Franklin & Marshall College is named after Benjamin Franklin and John Marshall, the longest-serving Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
But it is now planning to replace its two namesake mascots with one that is more “gender-neutral,” reports The College Fix:
The college recently established a Mascot Working Group to gather input and come up with three new mascot proposals to present for a vote to the campus community this winter…President Andrew Rich “has heard from students, faculty, staff, and alumni that we need a mascot that embodies our identity, brings energy to campus events, and builds a sense of pride and belonging,” the website states.
Currently, the Lancaster college’s mascots are its namesakes…However, the college also uses the Diplomats as a nickname.
“Many already think of the diplomat as our mascot,” the college website states. “Our goal is to give it a form that is fun, gender-neutral, and full of personality—a character that sparks connection, excitement, and a sense of belonging.”
A student newspaper reported last year that Franklin & Marshall has not displayed its mascots for several years due to students’ criticizing Franklin and Marshall for their allegedly “racist views.” (Benjamin Franklin became president of the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery in 1787 and sent a final petition to Congress in 1790 urging an end to slavery. His efforts culminated in his last public act, advocating for the end of the institution of slavery, though the Congress did not act on the petition.)
In 2021, the New School, a college in New York, adopted a “non-binary” “social justice warrior” mascot, Gnarls Narwhal.
