we're one but we're not the same

[didvenusblowyourmind]

So, I had school and I didn't get to do this, but a bunch of my lovely friends including jittrbugg participated in a day with SoulForce this spring, which is this bus ride (actually, there's two - east and west coasts) that goes to schools with anti-queer policies to talk to students about it and protest. Sometimes it's futile, and nothing changes, and people get arrested.

Sometimes it's not.

This is an article about resulting changes this year. But pretty much the most amazing thing in my mind? Brigham Young University changed their policy on homosexuality. BRIGHAM-MOTHERFUCKING-YOUNG. Only one of the most religious, strict universities in the US, run by the Mormon church. They were actively told not to come by the LDS.

Anyway. BYU previously had a policy against homosexual behavior that was "implicit or explicit." This was changed to a policy against behavior, not feelings or orientation.

I think that's pretty amazing. It's a long way to go. A seriously, seriously long way to go. But that's something. (And, um, they definitely wrote 'orientation,' not 'choice.')

Other goodness to come from it:

- Gay-straight alliances at six schools
- an unofficial LGBT group at Pepperdine was granted a new hearing on achieving official status
- Baylor students are petitioning to have the policy on 'homosexual behavior' reviewed

Also, in really, really odd news (to me), Jerry Falwell's ghostwriter was apparently gay. And the founder of SoulForce. Now, that is just weird. (Also, Fred Phelps protested at Falwell's funeral. Wow, I thought they'd be BFF.)

Comments

[lastglances.livejournal.com]

yeah, brigham young university can still kiss my ass. they have major issues with just about everything. my old theatre teacher was teaching some classes there and he shaved off his beard and when i asked why, "he said that facial hair is not allowed on campus. how fucked is that? you can't have long sideburns either. the whole change of policy is cool though. maybe they should hire the professor they fired after he wrote an article stating his liberal opinion on homosexuality and the lds faith.

[lastglances.livejournal.com]

in short, my state pisses me off and will always piss me off regardless of what happens.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_venus_/]

I agree! Though with such a strict policy (and so well-known), I kind of feel like anyone who goes there is just masochistic and wants to follow a bunch of stupid inconsequential rules. I mean, some of these colleges are like ... not that known for being anti-gay. A lot of students didn't even realize it. I'd be WAY madder to find out I was going to an anti-gay school and didn't even realize it ... at BYU, can you be surprised at ANYTHING?

[cheapevilgirl.livejournal.com]

(Also, Fred Phelps protested at Falwell's funeral. Wow, I thought they'd be BFF.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps

From the looks of his wiki page he protest everyones funeral. I still can't wrap my head around protesting fallen soliders funeral.

And how the hell do you hate Coretta Scott King?