The past week has been difficult for many of us, as multiple acts of terror have killed innocent people and threatened countless others. These acts of aggression include the federal government’s proposal to alter the legal definition of sex in order to intentionally exclude transgender, nonbinary, gender fluid, and intersex people from the rights granted to all in the U.S. In light of these events, Cornell University’s Department of wants to renew its commitment to creating spaces in which all can participate, and which respect self-identification. We are grateful for the presence of people among us who define themselves complexly in terms of gender, sexuality, race, religion, immigrant status, socioeconomic status, nationality, ability, and more. We stand in solidarity with you, and will use our art, our scholarship, and our teaching to continue to foster alliance, mutual support, respect, kindness, and justice.
