Jerry Falwell, Jr. Says He Will Raise His Granddaughter as a Girl, Some Liberty University Students Protest

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Some Liberty University students are protesting against Jerry Falwell Jr. and his wife, Becki Falwell, after the couple said they would raise their granddaughter “as a girl.”

“She’s our granddaughter, and we’re raising her as a girl,” Mrs. Falwell said. “We’re not letting her have a choice. God makes the choice of what the babies are going to be and God decided she would be a girl."

According to the Washington Examiner, the Falwells were speaking at a satellite Conservative Political Action Conference event that also featured Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox News commentator.

The Falwells also said their granddaughter always has a baby doll with her, while their own sons grew up around guns.

In response, some 30 students at Liberty University carried waving gay pride flags and signs on campus supporting transgender rights.

The signs said, “LGBTQ Lives Matter” and “Hate is a choice, being transgender is not.”

“We’re out here mainly to start conversations, but to also be supportive," said Elizabeth Axley, a sophomore demonstrator who is bisexual. "Yes, this is a Christian campus and, yes, Jerry Falwell Jr. has insinuated that he does not care about you but that does not mean that every Liberty student does not care about you — we love you."

Caleb Fitzpatrick, a senior and demonstrator, said the group was hoping the protest would start productive conversations with other students.

“Our hope is to start a conversation that can hopefully lead to change within social perception and university policy,” he said. “Hopefully we can create an environment where comments like Friday’s aren’t welcome and aren’t normal.”

Liberty University has not released an official statement about the protest.

Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Alex Wong