Anita Sarkeesian, the feminist cultural critic who has become a lightening rod for challenging the troubling way women are portrayed and treated in videogames, was scheduled to speak about her work at Utah State University in Logan. A few days before her scheduled appearance, school administrators received threats of a mass shooting if they didn't cancel the event.

Sarkeesian, who is used to such threats, planned to go ahead with her appearance…until university officials informed her that audience members would be permitted to bring guns into the auditorium under Utah’s campus gun laws which prohibit colleges from taking away concealed weapons from valid permit holders. Utah is the only state in the country with such a law. [1]

"It's sort of mindboggling to me that they couldn't take efforts to make sure there were no guns in an auditorium that was threatened with guns and a mass shooting," Sarkeesian told The Associated Press. "I don't understand how they could be so cut and dry about it." [2]

Sarkeesian’s right to speak up about violence against women has been violated. She’s been silenced by Utah’s campus gun laws that prevents reasonable precautions for securing her safety and the safety of college-age kids. Sign on to our petition now!

[1] "Feminist Speaker Questions Utah's Campus Gun Laws," ABC News, October 15, 2014.

[2] Ibid.