Westmont College Is Where "Homosexual Practice" Is Banned

My best friend in graduate school was a girl from a very strict Christian faith. She went to a Christian university, after which she ended up in Syracuse, NY, where we met. And it was with her that I started Syracuse University's first LGBT publication. I know from her that tolerance, compassion, love and support for the queer community is possible in those who follow Christian teachings.

That said, some Christian colleges are certainly not thriving spaces for LGBT awareness and inclusiveness. We've been covering here at Change.org the push by LGBT students and straight allies at Seattle Pacific University to get a campus club officially recognized.

But also making waves is Westmont College, a school in Santa Barbara, CA. Thirty-one gay and lesbian alums have written an open letter to the school's newspaper, detailing the "doubt, loneliness, and fear" they felt while attending the college. Another 100 graduates of the school signed the letter.

Let's start with the good in this story. An overwhelming number of the school's staff responded with regret. Fifty-one of the 92 faculty members responded with calls for “forgiveness for ways we might have added to your pain.” And it's truly remarkable that these professors did not choose to defend themselves or the culture that exists at Westmont.

“We’re hoping to do a better job of talking to and loving each other and holding true to our scriptural principles,” said Vice President for Student Life Jane Higa.

Now, that's all and well, but here's the bad news: there is no real change on the horizon. The school bans "homosexual practice" in its code of ethics, and that position is being upheld as valid by administrators. Though nobody has been expelled for being gay, the administration does not really seem to get how this rule contributes to the mental health, self-esteem and overall well-being of LGBT students. It should also be noted that straight, unmarried students are also forbidden from having sex.

It is great that some staff apologized for contributing to the negative atmosphere for gay students at Westmont College. But that's not enough. LGBT people cannot be who they are on campus without fear of punishment, persecution and marginalization. Until the policy is repealed, these youth will never really be free to be themselves.

"Any policy that lists homosexuality — practice or otherwise — alongside other 'sins' like 'drunkenness, theft, and profanity,' will do nothing but reinforce the lie that these kids are 'sick and sinful,'" writes author Candace Chellew-Hodge in a fantastic article in Religion Dispatches. "Asking forgiveness is a first good step. But, you don't fix something this harmful by simply apologizing — you fix it by repealing the policy altogether, and affirming these students."

I could not have said it better myself. Check out this petition here, and help appeal to have administrators change this troubling policy.

Photo Credit: Westmont College

 by Brandon Miller  who is a freelance writer and editor from Toronto, Ontario.  https://news.change.org