Impeaching The Assertion: “Biologically and Psychologically, Sex and Gender Is Neither Binary Nor Fixed: Student Samantha Fulnecky v. Mel Curth

University of Oklahoma student, Samantha Fulnecky, Is A Hero. She Stood Up Against The Lie of Gender Ideology And Won

Regarding a recent event, an article was published detailing the details that took place at the University of Oklahoma concerning an essay that a student wrote expressing her Christian Faith and the true biblical and scientific view of Gender identity and Ideology: The following is the opening statement of this article, the entire article is found at the end of this Essay:

“Oklahoma student flunked by TA after touting Christian beliefs in gender essay, directs others to ‘push back’

A University of Oklahoma student who received a zero out of 25 on an assignment regarding gender norms says she was targeted for her Christian beliefs, citing a scathing response from the teacher’s assistant who doled out the grade.

Samantha Fulnecky is a junior pre-med student at the Sooner State’s flagship university.
“I was asked to read an article and give my opinion on the article, and the article was about gender binary and mental health and gender stereotypes, specifically in children, because it’s a lifespan development class,” Fulnecky told Fox News Digital. “So I was asked to give my opinion and my reaction to the paper.”

Curth said that the concept of only two sexes is not backed by science.

“You may personally disagree with this, but that doesn’t change the fact that every major psychological, medical, pediatric, and psychiatric association in the United States acknowledges that, biologically and psychologically, sex and gender is neither binary nor fixed,” Curth said.

This Essay Examines The Claim by Mel Curth, Whether It Is Scientifically and Biblically Accurate

This statement—as phrased—is not scientifically correct, not medically precise, and misrepresents the actual position of scientific and medical institutions in the United States, as well as, the historical, Biblical view of Sex, Gender, and what constitutes correct designations for Human Identity.

Biological Sex: What the Science Actually Says

Biological Sex is Fundamentally Binary: Biological sex in humans is determined by:

  • Chromosomes (XX or XY)
  • Gonads (ovaries or testes)
  • Gametes (large ova or small sperm)

This is near-universal in biology. The entire biological classification of mammals—including humans—is based on gamete size, which only has two categories.

Scientific Consensus

  • Humans produce only two types of gametes.
  • This defines two—and only two—biological sexes.

Key scientific citations:

  • Leonard Sax, Journal of Sex Research (2017): “Sex is defined unambiguously by the type of gamete produced; the existence of disorders does not negate the binary classification.”
  • Larry Cahill (UC Irvine Neuroscience): “Biological sex is binary and pervasive at every level from chromosomes to behavior.”
  • Nature Human Behaviour (2023): Sex categories remain “binary for nearly all biological and functional purposes.”

For these reasons, the claim that science does not support a male–female binary is false.

What About Intersex Conditions?

Many activists conflate “intersex” with “a third sex.” This is scientifically incorrect.

Can Matthew Chapter 19 Be Used To Prove Intersex; Individuals Exist?

The Facts:

  • Intersex conditions occur in 0.018–0.02% of births (Fausto-Sterling’s inflated 1.7% claim was corrected by her own admission).
  • Every intersex condition can be medically traced to variations or disorders of sexual development (DSDs), but these individuals are still either male or female, even when development is atypical.

Sources and Citations:

  • Hughes et al., Pediatrics, “Consensus Statement on DSD” (2006).
  • Sax, “How Common Is Intersex?” (2002, 2017).

Intersex conditions confirm that sex is binary—they are variations of the binary, not an argument against it.

Gender Identity: What Medical Organizations Actually Say

This is where many claims become politicized and misrepresented.

A True Statement: Many U.S. medical associations affirm that gender identity can vary psychologically.

False Statement: These same organizations state:

  • Biological sex is not binary.
  • Sex and gender are the same thing.
  • Gender identity is scientifically measurable or fixed.

The Positions of Medical Organizations (Accurately Stated)

American Psychological Association (APA)

  • Sex is biological.
  • Gender identity is psychological.
  • Gender identity variance does not erase biological sex.

The American Medical Association (AMA): The AMA recognizes “gender dysphoria” as a medical condition, not a biological third sex.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): The AAP supports gender-affirming care as a policy position, not as a conclusion that biological sex is non-binary.

American Psychiatric Association: Acknowledges the existence of gender dysphoria; does not deny biological sex categories. No major U.S. medical association claims “sex is neither binary nor fixed.” This is not a scientific conclusion—it is a political talking point.

The Errors in Curth’s Statement

Mel Curth makes three frequently stated, but major inaccuracies: combining sex with gender, that  is a common error.  Biological sex is not equal to gender roles, nor equal to gender identity. Curth treats these as the same. This is due, likely, to his incorrect instruction at university. Young men and women are being taught false and unscientific facts by professors, they go on to cite these false-facts later.

Curt Is Misrepresenting Scientific Organizations

None of these organizations deny the binary nature of biological sex. They only discuss gender identity as a psychological experience, and how to treat those experiencing gender dysphoria.

Curth Is Claiming That The Science is Settled on a Subject That is Contested

There is no consensus that gender identity is innate, psychological gender is fixed, or that gender identity categories correspond to biological or neurological structures Leading neuroscientists and psychologists openly state the opposite.

What Science, Not Ideology, Proves

Sex is Binary: Genetics, gametes, embryology, endocrinology, and evolutionary biology all demonstrate a male–female binary.

Gender Identity is a Psychological construct That Is::

  • Internal Imagined
  • Subjective
  • Culturally influenced
  • Not measurable
  • Not biologically fixed

Gender Dysphoria (confusion) is real: People experience genuine distress, deserving compassion and help. But their psychological experience does not change their biological sex.

The statement made by Mel Curth:

“Every major psychological, medical, pediatric, and psychiatric association acknowledges that sex and gender are neither binary nor fixed.”

Is

  1. Scientifically false
  2. Medically inaccurate
  3. Politically constructed
  4. A misrepresentation of scientific statements
  5. A further confusion of sex and gender

Biological sex remains binary. Gender identity is variable—but psychological, not biological.
No medical organization disputes the binary nature of sex.

What The Bible Says About Sex, Gender, and Human Struggles With These Issues:

The Actual Biblical Texts That Advocates of Same-Sex, Transgender Persons Try To Use To Prove That “Intersex Persons” Exist, As Created by God

Matthew 19:1-12 : Jesus Describes Divorce and Marriage
1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went down to the region of Judea east of the Jordan River. 2 Large crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick.
3 Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?”
4 “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’” 5 And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ 6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”
7 “Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?” they asked.
8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. 9 And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.”
10 Jesus’ disciples then said to him, “If this is the case, it is better not to marry!”
11 “Not everyone can accept this statement,” Jesus said. “Only those whom God helps. 12 Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”

The specific scripture that is used to try and prove that Intersex persons exist, as created by God, is Matthew 19:12:

“Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”

The key koine greek word used in this text, for “eunuch, is  εὐνοῦχος (eunouchos) in Matthew 19:12 does not refer to an “intersex” individual but rather a male, either physically castrated or spiritually consecrated for the purpose of celibacy—to not marry, so that they might more fully dedicate themselves to the service of Christ:

Lexical Analysis:

The Greek word εὐνοῦχος (Strong’s 2135) has a well-documented semantic range:

  • Literally: a castrated male, often used in the royal courts (e.g., Daniel 1:3 LXX; Esther 2:14–15 LXX).
  • Figuratively: a man who chooses to abstain from marriage and sexual relations for the sake of God’s Kingdom.

The primary meaning is “alone in bed”, i.e., not engaging in sexual union, with emphasis on abstinence, not intersexuality.

Contextual Argument (Matthew 19:10–12):

The entire discourse is about celibacy versus marriage—not biological sex identity. Jesus outlines three types of eunuchs:

  • Born: congenital physical defect, not intersexuality (likely impotence or sterility in males).
  • Made: castrated by others (e.g., court officials).
  • Voluntary: those who remain unmarried for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.

The third category clearly aligns with Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 7:32–38, where voluntary celibacy is described as a spiritual decision to remove distractions in order to better serve the Lord.

Theological Assertion:

God does not make mistakes in assigning gender (cf. Genesis 1:27 – “male and female He created them”). The assertion that Jesus endorsed gender ambiguity or biological intersex identity from this text is both eisegetical and contradicted by the grammatical and historical evidence.

Paul’s Complementary Teaching (1 Cor. 7):

Paul confirms Jesus’ teaching by instructing that singleness can be a greater benefit for serving the Lord if one has the spiritual gift or discipline to maintain celibacy. This is a spiritual gift, not a physical condition or confusion of gender.

Historical-Linguistic Background:

εὐνοῦχος in classical Greek never refers to an intersex person. The term always describes a male (ἄρρην) either by biological designation or social function.

In the Septuagint (LXX), eunuchs are explicitly male and are involved in palace or harem service (e.g., 2 Kings 9:32; Jeremiah 38:7).

Isaiah 56:3–5 LXX Reference:

Jesus likely alludes to Isaiah 56:3–5, where God promises a name better than sons and daughters to eunuchs who keep His covenant:

“Let not the eunuch say, ‘Behold, I am a dry tree.’ For thus says the Lord… I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.”

This is not about gender ambiguity but about spiritual inclusion for those who devote themselves to God in celibacy.

Misuse by Modern Gender Activists:

People who cite Matthew 19:12 to support gender identity theory are guilty of category error—reading modern psychological or sociological constructs into ancient spiritual concepts.

Jesus is not validating a third gender; He is validating the self-denial of men who choose not to marry to serve God, consistent with the call to deny yourself (Luke 9:23).

Citation from The Early Christian Church

Origen, who voluntarily became a eunuch for the sake of celibacy (as some early sources state), interpreting this passage literally and spiritually—never as license for gender identity reassignment.

“The word εὐνοῦχος, as used by Jesus in Matthew 19:12, refers exclusively to males—either by birth condition, external force, or voluntary choice—who abstain from marriage and sexual relations. The term is never used in ancient Greek literature or Scripture to describe an ‘intersex’ person or to blur the lines of male and female identity. Jesus upholds the Genesis paradigm of male and female, and His point in Matthew 19 is not about biological ambiguity, but about spiritual dedication to God’s Kingdom through celibacy. Any modern reinterpretation of this text as support for gender fluidity is a misreading, disconnected from the historical, lexical, and theological context.”

The Transgender/LGBTQ Argument:

The generally stated premise of the transgender and LGBTQ community regarding intersex persons is that biological sex is not strictly binary (male or female), and the existence of intersex individuals is cited as evidence that gender identity and sex are not always aligned or clearly defined at birth. This premise is used to challenge traditional views of sex and gender and to support a broader, more fluid understanding of human identity.

Intersex People as Evidence Against Binary Sex

Claim: Not all humans are born clearly male or female.

Support: Intersex conditions (also called Differences in Sex Development or DSDs) involve atypical chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex development, such as:

  • Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS)
  • Klinefelter Syndrome (XXY)
  • Turner Syndrome (XO)
  • 5-Alpha Reductase Deficiency

If Intersex individuals really were created by God, the argument is that biological sex is a spectrum, not a binary.

Assertion 1: Gender Identity Is Distinct from Biological Sex

The Claim: A person’s internal sense of gender (their identity) may not align with their biological or assigned sex at birth.

The Application to Intersex Persons As Valid:

Intersex individuals may be assigned a gender at birth that they later reject or feel never suited them. The Trans/LGBTQ community argues this experience validates the idea that gender identity is personal, psychological, and social, not purely biological.

The Broader Implication: If even biological sex can be ambiguous, then gender must be self-determined, not imposed.

Assertion 2: Intersex Conditions Are Natural, Not Abnormal

The Claim: Intersex traits are normal variations within human biology.

This challenges religious or traditional narratives that male and female are absolute, fixed categories. Some argue that the Genesis creation account (male and female) is incomplete or non-inclusive, based on intersex diversity.

Assertion 3: Medical Interventions Are Ethically Problematic

The Claim: Many intersex individuals have been subjected to surgical or hormonal interventions in infancy or childhood to make their bodies conform to male or female norms.

The LGBTQ and intersex advocacy communities argue that: These surgeries are often done without consent. They are based on social discomfort with ambiguity, not on medical necessity. The child should be allowed to develop their identity and make their own decisions later in life.

Assertion 4: Legal and Social Recognition

The Claim: Advocacy for a third gender category or non-binary recognition in law and social practice. Some countries (e.g., Germany, Australia, India) recognize a non-binary or third gender option in legal documents. The LGBTQ community sees this as a form of justice and recognition for intersex and gender-diverse individuals.

The Summary Statement of the LGBTQ Premise:

“Intersex individuals demonstrate that biological sex is not always binary. This reality supports the view that gender identity is diverse and deeply personal, and should be recognized as such by society, medicine, and law. No one should be forced into rigid categories of male or female, especially when their biology or identity doesn’t fit those molds.”

The Arguments That Disprove All of the Above Assertions by Trans/LGBTQ Advocates:

The assumptions made by the transgender and LGBTQ community regarding intersex individuals as proof that sex is not binary may seem persuasive on the surface, but they fail under careful scrutiny through scientific, medical, and logical analysis. Below is a comprehensive, point-by-point rebuttal of these assumptions:

FALSE CLAIM 1: “Intersex people prove that biological sex is not binary.”

Why This Is Invalid:

Scientific Classification:

  • Biological sex is defined by gametes:
  • Males: produce small gametes (sperm).
  • Females: produce large gametes (ova).
  • This is a binary reproductive system, and it is fixed in all mammalian biology, including humans.
  • Intersex individuals do not represent a third gamete type—thus, no third sex exists biologically.

Medical Understanding:

  • Intersex conditions are disorders or variations of sex development (DSDs)—they are medical abnormalities (birth defects) affecting less than 0.018% of the population (according to Leonard Sax, Journal of Sex Research, 2002).
  • These are deviations from the norm, not a third biological sex.
  • Every intersex person is still genetically male (XY) or female (XX) in over 99.9% of cases—despite ambiguous genitalia or hormone imbalances.

The Logical Fallacy:

  • Equivocation fallacy: Redefining “sex” to mean both biological sex and gender identity interchangeably.
  • Just because a biological anomaly exists does not disprove the underlying binary classification.
  • Analogy: Some people are born with six fingers. This does not refute the fact that humans are genetically structured to have five.

False CLAIM 2: “Intersex conditions show that sex is a spectrum, not binary.”

Why This Is Invalid:

Statistical Outliers Don’t Redefine the Norm:

  • Intersex individuals are biological exceptions, not a third category.
  • In science, classification is determined by function, not form. Despite intersex variations, reproductive function remains binary (sperm or egg).

Sex ≠ Gender Identity:

  • Intersex conditions are biological and diagnosable.
  • Transgender identity is a psychological perception, not a biological condition.
  • Using intersex individuals to validate subjective gender identities is a category error.

False CLAIM 3: “God made intersex people, so He must support non-binary identity.”

Why This Is Invalid (Biblically and Theologically):

The Biblical Creation Order:

  • Genesis 1:27: “Male and female He created them.”
  • Jesus reaffirms this in Matthew 19:4.

Deviations from original creation (such as intersex) are the result of the Fall (Genesis 3)—not part of God’s perfect design.

Moral vs. Physical Conditions:

  • Intersex conditions are physical disorders, not moral ones.
  • Same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria are moral/spiritual issues involving volitional behavior, which is what Jesus addresses regarding eunuchs in Matthew 19:12.

False CLAIM 4: “Intersex people should determine their own identity.”

Why This Is Invalid:

Identity Based on Objective Biology:

  • Identity is not self-created; it is rooted in biological facts.
  • Every nucleated cell in the body carries either XX or XY chromosomes, which are immutable and determine sex.
  • Feelings may change, but biology doesn’t.

Psychological Issues Are Not Identity Foundations:

In medicine, we do not redefine the body to match the mind when someone has:

  • Anorexia (they perceive themselves as overweight),
  • Body Integrity Identity Disorder (they believe they should be amputated),
  • Or other identity misalignments.
  • Likewise, gender dysphoria should be treated psychologically, not surgically or hormonally.

False CLAIM 5: “Recognizing intersex persons justifies third-gender laws and LGBTQ identities.

Why This Is Invalid:

False Equivalence:

  • Intersex conditions are not gender identities; they are biological anomalies.
  • LGBTQ identities are based on self-perception or behavior, not anatomical structure.
  • Therefore, using intersex people to validate LGBTQ+ ideology is misappropriation of a medical condition.

Ethical Misuse of Medical Conditions:

  • Intersex advocacy groups (e.g., InterACT) have criticized LGBTQ groups for exploiting their condition to push gender ideology, which does not represent intersex realities.

SCIENTIFIC & MEDICAL SOURCES

Biological Sex Is Binary: “In humans, biological sex is determined by the type of gametes the individual is capable of producing: males produce small gametes (sperm), and females produce large gametes (ova).”

Citation: Stearns, Stephen C., and Rolf F. Hoekstra. Evolution: An Introduction. Oxford University Press, 2005.

“There is no third gamete type in human reproduction. Therefore, biological sex remains binary.”

Citation: Dawkins, Richard. The Selfish Gene. Oxford University Press, 1976 (see Chapter on Reproductive Strategies).

Intersex Conditions Do Not Invalidate the Binary: “The prevalence of true intersex conditions is estimated at about 0.018% of the population.”

Citation: Leonard Sax, “How Common is Intersex? A Response to Anne Fausto‐Sterling,” Journal of Sex Research 39, no. 3 (2002): 174–78.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490209552139

“DSDs [Disorders of Sex Development] are rare congenital conditions in which the development of chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex is atypical… individuals are still classifiable as male or female for medical and biological purposes.”

Citation: Hughes, I. A. et al., “Consensus Statement on Management of Intersex Disorders,” Pediatrics 118, no. 2 (2006): e488–500.

https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2006-0738

Chromosomal Sex Determines Biological Identity: “Every nucleated cell in the human body carries either XX or XY chromosomes (barring rare chromosomal abnormalities, which are pathological, not normative).”

Citation: Sadler, T. W. Langman’s Medical Embryology, 13th ed. Wolters Kluwer, 2015.

PSYCHOLOGICAL & LOGICAL ANALYSIS

Misuse of Intersex to Justify Transgenderism: “Transgenderism is not a biological condition; it is a psychological phenomenon involving gender dysphoria. Using intersex conditions to validate transgender identity is misleading.”

Citation: McHugh, Paul R., former Chief of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital, “Transgender Surgery Isn’t the Solution,” Wall Street Journal, May 13, 2016.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/paul-mchugh-transgender-surgery-isnt-the-solution-1402615120

“The existence of anomalies does not redefine a category. If someone is born with six fingers, it does not mean humans have six fingers by design.”

Citation: This is a logical analogy rooted in Aristotelian category theory, affirmed in classical logic. See: Copi, Irving M., and Carl Cohen. Introduction to Logic, 14th ed. Pearson, 2010.

BIBLICAL & THEOLOGICAL SOURCES

God Created Male and Female (No Third Category): “So God created mankind in his own image… male and female He created them.” ScriptureGenesis 1:27 (ESV)

“Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female?” JesusMatthew 19:4 (NLT)

The Fall Introduced Disorder into Creation: “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all men because all sinned.” ScriptureRomans 5:12 (ESV)

“All of creation has been groaning… as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” ScriptureRomans 8:22 (NLT)

Jesus on Eunuchs (Matthew 19:12): “Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.” ScriptureMatthew 19:12 (NLT)

Lexical SourceStrong’s Greek 2135 (εὐνοῦχος): Properly means “castrated male,” but also used figuratively for a man who abstains from marriage and sexual relations to devote himself to God.

Citation: HELPS Word-Studies and Souter’s Lexicon.

ETHICAL ISSUES IN ADVOCACY

Intersex Advocacy Groups Criticize LGBTQ Misuse: “Intersex people are not transgender, yet we are often co-opted in that debate. Intersex conditions are biological; gender identity is psychological. They should not be conflated.”

Citation: Statement by InterACT Advocates for Intersex Youth, 2017

https://interactadvocates.org

The Following Is The Article Referenced In This Essay, In It’s Entirety Without Edits:

“Oklahoma student flunked by TA after touting Christian beliefs in gender essay, directs others to ‘push back’

A University of Oklahoma student who received a zero out of 25 on an assignment regarding gender norms says she was targeted for her Christian beliefs, citing a scathing response from the teacher’s assistant who doled out the grade.

Samantha Fulnecky is a junior pre-med student at the Sooner State’s flagship university.
“I was asked to read an article and give my opinion on the article, and the article was about gender binary and mental health and gender stereotypes, specifically in children, because it’s a lifespan development class,” Fulnecky told Fox News Digital. “So I was asked to give my opinion and my reaction to the paper.”

Fulnecky and her classmates were tasked with writing a response to a scholarly article titled “Relations Among Gender Typicality, Peer Relations, and Mental Health During Early Adolescence,” summarizing results of a study about gender norms among middle schoolers and the social ramifications children may face for not conforming to gender norms.

Students were asked to provide a “thoughtful discussion of some aspect of the article.” The assignment provided eight suggestions for how to respond, including, “An application of the study or results to your own experiences,” “Your own thoughts about how development proceeds in the domain being researched in the article” and whether the student thought the topic was worthy of further study.

“So I did this assignment the same as I would any other in that class, gave my opinion on gender binary and gender stereotypes and that, naturally my views are from the Bible and my Christian kind of worldview,” she said. “And so that’s what I wrote about and I didn’t think anything of it.”
Fulnecky, citing her Christian beliefs, responded that traditional gender roles should be reinforced, not degraded.

“The article discussed peers using teasing as a way to enforce gender norms. I do not necessarily see this as a problem. God made male and female and made us differently from each other on purpose and for a purpose,” Fulnecky wrote in her essay. “God is very intentional with what He makes, and I believe trying to change that would only do more harm.”

“Gender roles and tendencies should not be considered ‘stereotypes,'” her essay continued. “Women naturally want to do womanly things because God created us with those womanly desires in our hearts. The same goes for men. God created men in the image of His courage and strength, and He created women in the image of His beauty. He intentionally created women differently than men and we should live our lives with that in mind.”

Later in her essay, she denounced peers who conform to popular discourse on gender so they “do not step on people’s toes,” adding that she thinks it is “cowardly and insincere” of those who do.
The essay refers to Genesis, the first book of the Bible, in which God created men and women, and says that women are intended to be men’s helpers. She defined the Hebrew translation of “helper” — “ezer kenegdo” — as “helper equal to [man],” making the point that God did not make women subordinate to men.

“Society [is] pushing the lie that there are multiple genders and everyone should be whatever they want to be is demonic and severely harms American youth,” the essay continued. “I do not want kids to be teased or bullied in school. However, pushing the lie that everyone has their own truth and everyone can do whatever they want and be whoever they want is not biblical whatsoever.”

“Overall, reading articles such as this one encourage me to one day raise my children knowing that they have a Heavenly Father who loves them and cherishes them deeply and that having their identity firmly rooted in who He is will give them the satisfaction and acceptance that the world can never provide for them,” the essay concludes.

The grading rubric for the assignment indicates three criteria.

“Does the paper show a clear tie-in to the assigned article?” is the first, worth up to 10 out of the assignment’s 25 total points.

“Does the paper present a thoughtful reaction or response to the article, rather than a summary?” is the second, also worth up to 10 points.

“Is the paper clearly written?” is the last criterion, worth up to five points.

The paper was graded by graduate teaching assistant Mel Curth, who uses she/they pronouns.
The teaching assistant gave Fulnecky a zero out of 25, along with an earful about “empathy” and evidence.

“And so then, about a week later, I received a zero on it from the teaching assistant, and he left submission comments saying that my work was offensive, that I need more empathy in my writing, things like if I’m going to argue against the consensus of every medical field. In every medical association in the United States, then I need empirical evidence to back that,” she said.

Curth’s response insisted that the grade had nothing to do with Fulnecky’s beliefs, but criticized the essay for lacking empirical evidence, which was not mentioned as a requirement in the grading rubric. Curth also described the paper as “offensive.”

“Please note that I am not deducting points because you have certain beliefs, but instead I am deducting point [sic] for you posting a reaction paper that does not answer the questions for this assignment, contradicts itself, heavily uses personal ideology over empirical evidence in a scientific class, and is at times offensive,” Curth’s response said.

Curth said that the concept of only two sexes is not backed by science.

“You may personally disagree with this, but that doesn’t change the fact that every major psychological, medical, pediatric, and psychiatric association in the United States acknowledges that, biologically and psychologically, sex and gender is neither binary nor fixed,” Curth said.

The teaching assistant also found Fulnecky’s use of the word “demonic” to describe the idea of sex and gender on a spectrum “highly offensive.”
“Additionally, to call an entire group of people ‘demonic’ is highly offensive, especially a minoritized population,” Curth said.

“I definitely think that I was being punished for what I believe because I very clearly stated in my essay in my response to the article, I very clearly stated my beliefs and stated what — not just my beliefs — but what the Bible and what God says about gender and about those roles,” Fulnecky said.

Fulnecky told Fox News Digital that when she challenged Curth on the grade, noting that the assignment directed her to provide her own subjective opinion on the article, the teaching assistant doubled down on the zero grade.

Fulnecky then escalated to the school’s administration.

The university released a statement on social media on Sunday after Fulnecky’s story went viral on social media.

“The University of Oklahoma takes seriously concerns involving First Amendment rights, certainly including religious freedoms,” the statement said. “Upon receiving notice from the student on the grading of an assignment, the University immediately began a full review of the situation and has acted swiftly to address the matter.”

The school said it “acted immediately to address the academic issue raised by the student. College leaders contacted her on the day her letter was received and have maintained regular communication throughout the process.”

“As previously stated, a formal grade appeals process was conducted,” the statement said. “The process resulted in steps to ensure no academic harm to the student from the graded assignments.”

The university also announced that Curth has been placed on administrative leave.

“The graduate student instructor has been placed on administrative leave pending the finalization of this process,” said the statement. “To ensure fairness in the process, a full-time professor is serving as the course instructor for the remainder of the semester.”

Fulnecky, who said she doesn’t believe conservative opinions are well-tolerated at the school, disagreed with Oklahoma’s characterization of its own response, and said she found out about the action taken by the school from the social media post.

“So, the university is claiming that they’ve been in communication with me and that they gave me some sense of assurance that they wouldn’t let this happen again,” she said. “But in reality, I had no idea. I didn’t think they were going to do anything about the situation. And I honestly don’t think they would have if it hadn’t blown up on social media the way it did. I really was shocked to see that the university put out a statement about that saying that they have handled everything perfectly and trying to cover their tracks because they wouldn’t have done that or even acted like they cared if it hadn’t blown up like it did.”

Ryan Walters is the former Oklahoma superintendent of public instruction, who now runs the Teacher Freedom Alliance.

“Higher Ed. and K-12 schools, under the thumb of teachers unions, have infected an entire generation with their woke anti-Christian bias,” he told Fox News Digital.

“Samantha Fulnecky is an American hero,” he said. “She stood firm in her faith despite the radical attacks from the Marxist professors at the University of Oklahoma. The OU staff involved should be immediately fired and OU should not be receiving taxpayer dollars if they continue their assaults on faith. The war on Christianity is real, and we will not be silenced.”

Fulnecky told Fox News Digital that she has received messages of encouragement and admiration from fellow students for standing up for her beliefs, but has also received hateful messages online.
She encouraged other students to stand up for what they believe.

“It can be pretty scary, but Jesus is always worth standing up for, and I just encourage those people that are dealing with something similar to push back against that kind of behavior and really fight for your university to change, because if we don’t speak up about it, they’re not gonna do anything to change it.”

“I mean, I would rather have my integrity and give my true opinion and get a zero on an assignment than have to lie about what I really believe,” she said.

As for her message to Curth, Fulnecky said God loves the teaching assistant despite the grade.

“I think I would just say that God loves him and that I am saddened that they’re offended by the truth of the gospel and the truth that I wrote about in my assignment, and it saddens me to see that that offends them and upsets them the way it did.”

Neither Curth nor the University of Oklahoma returned requests for comment.

Peter D’Abrosca is a reporter at Fox News Digital covering campus extremism in higher education.

Follow Peter on X at @pmd_reports. Send story tips to peter.dabrosca@fox.com.
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