The University of Iowa Young Americans for Freedom hosted speaker Michael Knowles, a conservative political commentator, at the Iowa Memorial Union on Monday night.
Knowles spoke about a variety of topics, including media bias, religion, transgender identities, and the 2024 presidential election, which he described as “not ordinary,” whether or not one was upset or happy with the results.
“A former president, who has been ousted from office after his opponents had locked down the country and changed all of the election votes, decided, despite prosecution, to run against a demented opponent who lost a presidential debate so badly that he ceased to be his party’s nominee,” he said.
After his speech, attendees were invited to form a line to ask questions and debate with Knowles. One audience member spoke to him about their contrasting views on transgender people, saying they “are normal, they eat, they sleep, they shit, they love, they are heartbroken,” to which Knowles responded, “to say transgenderism is normal seems to undercut the transgender ideology.”
A group of protesters were outside of the building on the Madison Street sidewalk during the event, holding signs with phrases like “Protect Trans Kids” and “YAF/GOP = HATE” while chanting toward attendees as they left. Some audience members paused to watch the protest and shout back on the opposite side of the street. Most protesters and audience members had left the area around an hour after the speech ended.
