Patrick Baughman, Sioux City West High School's 2023 valedictorian, talks about the reasons he ended his commencement speech at the school's graduation by holding up a copy of the book, "This Book is Gay," and decrying its removal from West's library.
In front of his classmates, their families, community members and district administration, Sioux City West's Patrick Baughman ended his valedictorian speech with a declaration for trans rights and against "banned books." We chatted with him about it.
Never, he said, were any of his comments made in a sexual nature or toward his own sexual arousal. Many of the comments were made jokingly, he said, and none of the girls ever told him they were uncomfortable around him.