Sophia Nelson: Virginia varsity scholar sparks furore for slamming bisexual Superman
Some students at Christopher Newport University in Virginia have lashed out against the scholar-in-residence over a tweet she posted slamming DC Comics for making the character of Superman bisexual.
Outraged pupils at Christopher Newport University said the tweet by author Sophia Nelson made them feel unsafe after she doubted the upside of marketing a bisexual superhero to children. Sophomore Abigail Honeycutt told WTKR-TV that after reading Nelson's tweet, "we felt uncomfortable and scared in a place we are supposed to call our home." MEAWW previously reported how DC fans mocked the decision to have Superman's son come out as bisexual.
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"I don't get why this is necessary. I don't! What if Christian parents of children reading comic books don't want their kids exposed to bi-sexual characters? This is being pushed on kids," Nelson wrote on Twitter. "Then parents have to explain it. Most cannot!"
While the scholar took the tweet down shortly after, some university students raised an alarm anyway. "I was sad and angry, and I would want the university to publicly denounce her actions. It's not what we stand for. It's not a community of excellence," Honeycutt told WTKR-TV.
Addressing the uproar, Christopher Newport University President Paul Trible released a long statement vowing to change policies in order to appease those offended by Nelson's tweet. "Christopher Newport intentionally creates and values our community of diversity, equity, and inclusion," the statement began. "We have a powerful University statement about that. It is at the heart of who we are. We also value and protect freedom of speech, and have a powerful statement about that as well. Upholding that freedom is most important when it is hard – when ideas conflict and opinions differ fiercely. In this moment it is important that we live into both of these university commitments."
Trible said Nelson would be asked to have an open dialogue about her beliefs with the students affected by her tweet. "She will have an opportunity to share who she is, her views and opinions, and her heart," he continued. "She will talk about why she tweeted what she did. We will listen. And we will share our views, opinions, and hearts – the pain, the anger, and the questions. She will listen. She will learn what it means to be a part of this community. Everyone may never agree, but we will support our LGBTQ+ students and colleagues, listen, and talk, and learn how to be different, together," Trible added.
Students at CNU are holding a protest and asking for open dialogue and even removal of Professor Sophia Nelson who recently tweeted some homophobic statements. @WTKR3 pic.twitter.com/wwRP9JtbPT
— Chelsea Donovan (@ChelseaDReports) October 25, 2021
Nelson took to Twitter on Monday, October 25, to slam the "cancel culture" that appeared to target her. "We are cannibalizing one another with #CancelCulture it has to stop or I promise you in a decade or less America will no longer be America," she tweeted. "It's bullying. They are mean, nasty bullies. Vicious with their words, with intimidation and hatred in their hearts. And there is no excuse for ever bullying another human being because they made a mistake, messed up, misspoke, were just caught being simply human," she continued.
"There is a wave coming. A movement of sick and tired Americans. Tired of being pushed around and bullied, canceled, targeted, harassed for our faith beliefs, for our values, for our free thought and free speech," she added. "Today it's me in the crosshairs. Tomorrow it's you," Nelson concluded. Her tweets have since been made private.
It's worth noting that Nelson is a former Republican who quit the party following the election of former President Donald J Trump in 2016. She told MSNBC in a recent interview that the GOP was beyond redemption and that Republicans had no option but to form a new party to replace it, according to The Blaze.