Minna-Maaria Antikainen, the world’s first transgender figure skater, had a mishap during her debut at the European Figure Skating Championships in Finland. Formerly known as Markku-Pekka Antikainen, she transitioned to a woman and started figure skating at 49.
During the opening ceremony, she stumbled and fell seconds into her performance but was helped up by a female hostess carrying the Finnish flag. Despite this, Antikainen had trained for eight years, practicing five hours a week and participating in other skating events.
The European Figure Skating Championships focused on promoting diversity and inclusion with the theme “Just be you.” However, same-sex pairs are still banned in the sport, and there’s no category for non-binary skaters. Hopefully, more countries will work toward equality and diversity in figure skating.
Graduation: A Celebration for All
Imagine the excitement of graduating college and having Jerry Seinfeld as your commencement speaker. For most Duke graduates, it was an incredible moment. However, some chose to walk out during his address simply because he is a Jewish comedian. This protest was ironic, as they missed a unique opportunity to hear from a famous actor critical of left-wing, politically correct nonsense.
The majority of students cheered for Seinfeld. Walking out on such an event was seen by many as silly and disrespectful. Even if you don’t find him funny, it’s important to respect your college and fellow graduates. Graduation is a celebration for everyone, not just a small group of protesters.
By walking out, the protesters not only ruined their own experience but also disrupted the ceremony for others. All because they didn’t like the speaker? After years of hard work, the least they could do is stay for an hour and contribute to making the ceremony special for everyone.
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