Duke’s Circling The Drain

There were a couple of stories within the last couple of weeks regarding Duke University that arouse concern.

First, there was the story about the 50 year old transgender “woman” Duke helped to “breastfeed” his/her grandchild.

Second, there is also the star player on the Duke basketball team, Jared McCain from California. It was reported that he signed an advertising deal with a company that sells nail polish. McCain has apparently been known to apply and wear nail polish.

The first story deals with profoundly wrongheaded medical interventions, selling a customer on becoming something he cannot be. And the second story involving McCain entails the blurring of sex roles. It is more than that, however. McCain is engaging in gender ambiguity.

During a prior era, an older man would take McCain aside and demonstrate to him the error of his ways. But now, this type of distorted behavior is celebrated and reinforced. After all, McCain represents money for the school– even if NC State whupped them.

We can still hope and pray that an older, wiser man somehow confronts McCain regarding his behavior and shows him the man he needs to be. And we can hope that Duke University somehow redeems itself as an institution.