The firing of Texas A&M professor Melissa McCoul after a hidden-camera video on gender identity has drawn sharp criticism from Texans who question how professors who cannot define basic biological sex are qualified to teach students.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, McCoul was dismissed after a video shared by Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian) showed her promoting gender ideology in class while dismissing objections.
Critics argue that if university professors require “pronoun guidance,” it undermines their credibility in preparing the next generation.
This question is being asked at other state universities that are also embedding pronoun ideology into programs and policies.
At the University of Texas at Austin, for example, the Communication Studies department features a biography of a professor who identifies as nonbinary and uses “they/he/she/Nik” pronouns.
The University of North Texas publishes guides telling students and faculty that “by introducing yourself with your pronouns, you show that you do not assume the pronouns of the people around you, which may be different than you think.”
At UT Dallas, a policy called University Records Regarding Student Identity (UTDPP1115) once required faculty, staff, and students to use affirmed names and pronouns. On July 24, 2025, the university officially rescinded the policy. Students can still update pronouns in online systems, but the registrar is no longer required to collect or enforce their use.
Proponents of removing “gender identity/pronoun” policies reflect growing public resistance to pronoun ideology at taxpayer-funded universities.
The debate raises a question at the heart of higher education in Texas: if professors and administrators at public universities cannot agree on the difference between a man and a woman, how can they be expected to teach our kids properly?