Having worked for over ten years nationally with LGBT college students and campus groups as the executive director of Campus Pride, I want to add an important factor to the larger issue of creating a “safe space.” This goes beyond well-meaning, intentioned “Christians” — rather in most cases it is part of a national anti-LGBT movement that is well-funded and relentless in creating legal challenges to stop LGBT progress.

There are several anti-LGBT groups like Focus on the Family, PFOX who have put tremendous time, energy and resources (money) for legal cases to challenge current LGBT inclusive policies at colleges and universities. These groups are aware of the LGBT progress that has been made over the last decade at colleges and universities. This steady progress has helped shape the current LGBT-inclusive social and economic culture seen in the U.S.

Behind all these court cases; however, it is evident that there is an orchestrated, anti-LGBT strategy at play involving “LGBT on campus vs. religion.”

In most, if not all of these cases, the college/university has settled out of court and have created a new process that would side with the “religious” groups concerns. It is often easier for colleges to do so, then to spend the money to go to court or deal with the press relations around the case.

Campus Pride has this recent article on our site at http://www.campuspride.org/exgay_politics_on_campus.asp and we monitor these issues closely. Campus Pride would encourage readers to exercise caution. I hope that together we can create more “safe spaces” for everyone to learn, live and grow on campus.

Shane Windmeyer
Campus Pride
http://www.campuspride.org

He told me that there had been some incidents of harassment and physical intimidation of gay students on campus and he wanted to be part of the program especially because the location of his center is near where some of the incidents took place.

When I questioned him about the possible conflict between his religion and homosexuality he told me a couple things that stuck with me:

First he noted that he became a priest to love and serve, not to judge. Judgment belongs to God alone. He told me that, even in the confessional when people ask if something they did is considered a sin, he has never told them yes or no. Sin, according to catholic teaching, is a transgression against reason, truth and a “properly formed” conscience. He can make judgments on reason and truth, but never someone else’s conscience. They have to examine their own consciences to determine whether they acted against them – with guidance if requested.

Second, and more importantly, he observed that my question implied that he would think a homosexual person (student, staff or faculty) would automatically be considered to be in a state of sin while a heterosexual person would automatically be presumed to be in a state of grace. He was quite insulted that I would think that of him. He was correct. That really ticked me off.

Then he jokingly pointed out my own naïveté to think that there would not be, for instance, all flavors of illicit sexual practices happening on a campus filled with teens and young adults; or, that there would not be cheating and lying and stealing going on at a college campus. Those sins have no correlation with sexual orientation.

His conclusion was that anyone who is committed to their religion would naturally want to be part of a program to protect and cherish all of God’s children. Remember that the parable of the Good Samaritan was told in response to the question “who is my neighbor [whom I am commanded to love as I love myself]?”

The university setting certainly should foster an environment of higher learning on more than the expected levels; young people of all creeds should be exchanging ideas openly in a debate or discussion.

The question that a lot of LGBT people my age (early 20′s) have is, “Where do I fit in?” The atmosphere in the traditional religious setting isn’t typically friendly towards gays or our desire to live our lives how we see fit. I am in that situation to a similar degree… I used to be an active member and leader in my congregation, but after I came out to my family I decided to resign my post in my church. I continue to attend service because I still have my faith and my beliefs. I personally don’t feel comfortable approaching my pastor and telling him that I’m gay… I guess my situation might be unique, but it would be easier if my city had a gay-friendly church. Largely, that doesn’t exist, but it’s still comforting that people around this country are able to practice their faith or ask their questions of faith openly.

Thank you again for writing about this topic, and a “safe space” would have certainly been nice when I was coming out and about.

Leo
http://www.citizenzero.us

Thanks John. This is actually something of which I can make use, and perhaps immediately.