Resource Center has signed onto a letter from Athlete Ally opposing the addition of Brigham Young University to the Big 12 conference. Lambda Legal, GLAAD and National Center for Transgender Equality are among the national organizations that have signed the letter.
Brigham Young University has in its so-called “honor code” that homosexual behavior is forbidden.
“Homosexual behavior is inappropriate and violates the Honor Code. Homosexual behavior includes not only sexual relations between members of the same sex, but all forms of physical intimacy that give expression to homosexual feelings.”
Baylor, which is a member of the Big 12, removed a similar policy from its “honor code” in 2015. Rape, apparently, is still allowed on the Baylor campus, because the former president of that school who did nothing to investigate a string of campus rapes, remains employed as a law professor.
In its letter, Athlete Ally wrote:
“We are writing to express our concerns about Brigham Young University’s (BYU) candidacy for Big 12 Conference membership. As organizations committed to ending homophobia, biphobia and transphobia both on and off the field of play, we are deeply troubled by this possibility.
Currently, the Big 12 as a conference is overwhelmingly LGBT-inclusive. Nine out of ten of your member schools have explicit protections for students based on their sexual orientation. Eight out of ten of your member schools have explicit protections for students based on their gender identity. And nine out of ten of your member schools have LGBT resource centers to proactively make their schools safe and welcoming for LGBT people.
BYU has no protections for LGBT students or faculty and openly discriminates. On this year’s Princeton Review list of homophobic schools, BYU earned the No. 6 spot.
Locally, the Big 12 includes Texas Christian University in Fort Worth and the league is based in Irving.
BYU’s athletic director Tom Holmoe responded with a tweet: “LGBT players, coaches and fans are always welcome to the BYU campus. Everyone should be treated with respect, dignity and love. Tom.”