A history professor at a California community college is facing disciplinary action for handing out Jeremy’s He/Him, She/Her chocolate bars to students during an open house event. David Richardson, a self-identified conservative homosexual, allegedly distributed the free chocolate bars, which are intended to raise awareness of the biological differences between the sexes. However, the administration reportedly saw the distribution of the chocolate bars as an endorsement of the gender binary, leading to charges of “serious misconduct” against the professor.
Richardson claims that he is not allowed in non-public spaces on campus and has been banned from accessing his email while the investigation takes place. He has filed a lawsuit against the State Center Community College District, claiming that he was disciplined during a required “pronoun etiquette” workshop taught by a trans-identifying professor in October 2021.
The chocolate bars were created by Jeremy Boreing, co-CEO of conservative news outlet The Daily Wire, in response to Hershey’s decision to feature a male model on the “SHE” bar’s packaging. The intention was to draw attention to the biological differences between the sexes, and the chocolate bars are split into two groups, HeHim and SheHer.
Despite the controversy, Jeremy’s Chocolate has reportedly been successful, selling over 500,000 bars in the first few days of its launch. The company’s website describes the chocolate bars as a “delicious way to bring attention to the scientific reality of biological sex differences.” However, the distribution of the chocolate bars at the community college has sparked a debate over the appropriate use of pronouns and gender identity in academic settings.
The incident has also drawn attention to the tensions between conservative and liberal viewpoints on issues related to gender and sexuality. While some have praised Richardson for his efforts to raise awareness of biological sex differences, others have criticized him for promoting a binary view of gender that excludes non-binary and transgender individuals.
As the investigation into the incident continues, it remains to be seen how it will affect the debate over gender identity and pronoun usage in academic settings, as well as the broader cultural conversation surrounding gender and sexuality.