In academic discourse, use of the correct name is an important means of establishing professional credibility. For example, if within the fields of computer science and information science, a specific term of art, such as artificial intelligence, has gained widespread acceptance, the use of an alternative term—a term, like superintelligence, not widely accepted within the discipline—would seriously undermine the credibility of academic work (and the author’s more general standing within the field).
Donald Trump has notoriously attempted to rechristen the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” So too has he attempted to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” and he is threatening to fashion new MAGA names for an ocean, a major river, and the state of New Mexico. Trump also recently signed an executive order requiring all federal government programs and communications to use the terms superintelligence and S.I. rather than the broadly accepted nomenclature artificial intelligence and A.I. One might shrug all of this off and say, “Well, so what? It’s a free country, and all of us can still use the generally accepted names of places (Gulf of Mexico) and things (A.I.).”
Unfortunately, after Oct. 1, 2026, this is no longer the case for academics at state-sponsored colleges and universities in Alabama. H.B. 2 officially bans the use of the phrase Gulf of Mexico by any and all state employees. As a professor at the University of Alabama School of Law, I find this appalling.
Your students can say it. Have them say it in chorus whenever it comes up. “Gulf of…” “Mexico!”
Between colleagues? Fuck that law.
In writing, I suppose you’re stuck with it.
How is this not a first amendment thing? Since this is a state run public institution, so essentially the government, controlling what private citizens say. Just because it’s a law doesn’t mean it’s constitutional.
Wait 'till you hear about laws banning criticism of Israel
It probably is. It’s been just over a month since the law was inacted. It usually takes months for the court cases to even start. First someone needs to be “harmed” to have standing. So now this guy could sue and say it’s deteriorating his academic credibility. But it would be months, maybe a half year or more before it finally hits the state supreme court to be overturned.
Malicious compliance: just say “the gulf”.
Most of the South already did.
Could you say Gulf of Cuba? It’s also on the same body of water and gets around the ban.
So how do history teachers do their jobs? That some very Alabama legislation.
This says a lot more about the US education system than Trumps decree
Nobody says you can’t cough and mumble the past word. Every time.
Every record has been destroyed or falsified … every statue and street and building has been renamed, every date has been altered… welcome to the Trump United States of America America.
(The gulf formerly known as) Gulf of Mexico, or (The gulf with the international name) Gulf of Mexico, wouldn’t work?
Isn’t this the government overreach they’re always harping on about …
It was always projection. Every single time.
Suddenly, conservatives are upset about deadnaming. 🙄
I would not care. If someone complains i would call them a Traitor Fellon Rapist Turd Ass Licker and flip them the Finger. A day later i propaby be sitting on the street begging for money. But under no circumstances i would play with the Turds Bullshit.
The cons are some of the most petty of snowflakes.
What are they going to do if people use the right name for the Gulf of Mexico?
Mexico, Gulf of
Chalchiuhtlicueyecatl
Or… British Petroleum Thunderdome
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I’m not a lawyer. I’m 99.99% sure that if the institution is state run (like a university of Alabama situation), then they open themselves to civil rights litigation if they were to fire you for this.
Civil rights litigation with a Nazgûl Supreme Court majority doesn’t mean much
