Artifacts' owner defends signs about gender

And those upset about the signs are planning a protest rally in front of the store for Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

Located at the busy corner of West State and Court streets, Artifacts Gallery (2 West State St.) has posted signs that say “Humans Can’t Change Sex” and “Say no to men in women’s sports” as well as “Say no to men in women’s prisons.”

These signs surround another sign that says “Women and girls need to support the Declaration On Women’s Sex Based Rights” with these nine articles submitted to Congress:

1. Women’s rights are based on their sex

2. Motherhood is an exclusively female status

3. Physical and reproductive integrity

4. Freedom of opinion and expression

5. Peaceful assembly and association

6. Political participation

7. Participation in sports and physical education

8. Elimination of violence against women

9. Protection of the rights of the child

The Declaration lists a website: womensdeclarationusa.com/the-declaration/

Artifacts’ owner Amy Mangano defends her opinion by saying that it is discrimination for men to identify as women.

“Convincing women to concede that men’s feelings are more important than their privacy, dignity and safety is sex-based discrimination and predatory rhetoric. This isn’t saying all of these men are predators,” Mangano said. “This is saying that there are opportunistic people who will take advantage of this. Labeling concerned citizens as ‘hateful bigots’ is a hostile authoritarian tactic meant to frighten people into compliance. These are the tactics of autocratic rulers, not those who are willing to engage in cooperative discourse. It is the responsibility of this community to recognize this and speak out for the welfare of women and children. Until then offering unquestioned support for these men, in my opinion, is not in the best interest of society as a whole.”

During Tuesday’s Athens City Council meeting, At-Large Council Member Micah McCarey said he received several emails and verbal complaints about Artifacts’ signs from citizens asking that the city do more to promote diversity and LGBT inclusion, particularly in uptown businesses. He received the messages both as a council member and as the director of Ohio University’s LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans) Center.

Athens’ Deputy Service-Safety Director Andrew Chiki said City Hall is aware of the matter and has been discussing it internally.

Mangano explained her reasons for posting the signs.

“My goal for speaking out is not to increase business,” she said. “Those people that might be asking themselves why I am doing this must not fully understand what is happening to women and children surrounding the gender industry.”

Nearby at Casa Nueva on West State Street, the restaurant has posted a sign in its window that says “We support and stand with our trans and non-binary workers, community member and friends. Casa Nueva is proud to be an inclusive and safe space.”

Organizers of the planned protest rally explain that their reason for the rally is two-fold.

“My friend Kaycie Tillis and I decided to organize the protest due to the outlandish propaganda Artifacts has on their door, going as far as to label transgender women as predators since they don’t fit into what radical feminists have decided is the ‘perfect woman,’” said Rylee Lee, one of the organizers of the protest. “The point of the protest is to reaffirm that feminism is for all women, and that the Athens community does not tolerate hate in any capacity.”

A junior studying music education at Ohio University, Lee said she is offended by the signs.

“I’m a woman, I was both born one and (mostly) identify as one. I’m also a total feminist, there are so many problems that women face in the world today, outcasting certain women isn’t helping,” she said. “I have never felt threatened by a trans woman in any capacity, and my heart hurts that they have to face this bigotry on top of everything else going on.”

Lee contends that Mangano has the right to free speech, but that is a two-way street.

“She does, but when that becomes targeted hate speech is where that freedom ends, especially as a business owner,” she said. “On the flip side, I think we also have that free speech right to protest it.”

Lee said there is a lot of support behind the protest because this is a stand against bigotry.

“We have had a bunch of interested participants reach out,” she said. “This is something that will keep Athens talking for a while.”

As to reaching out to Mangano to learn more about her views, Lee had this to say.

“I’ve taken time to read her Twitter, to try and understand where this may be coming from,” she said. “But after seeing the things she has said, interacted with, and reposted, I don’t. I’ve also looked at her blog she had linked. It is nothing but a vicious mockery of trans women, ranging from parody accounts that portray them in an awful light, fake news stories, and false information.”

Southeastern Ohio Rainbow Alliance’s mission is to provide education, support, resources, and outreach to the region’s LGBT+ population.

“As for Artifacts, all I have to say on the matter is that as a marginalized group, we should be working to support each other, not making every attempt possible to ostracize an entire group of people. This behavior is dangerous and feeds hate that already exists,” SEORA President Chris Nevil said.

Mangano said she is not discriminating against anyone.

“What is being misconstrued is that I have no grievance with people who present in a way that makes them feel wonderful, beautiful and whole,” she said. “I do not discriminate against those who flourish in their own personal realities. What is essential to understand regarding boundaries is that one’s own personal thoughts about who they are, not based on fact but feelings, should not require acceptance or validation by others and certainly shouldn’t be used as an excuse to violate another’s boundaries.”

Mangano said she is addressing false narratives.

“‘Trans women are women’ is a scientifically inaccurate statement,” she said. “There is nothing hateful about addressing false narratives aimed at dismantling rights and protections fought for and won by courageous women of history. Identifying into an existing oppressed group, then demanding the rights and protections this group has fought centuries to secure, is not a civil or even human right. It is a gross violation of women’s sex-based rights to feel safe in areas devoted to their privacy and safety.”

Mangano said society should not be bullied into indulging someone’s “inner feelings.”

“People should not be compelled to sustain another’s imaginings under threat of slander, harassment, ostracism or unemployment,” she said. “Our society has rights not to be gaslit and bullied into indulging others’ perceived needs based on their inner feelings. This is our First Amendment right. Taking offense because someone disagrees with one’s inner feelings is not synonymous with bigotry or oppression.”

Mangano applied the First Amendment rights that allow her to share her opinions.

“I claim my First Amendment right to not blindly agree with regressive sexist stereotypes being on the checklist for what defines a woman or a man,” she said. “I claim my First Amendment right to oppose children being indoctrinated into a postmodern ideology that pressures them to alter their physical form to match a dysphoric mindset. I claim my First Amendment right to be wary of sexual deviants taking advantage of self ID to gain access to vulnerable women and children. I claim my First Amendment right to oppose LGB youth being pressured to trans instead of embracing their individuality just as they are.”

Mangano said she’s happy to discuss her opinions with others, perhaps find some common ground.

“I’d be happy to discuss with anyone why I won’t support the current agenda of the trans community,” she said. “I truly believe we could find some common ground if I’m having discourse with reasonable people.”

Last May after posting similar signs on Artifacts’ door, Mangano closed her store for an undetermined time because the “hostility and hate speech is frightening and I don’t feel safe being open to the public at this time. Thank you to all of the kind customers who have shown me support!” she was quoted as saying in the Athens Messenger.

Several reviewers had taken to social media to accuse Mangano and gallery employees of transphobia, according to a story published in the Athens Messenger.

Protests were planned and there was public outcry.

In the Messenger’s story from May, Mangano said she accepts that people may hate her or her views. “However, if that hate manifests itself in the form of vitriolic name calling, harassment, menacing, stalking or other forms of extreme bullying, then the history of violence and hatred against women who speak up for their basic rights is still prevailing as acceptable behavior.”

Miles Layton is Region Editor for APG Ohio.