More than 50 students reportedly met last week to discuss forming an LGBT student group at Baylor University. (Baylor Lariat)
Patti Fink, a Baylor University alum who serves as president of the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance, alerted us to this story from the Baylor Lariat newspaper about a new group for LGBT students at the Baptist school in Waco:
The group, named the Sexual Identity Forum, is in the process of applying to be an officially chartered student organization at Baylor, and its founding members expect a final decision on the chartering to be made before the end of the month.
Alvarado senior Samantha Jones, the organization’s president who affirmed during the meeting that she is openly gay, said she was motivated to start a discussion group because she believes the administration has not always been accepting of students with alternative sexual identities.
“I feel as though the student body in and of itself is very welcoming,” Jones said. “Everyone I’ve come out to or approached has been very welcoming and very compassionate and tolerant. I feel as though the high administration … refuses to recognize that there are gay students on campus, and they refuse to allow a group like this to exist.”
The story goes on to say that Baylor prohibits students from participating “in advocacy groups which promote understandings of sexuality that are contrary to biblical teaching.” However, the university’s director of students services wouldn’t comment on whether the Sexual Identity Forum is likely to receive a charter.
This is a remarkable development at a school where Kenneth Starr is president and where, in the past, students have been expelled for being gay.
UPDATE: The group’s charter has been denied. Read more here.
Baylor Student Activities denied the charter today. The group has a website called sifembears.com. The group’s president, Samantha, is keeping everyone updated on there. They’re still fighting and lots of people here, like myself, are supporting them.
As a Baylor student who is heterosexual, I feel it is necessary for Baylor to allow this group on campus. Baylor University prides itself on promoting diversity and encouraging a positive learning environment, but discriminating against this group goes against these principles. I know that Baylor does not allow sexuality advocacy groups, but I have been to the meetings for LBGT and there is no advocacy occurring. It is just free discussion- and is that not what a university is about; encountering people from all different backgrounds so as to learn from each other and dispel common stereotypes. I don’t think that by Baylor allowing a LBGT group to exist on campus goes against religious rights, but denying the group to have free discussion does against human rights. This is a social issue and I encourage all the members of this organization to fight for equality on Baylor’s campus.
Yep! We were denied an official charter around 2pm today, but we’re making a formal appeal. Thank you, Dallas Voice, for bringing this to everyone’s attention.
https://www.SIFemBears.com/
Secretary
Site Admin