Toxic Theocracy, the protest to the Collegiate Reformed Fellowship’s event Toxic Matriarchy, went off almost as planned, despite the rain.
Tents were put up, tables were set with food, and the band began around 6:30 p.m. on the west side of the Agricultural Science building.
UI student Mag Haener, who organized the initial Facebook event page, said initially they personally wanted to completely disengage, but after seeing the response could not back down.
“An event as blatantly hateful as this one could not go unanswered,” Haener said.
Haener said they were disgusted with the speaker because they were not trying to hide their transphobia and misogyny.
“I’m so incredibly thankful to everyone who showed up,” Haener said. “Being there in solidarity matters, whether you engage or not. Presence matters. The people spoke through their presence.”
On the west side of the Agricultural Science building, the group set up tents and tables. Planned Parenthood Generation Action set up one table and put out a pink bucket to raise money for the University of Idaho Women’s Center.
Beth Hoots, generation action secretary, said they raised around $175.
Keira Terchowitz, a member and officer, said they decided to come because of the message they saw the event was spreading.
“We realized this event sends out a hateful message to women and other marginalized groups and we just wanted to be a safe space for people who did want to come protest,” she said.
Terchowitz said they were there to protest in a peaceful manner.
Members of the opposing sides discuss their own opinions at the Toxic Matriarchy event Monday.
There were both students and community members at protest, and many went in to the talk and tried to ask questions.
After some students said one protester was playing the kazoo, groups of students played bingo from cards made before the event and many carried their signs in.
ASUI president Nicole Skinner went to protest as well.
“I think that speaking negatively about women contributes to the violence against women that so many experience,” she said.
Skinner said she showed up a little late to the protest but wanted to show her support of the protesters.
Haener said they felt they had to keep going because of how the Facebook event blew up.
“It was necessary for us to engage to show up for the people that matter,” Haener said. “And I think it was effective. We ruffled CR Wiley’s feathers. We got people talking. I think most importantly though, we got people together in the name of solidarity.”
In the Facebook event, Haener laid down ground rules for the protesters to follow, they said. They told protesters if people made a major disruption they would be escorted out, and as a group they came up with nonverbal protest strategies.
“I think going forward I’m not going to give Christ Church and affiliates the time of day,” Haener said. “This event proved to me the transparent dishonesty and illegitimate rationale used by this community to fuel hatred.”
Kali Nelson can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @kalinelson6
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article misstated Beth Hoots’ title.