Gnarls Narwhal
 | The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's general notability guideline. (November 2024) |
| Gnarls Narwhal | |
|---|---|
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| University | The New School |
Gnarls Narwhal is the official mascot of The New School, a private research university in New York City. A nonbinary narwhal who uses they/them pronouns, Gnarls was introduced in 2014 through a student vote [1] and has since become a symbol of the university's progressive values and commitment to social justice.[2]
Background and Creation
[edit]The narwhal mascot was selected through a student vote in 2014, [3] winning over other proposals including a cigarette. The original design featured bold eyebrows and a basketball jersey. In 2021, the university undertook a significant redesign of Gnarls to better reflect the institution's values and student body.[4]
Character Development
[edit]The mascot's backstory was initially drafted in 2015 by Ricky Tucker, a former New School student and faculty member, and was later expanded in 2020. The character development involved collaboration between the university's marketing team and focus groups to ensure authentic representation of the school's community.[5]
Cultural Impact
[edit]The mascot's nonbinary identity [6] and environmental activism have garnered attention for breaking traditional mascot conventions. Gnarls is known for appearing at various campus events, orientation weeks, and community gatherings, with their presence tracked on social media through the hashtag #wheresgnarls.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "University's redesigned mascot is a gender-neutral, climate change protesting SJW". Campus Reform. August 25, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ^ "Behind Gnarls: The backstory of The New School's climate change-fleeing, Vogue'ology-loving narwhal mascot". The New School Free Press. May 8, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
- ^ The New School (2022-04-08). "The Origins of Gnarls". YouTube. Event occurs at 1:21. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
Gnarls the Narwhal is more than just a mascot. They're a social justice advocate, the first and only sea mammal to earn a BA/BFA dual degree from The New School, and a Pisces.
- ^ "University's redesigned mascot is a gender-neutral, climate change protesting SJW". Campus Reform. August 25, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
- ^ "Gnarls Narwhal turns 28". The New School Free Press. March 7, 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
- ^ "'Gnarls Narwhal': New non-binary, social justice warrior mascot unveiled". The College Fix. August 27, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ^ "Gnarls, The New School's Mascot, Debuts a New Look". The New School News. August 26, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
