one feeling the emotions you are.
Growing up, mental health was something that was rarely – if ever – discussed. No one told me what it meant to struggle with mental health, and few told me it was okay to talk about it. It really wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that I began to hear it in day-to-day conversations.
Discussions about mental health are important, and, in many ways, they could define our generation. When we become more cognizant of what we’re feeling and recognize the importance of prioritizing our own mental well-being, we’ll be able to support each other in new ways.
This issue of the Herald is not the beginning of these discussions, nor will it be the end. But it is our goal to show you it’s okay to talk about your mental health. It’s okay to not be okay all the time. It’s okay to prioritize your mental health and well-being. Only by doing that can we continue to support one another and make our world a better place.
I know many in our generation struggle with their mental health, and for some, college means feeling like you have to struggle alone. Building new relationships is hard and can be challenging to anyone. It can make you feel alone in an unfamiliar place.
But know that you’re not alone.
There are so many dedicated individuals at WKU and in Bowling Green who work tirelessly to treat, promote and advocate for mental health. We were only able to capture a small fraction of them in this edition of the Herald, but it is our goal
to show you that whatever you’re facing – no matter how big or how small – there are people who have made it their life’s work to help you.
We also want you to know that whatever you’re going through and whatever you’re feeling is completely valid. You should never feel like your own well-being, thoughts and emotions are unimportant because that isn’t true.
I end each of the Herald’s staff meetings by saying the same thing, and I want to make sure that you know it, too.
You are loved, and you are cared for on this campus. If by no one else, then by me.
Price Wilborn Editor-in-Chief
National Hotline for Mental Health Crises and Suicide Prevention – 800-273-8255
Kentucky’s Suicide and Crisis Hotline – 988
WKU Counseling Center –Potter Hall 409 – 270-745-3159 –wku.edu/heretohelp
Talley Family Counseling Center – Gary Ransdell Hall 1035 – 270-745-4204
LifeSkills – 380 Suwannee Trail Street, Bowling Green, KY 42103 –270-901-5000
The Bridge to Recovery – 1745
The Bridge Road, Bowling Green, KY 42101 – 1-364-222-3287
Rivendell Behavioral Health
Hospital 24/7 no-cost, confidential assessment line – 270-843-1199
Photo by Carrie Pratt
Peggy Crowe reflects on counseling center in face of staff shortages
Story by Kane Smith
“Icould work anywhere, I could do anything,” Peggy Crowe said. “But this is what I feel like I’ve been called to do.”
Over a decade ago, Crowe became the director of the WKU Counseling Center. She’s since strived to be present and reachable on campus.
“I wanted us to be more out across the university so people knew who the counseling center was,” Crowe said. “Not that we had one, but that they knew who we were and what services we provide to the university.”
Crowe was an associate director for WKU Housing & Residence Life before becoming the counseling center’s interim director in 2013. She permanently filled the role in March 2015.
Since then, Crowe has fostered student involvement through events like mindfulness-based stress reduction, therapeutic art night and suicide prevention trainings.
“We should talk about students using our resources,” Crowe said. “It is a resource for you; you shouldn’t be ashamed to talk about seeking counseling.”
The counseling center’s services are free and available to all WKU students for as many sessions needed, regardless of health insurance.
“We’re responsive and supportive in different ways,” Crowe said.
The counseling center provides a non-judgemental environment and a team of professionals who offer advice for any challenges students may face. The best way to schedule an appointment is by calling the counseling center at 270-745-3159. The first consul-
tations are held over Zoom to assess proper next steps and a treatment plan.
Recently, Crowe said she has felt the impact of staffing shortages, pointing to the loss of one long-term tenured staff member due to WKU’s Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP).
The 2024 VSIP allowed eligible faculty and staff one year’s compensation to voluntarily leave their position before their contract ended. The counseling center lost one staff member to the program.
“My units were hit pretty hard,” Crowe said. “The VSIP and/or retirement, it’s had its impact.”
In addition to losing one employee to VSIP, the center lost one additional employee in the beginning of the fall 2024 semester.
Currently, the center employs four clinicians and two graduate interns.
“With slim staff, we have to be efficient,” Crowe said. “We have to be really laser-focused.”
Students can also find Crowe at the Student Accessibility Resource Center (SARC) in the Downing Student Union. Crowe became the director of SARC in fall 2020.
She said while it’s been a bit of a balancing act between the two facilities, students are always the priority.
“It’s making sure that they’re okay and they have what they need, and everything is accessible to them and so is the environment,” Crowe said. “And it’s hard when you can’t just solely focus on this or that.”
While managing her full plate of responsibilities, Crowe has been hon-
by Jacob Sebastian
ored for her “distinguished tenure of leadership and service to their students, colleagues and institution,” according to the College Personnel Association of Kentucky Hall of Fame requirements. Crowe was inducted in October 2024 and was also nominated for the NAACP Ambassador of Education award.
Crowe said she was honored by the accolades but never values her job solely based on awards.
“I love working with students,” Crowe said. “I love what we do here, and you don’t do it for an award.”
She said perhaps the most rewarding part of the job is working with college students in their time of discovery – or the “sweet spot.”
“I’m here to watch you fail; I’m here to pick you up,” Crowe said. “I’m here to send you along. I’m here to hold you accountable. What other job could be better?”
Crowe said students are more expressive about their mental health concerns than they were compared to the start of her career. However, mobile devices can complicate communication, which can, in turn, make students reluctant to reach out for help and speak up about their concerns.
“There’s a lot of us out here that want to help students,” Crowe said. “You have to reach out. Don’t suffer in silence, and know your resources.”
News Reporter Kane Smith can be reached at kane.smith490@topper. wku.edu.
Photos
“I’m here to watch you fail; I’m here to pick you up. I’m here to send you along. I’m here to hold you accountable.”
- Peggy Crowe
Healing with horses
her whole
are highly attuned to human emotions and can mirror a person’s
is feeling anxious or sad, a horse may respond with calm or gentle behavior, which can help the individual regulate their emotions.”
Gentle giants offer paths to new beginnings
Photos by Hallie Stafford
Orr tends to her horse, Lucy, before riding her at her farm in
Ky. “Horses are incredibly mindful and sensitive of their surroundings,” Orr says. “Being around horses encourages people to focus on the present, as they must be aware of the horse’s movements, needs and emotions. This emphasis on living in the moment can help people with depression and break free from the cycle of negative thinking and rumination. It offers a chance to reset the mind and engage outwardly in a more mindful, grounded way.”
Right:
Smiths Grove,
Jonlyn Orr, owner of Calico Farms, holds her daughter, Adeline, while tying her horse to a fence at her farm in Smiths Grove, Ky. on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. Orr has been a friend to horses
life. “Horses
emotional state,” Orr said. “If a person
Layout design by Eli Randolph
Above: Sam Corbin, 10, is comforted by Orr as he begins to feel anxious while he rides Blue the horse at New Beginnings Therapeutic Horse Riding. For those struggling with anxiety, depression, PTSD or other mental health challenges, the presence of a horse can be grounding. “Horses have a strong sense of empathy and are known to respond to human emotions—whether that’s offering comfort when a person is feeling down or reacting to a person’s excitement,” Orr explains. “This emotional attunement is part of why equine-assisted therapy is so powerful.”
Left: “It’s always been an escape for me,” Orrs said. “I worry less when I’m out here.”
‘Your condition doesn’t have to define your life’
How a WKU professor helps improve student mental health
Story by Kaylee Hawkins
After tragedy struck WKU 10 years ago when a student died by suicide, professor of social work Jay Gabbard formed a mental health support group for students on campus – the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Recovery Support Group.
Gabbard said he initially became interested in helping others after receiving a diagnosis of bipolar and panic disorder. When he attended a local mental health support group, he decided that the support group on campus could be modeled after it.
“I’ve always had a desire to help others who are going through the same struggles, particularly college-aged students, because that’s when my illness first started to appear,” Gabbard said.
Currently sitting as Bowling Green NAMI’s vice president and the support group’s facilitator, Gabbard said the
group is led by two Bowling Green NAMI facilitators who have also struggled with mental health themselves.
The confidential group meets twice monthly, is free to all students and offers pizza and drinks to attendees. Formal diagnoses are not required.
Gabbard said the group has continued to meet due to overwhelming support from the WKU Counseling Center. He said therapists will recommend the support group to students they feel could additionally benefit from it.
While students at the counseling center can receive more formal support from a therapist, Gabbard said the support group can show students they are not alone by discussing mental health issues with their peers.
“The students in the support group will form relationships with other support group members so that way when they are feeling depressed or anxious or
by Kaitlyn Webb
they need support, they have somebody to call who is in the same boat and understands,” Gabbard said.
Gabbard also emphasized the importance of combating the stigma surrounding mental health and wants students to understand mental health conditions shouldn’t define them.
“There’s hope for everybody,” Gabbard said. “We’ll never give up hope to help those who have mental health issues. Your condition doesn’t have to define your life.”
The support group’s next meeting is on Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. in Academic Complex Room 203.
News Reporter Kaylee Hawkins can be reached at kaylee.hawkins407@topper. wku.edu.
Jay Gabbard provides a safe space for students to feel welcome to talk to him about their emotions and personal experiences. His office - full of an abundance of cards and gifts that students have given him over the years - is a perfect example of his impact on students.
Photos
“We try to accept students where they are at - without judgment - and connect them to the resources they need to improve their mental health. It’s a privilege to be able to be a part of their recovery process.”
- Jay Gabbard
More than a coach
Story by Jake McMahon
Photos by Adin Parks
Senior Track and Field Captain Rachel Payne was preparing to step on the track when her teammate told her the news.
Her coach, 55-year-old Brent Chumbley, had died unexpectedly the night prior.
While most of the team was with each other in Bowling Green on Jan. 31, Payne and three of her teammates were in Louisville preparing for a meet that day. The coaches who traveled to the meet offered to let the crew sit out – but they refused.
“We thought that coach would want
us to continue,” Payne said. “Even if the performance wasn’t the best, he would still want us to try.”
When Payne began the competition, she ran a 10.87 time in the 60-meter hurdles, the slowest in her track career.
However, when Payne got to the shot put – one of Chumbley’s specialties – she threw a personal record of 9.16 meters.
“I know he was with me,” Payne said.
For six years, Chumbley was the director of Track & Field/Cross Country. This season, he coached 73 athletes, and Payne said he was there for
every single one of them.
“(He’s) not even just a head coach, but really a parent to all of us,” said Garrett Steed, a runner on both cross country and track and field.
Steed’s teammates felt the same about Chumbley.
“I just knew, whatever it was, I could go talk to him, and he didn’t have to be my coach in that instance,” graduate student thrower Kaison Barton said. “He could be somebody like a father.”
Athletes know how to find motivation in unexpected places. Scott York, the director of TopCare, an on-campus
Junior Garrett Steed laces up his spikes in between sets of a workout on Western Kentucky University’s track in Bowling Green, Ky.
“I know he was with me.”
program that offers sports psychology to anyone involved with WKU Athletics, said athletes are “wired” to find motivation from anywhere to help them compete.
York said losing Chumbley is “an avenue” for the track team to turn their pain and grief into something positive.
Although there is no exact playbook for grieving, York said, finding a “purpose” is a necessary action within the five stages of grief.
“For our athletes, maybe it’s a little bit easier,” York said. “Competition can become their purpose.”
While athletes grieve like anyone else, York said the main difference athletes have is a “built-in support system” – their team.
“I’m extremely, extremely proud of our team for the support that we’ve
- Rachel Payne
shown one another, the support we’ve shown for the family and kind of being everybody’s shoulder to cry on,” Barton said.
WKU has four meets left in its 2025 spring season, and Barton said rather than bringing the team down, the Hilltoppers are using Chumbley’s death to drive the rest of the season.
“It’s become our biggest motivator as a team to prove to ourselves -that we’re dedicated and that we are going to make the best out of a very unfortunate circumstance,” Barton said.
Barton built a close bond with Chumbley, who was his personal coach. Barton said he hopes Chumbley’s love for WKU is remembered most of all.
“The love that he had for Western Kentucky University was unmatched,”
Barton said. “He loved being able to call himself a Hilltopper.”
Barton’s career on the Hill has been successful, but he still has one major goal in mind – immortalizing Chumbley.
Barton currently holds the second-best marks in indoor weight throw and outdoor hammer throw. He said breaking both those records is something he and Chumbley aimed to accomplish heading into the season.
“My biggest motivation is to get those records,” Barton said. “Because not only will my name be in the record books, but it would be my name which is coached by Coach Chumbley.”
Sports Editor Jake McMahon can be reached at michael.mcmahon480@ topper.wku.edu.
Junior Garrett Steed performs strides at Western Kentucky University’s track for a light workout in Bowling Green, Ky.
WKU’s American Foundation for Suicide Prevention brings mental health into the light
Story by Libby Simpson
Photos by Gabriel Milby
Brodie Curtsinger and Jada Peterson, who lead WKU’s American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) chapter, want students to know that if they’re suffering, they’re not alone.
magazine visuals editor, became chair of the campus chapter after founder Gabe Heckerman graduated last year.
“I wish that more people understood that there are resources that they can go to and that they don’t have to fight anything quietly behind closed doors,” said Peterson, a sophomore social work and psychology double major. “There’s always someone there for them and like I’ve heard before, everyone is loved more than they know.”
From educating students about risk factors and warning signs to reaching out to those who have lost a loved one, AFSP’s goal is to eliminate the loss of life to suicide.
Established in 1987, AFSP is a non-profit health organization that helps those affected by suicide find empowerment through research, education and advocacy.
Alongside over 70 chapters nationwide, the WKU AFSP chapter serves the community by bringing awareness and mental health resources to those who may need them.
“It is our profound and heartfelt goal to ensure that although a suicide loss can never be forgotten, it can often be adapted to and processed healthily overtime,” states the national AFSP website.
Brodie Curtsinger, a junior photojournalism major and Talisman
Heckerman established the WKU AFSP chapter in 2021. Since then, the organization has continued its activity on campus, primarily holding fundraising events like the annual “Out of the Darkness Walk.” The chapter is currently preparing for its 2025 walk, which will take place on March 8.
“The ‘Out of the Darkness Walks’are AFSP’s largest fundraising opportunity, helping to make possible our investment in research, education, loss support, advocacy, and so much more,” the AFSP website states. “Each walk sends the message that people will proudly show up for this important cause that affects everyone, inviting people to walk together with others who understand.”
Curtsinger and Peterson act as the sole committee members for the chapter, and together they plan, organize and execute the campus walk throughout the semester.
According to Curtsinger, last year’s walk raised more than $4,000 and saw an estimated turnout of over 300 participants.
Braden Clough, a junior exercise science major, and Adam Vincent, a sophomore psychological science major, volunteered at last year’s campus walk. They both found the impact of community response and support as an inspiration to continue mental
BRODIE CURTSINGER
JADA PETERSON
health advocacy.
“Mental health, at least for me, was something that was kind of in the background for the earlier years of my life, and then after last year’s walk, all of a sudden we were working to raise money and to be a part of the walk,” Clough said. “That was just so special to all of us to see the response and that people really do care about this and they’re willing to rally around a good cause.”
Clough, the president of the Sigma Nu Fraternity Eta Rho chapter, said he felt compelled to get involved with the walk after a member of the WKU Greek community died last spring.
“It’s very amazing to see everybody just come together from all different kinds of aspects of their environment for one cause,” Vincent, philanthropy chair of the Sigma Nu Fraternity Eta Rho chapter, said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death overall in the U.S. in 2021, claiming the lives of over 48,100 people.
In Kentucky, suicide is the second leading cause of death in teenagers and young people, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.
“Seeing all of us brought together under the same reason, it breaks my heart, but it also just makes me so happy,” Curtsinger said. “Conversations start and we’re all there to relate to one another and to grieve if we need to.”
Amy Brausch, a psychological sciences professor at WKU, received a grant from the national AFSP chapter in 2022 to go toward her current research in studying suicide and selfharm patterns in youth and college students.
“Nationwide, it is still one of the leading causes of death for young people,” Brausch said. “It is the third-leading cause of death for people between ages 15 and 24.”
Her work focuses on understanding why young adults self-harm and finding pathways of support and treatment plans for people with suicide risk.
Brausch’s study assesses the patterns and factors leading up to suicide attempts like life events, sleep patterns and social habits.
“We have even more people who are attempting suicide and even more people who are thinking about it, so it’s pretty widespread,” Brausch said. “I’ve looked into both high school and college students, and its still pretty prevalent and has stayed prevalent across the past few years.”
Curtsinger and Peterson emphasized those experiencing mental health struggles to know they are not alone.
“You know, that’s one of the big phrases in mental health – you’re not alone, something we see all over the place,” Curtsinger said. “But it is true that no matter what, you’re not alone, and here at WKU there’s not only local organizations there to help you like the Counseling Center, or if you contact us, we can help you get in contact with the right person.”
Students interested in joining the WKU AFSP chapter can contact Brodie Curtsinger at brodie.curtsinger612@ topper.wku.edu or Jada Peterson at jadalaine4@icloud.com.
News Reporter Libby Simpson can be reached at elizabeth.simpson736@topper.wku.edu.
BRADEN CLOUGH
Trans fear in Trump’s America
Opinion by Emma Hardesty
One of President Donald Trump’s day-one executive orders was an attack on transgender people across the country – an attack causing irreparable damage to the mental health of many.
been to note nonbinary identities.
To see such blatant anti-transgender orders immediately after Trump’s inauguration was horrific to people nationwide.
could happen in the next four years.”
On Jan. 20, the “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” executive order was signed. While on its face the order promotes the defense of women, the contents are nothing but anti-transgender.
Having to sit back and watch as Trump continues to use scare tactics regarding trans people while claiming it is in “defense of women” is insulting.
As a woman, I’ve never been scared of transgender people. However, I’m terrified of Trump and what his administration is doing to the rights of people I love.
“It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female,” the order states. “These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.”
Days following its signing, the Department of State “froze all applications with “X” sex markers and changes to gender identity,” according to The Guardian. The “X” sex marker was previously
LGBTQ+ community members at WKU and
“I fear for my friends, my future, and my life” - Nandy Shemwell
beyond are concerned about the damage Trump’s policies have on their mental health.
Nandy Shemwell is a sophomore theater major at Owensboro Community and Technical College and a proud Daviess County High School alumn. Shemwell is a trans-man who uses he/him pronouns.
“I will never understand how anyone could vote for him,” Shemwell said. “I fear for my friends, my future, and my life as a disabled, autistic, diabetic, Black man. I’m a huge target. Gods know what
Shemwell is not the only person who lives in fear of Trump’s administration. Mycal “Mikey” Caster is a WKU student majoring in dance and psychology and is involved with Christian ministries on campus. Caster uses they/them pronouns and explains their sexuality and gender as very fluid.
When reflecting on Trump’s presidential win, Caster said, “I knew that it was going to be a really bad next four years.”
Caster was upset at the news of the anti-trans executive order.
“I really don’t like (it),” Caster said. “I guess I don’t understand the obsession with trans people or gay people.”
The judgment LGBTQ+ people experience is another point of contention for Caster.
“It really doesn’t make any sense to me why
“Who I kiss, who I talk to, who I love, does not affect the next person.”
- Mycal “Mikey” Caster
people are so judgmental about those things because at the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter,” Caster said. “Who I kiss, who I talk to, who I love, does not affect the next person.”
Throughout everything, fear is one emotion that stands out among the rest.
“I’d say for the most part, I’m just afraid,” Ember Day said.
Day is a lesbian trans-woman from Owensboro, Kentucky, who uses she/her pronouns. She enjoys writing and watching sitcoms.
The most frightening part about Trump’s executive orders? For Day, it’s the inability to escape.
“The biggest thing is the blocking of passports,” Day said about the denials of passports with changes to gender identity. “It’s stopping trans people, such as myself, from fleeing the country.”
The fear experienced by LGBTQ+ community members is not something they should have to face.
“Never in my life have I been made to feel so scared to be myself,” Day said. “I have been out for three years and it feels like now I’m being forced back in the closet.”
An order titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” signed on Jan. 28, furthered the ideology proposed by the initial order. This order focused on stopping gender-affirming care – such as hormone blockers and surgical procedures such as top surgery – for people under the age of 19.
“I think it’s what we all knew was coming,” Day said. “I’m in hormone therapy right now, so it is extremely frightening.”
Online discourse about the order is rampant. According to the National Institute of Health, many people flock to the internet for “psychosocial support and self-care for mental health problems.”
I connected online with transgender young adults from across the country who were distressed about the order denying gender-affirming care.
Vance Dotter is a transgender man who uses he/ him/it/its pronouns. He
studies anthropology at Kutztown University in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, and has been on testosterone for a year and a half.
“Right now, facing the regulations Trump is pushing against my community, I am afraid for my future,” Dotter said. “The restriction on gender-affirming care for people under 19 is going to result in a lot of suicides in the transgender community. In my own experience, before I started taking testosterone, I was depressed and filled with self-loathing that prevented me from taking care of myself.”
Dotter fears for his community across the country who may not be able to access the same life-saving treatments he could.
“I am afraid for my future.”
-Vance Dotter
“Pennsylvania is a safer place for the moment as a transgender man,” Dotter said. “I’m confident in my ability to fly through these next four years, but my community is suffering.”
Back in Kentucky, opinions on the order have not changed much. Avery Hunt is a WKU junior Environmental Science and Technology major who identifies as a genderqueer lesbian and uses they/ them pronouns.
Like Dotter, Hunt fears for their community as a whole.
“I am completely heartbroken, yet not surprised, to hear about President Trump’s recent executive order aimed to restrict gender-affirming care for those under 19,” Hunt said. “The executive order is just another order that aims to
take away the protection and rights of those in the LGBTQ+ community.”
“Never in my life have I been made to feel so scared to be myself.”
-Ember Day
Hunt is rightfully angered by the order – but again, fear rears its ugly head.
“I, as I’m sure others in the community, are left furious, devastated and worried for our future,” Hunt said. “This executive order will not try to protect our trans youth – it will try to eradicate them.”
Amid all the anger, sadness and fear, one thing is achingly evident about Trump’s agenda: he has no regard for those affected by his orders.
And the effects of the mistreatment of transgender people are real.
According to a 2021 study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, “Transgender people are over four times more likely than cisgender people to experience violent victimization, including rape, sexual assault, and aggravated or simple assault.”
Transgender people should not be treated as monstrous villains who harm others, especially when they are more likely to be victims of violent crimes themselves.
I wish Donald Trump
“This executive order will not try to protect our trans youth – it will try to eradicate them.”
-Avery Hunt
could hear the stories of people he’s affecting. I wish he could better understand that transgender people are not a terror to our nation. I wish he knew the executive order he’s put into place is endangering the people he was elected to serve.
Transgender Americans have massive targets on their backs, and we as a society need to wake up. We need to acknowledge that transgender people are simply that – people. They are people trying to feel comfortable in themselves, succeed in their education, get their degrees and ultimately just be happy.
Aren’t we all trying to do the same?
People need to stop examining their differences and focus on the common ground. If not, these next four years will rip our country to shreds.
Commentary Writer Emma Hardesty can be reached at emma.hardesty162@ topper.wku.edu.
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MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Emotional Support Animals make pawsitive impact for Hilltoppers
Story by Anthony Clauson
and Eli Randolph
Talking, laughing and the occasional early morning fire alarm are sounds found in a WKU residence hall. But what about a bark? A meow? Or even a squeak?
Critters of all kinds are making their home in residence halls and apartments across campus, but don’t go calling animal control. The animal might be a student’s emotional support animal (ESA).
Read more at WKUHerald.com
Photos by Anna Bell Lee