(no subject)
Yesterday's Soulforce Equality Ride at Samford University was incredible. It was well-attended, Samford students behaved surprisingly well, were surprisingly liberal and polite, and the administration came out of it looking like complete assholes.
One student pointed out that the sexual misconduct rules equating homosexual acts or behaviour with rape and unwanted fondling were listed under the heading "Value of the Individual" in the student handbook. Homosexual acts? What constitutes a homosexual act? Hugging, kissing, holding hands? I can understand that actual sexual intercouse would be forbidden, but it is for straight students as well. But that definition is so nebulous it can mean anything. Every minute I'm alive, I'm gay. All of my acts are homosexual acts. Whether or not the administration, faculty, and students really feel that way, my life and the lives of dozens of students is against the rules of Samford. And that's listed under "Worth of the Individual." Everyone was floored.
One of the administrators present, a generally sour little man, stood up and said "Well, in my years here, only two sexual misconduct cases have resulted in expulsion, and neither one of those involved homosexualit, and I have no knowledge of the administration ever harassing gay students. I immediately raised my hand and contradicted him, telling him of when Dr. Sharlach warned me I might be being investigated for my sexuality in sophomore year. That was fun.
Then we had lunch in groups, and a lively discussion of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Mel White, and other theologians, which I didn't really follow, having given up Christianity and the Bible as a text relevant to my life at 14. I just sat quiet and people-watched and tried not to strangle that one Samford girl who kept saying things like "sisters in Christ" and "be together in heaven" and "even if she is a lesbian." That much strained cheeriness and religious glibness makes me sick.
I met up with Adam, Lauren O., and Heather in the afternoon forum, on ministering to gay students. Once again, administration/ministry approached homosexuality from the angle of it being something to "deal with," a "struggle," "being sick," or someone's "cross to bear." One of the Equality Riders contradicted this, but that's the only rhetoric they know how to use when dealing with homosexuality...Several of the Riders talked about instances of anti-GLBT violence, and how spiritual violence was just as damaging. One divinity student started talking about abhoring homophobic violence but still being compelled to tell us of our wrongdoings, because "the Bible is pretty clear" on the issue. Adam contradicted him, quoting verse and giving original Hebrew and Greek words that don't, in fact, equate to homosexuality as it is understood today. Have I mentioned lately how awesome my roommate is?
Next was a prayer service, which I surprisingly attended. It was worth it, though, because all of the principles espoused in the service were things I could agree with. Singing "Amazing Grace" in a group of people for the first time in years was surprisingly uplifting.
Afterwards I hung around on campus chatting with various people while the Riders gathered and departed. It was interesting to be able to talk to current Samford students, freshmen even, and get a sense of how things actually have progressed on campus since I started 5 years ago. It was refreshing.
Then I went to Brookwood Mall and met up with the Riders to sit, talk, and get to know some of them. I spent most of my time chatting with Casey, Mandy, Shawn, and Kyle. They were loads of fun, very good people to talk to. All of the Riders were very neat people, friendly, outspoken, passionate, and committed to a cause. They're doing good work, opening up dialogue on campuses where queer students are afraid to be themselves. Feel free (or compelled, hopefully) to check out the Soulforce website to learn more about their mission and make a donation to support the Riders, if you so choose...
That being said, and after having such a positive day associating homosexuality with spirituality (more specifically a Christian spirituality), there are so very many reasons for me to still dislike and be deeply afraid of conservative Christian churches. After watching Jesus Camp and having 2 Pentecostal ministers come to UA's campus in the last two weeks, I can tell you that those people are hurtful and wrong in everything they do. Watch the movie, observe the abhorrent emotional abuse and manipulation of children, vote against whatever they support politically, and warn others.
And, after having this much warning information presented in every imaginable way, with mountains of scientific evidence to back it up, Southern Baptists still deny the existence of global warming and don't support ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. That is simply willfully destructive obstinance, not "good stewardship," like they urge....
So yeah, religion and I are still in the same place, but now I might've found something I can do to counteract its negative influence in the lives of GLBT students...
One student pointed out that the sexual misconduct rules equating homosexual acts or behaviour with rape and unwanted fondling were listed under the heading "Value of the Individual" in the student handbook. Homosexual acts? What constitutes a homosexual act? Hugging, kissing, holding hands? I can understand that actual sexual intercouse would be forbidden, but it is for straight students as well. But that definition is so nebulous it can mean anything. Every minute I'm alive, I'm gay. All of my acts are homosexual acts. Whether or not the administration, faculty, and students really feel that way, my life and the lives of dozens of students is against the rules of Samford. And that's listed under "Worth of the Individual." Everyone was floored.
One of the administrators present, a generally sour little man, stood up and said "Well, in my years here, only two sexual misconduct cases have resulted in expulsion, and neither one of those involved homosexualit, and I have no knowledge of the administration ever harassing gay students. I immediately raised my hand and contradicted him, telling him of when Dr. Sharlach warned me I might be being investigated for my sexuality in sophomore year. That was fun.
Then we had lunch in groups, and a lively discussion of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Mel White, and other theologians, which I didn't really follow, having given up Christianity and the Bible as a text relevant to my life at 14. I just sat quiet and people-watched and tried not to strangle that one Samford girl who kept saying things like "sisters in Christ" and "be together in heaven" and "even if she is a lesbian." That much strained cheeriness and religious glibness makes me sick.
I met up with Adam, Lauren O., and Heather in the afternoon forum, on ministering to gay students. Once again, administration/ministry approached homosexuality from the angle of it being something to "deal with," a "struggle," "being sick," or someone's "cross to bear." One of the Equality Riders contradicted this, but that's the only rhetoric they know how to use when dealing with homosexuality...Several of the Riders talked about instances of anti-GLBT violence, and how spiritual violence was just as damaging. One divinity student started talking about abhoring homophobic violence but still being compelled to tell us of our wrongdoings, because "the Bible is pretty clear" on the issue. Adam contradicted him, quoting verse and giving original Hebrew and Greek words that don't, in fact, equate to homosexuality as it is understood today. Have I mentioned lately how awesome my roommate is?
Next was a prayer service, which I surprisingly attended. It was worth it, though, because all of the principles espoused in the service were things I could agree with. Singing "Amazing Grace" in a group of people for the first time in years was surprisingly uplifting.
Afterwards I hung around on campus chatting with various people while the Riders gathered and departed. It was interesting to be able to talk to current Samford students, freshmen even, and get a sense of how things actually have progressed on campus since I started 5 years ago. It was refreshing.
Then I went to Brookwood Mall and met up with the Riders to sit, talk, and get to know some of them. I spent most of my time chatting with Casey, Mandy, Shawn, and Kyle. They were loads of fun, very good people to talk to. All of the Riders were very neat people, friendly, outspoken, passionate, and committed to a cause. They're doing good work, opening up dialogue on campuses where queer students are afraid to be themselves. Feel free (or compelled, hopefully) to check out the Soulforce website to learn more about their mission and make a donation to support the Riders, if you so choose...
That being said, and after having such a positive day associating homosexuality with spirituality (more specifically a Christian spirituality), there are so very many reasons for me to still dislike and be deeply afraid of conservative Christian churches. After watching Jesus Camp and having 2 Pentecostal ministers come to UA's campus in the last two weeks, I can tell you that those people are hurtful and wrong in everything they do. Watch the movie, observe the abhorrent emotional abuse and manipulation of children, vote against whatever they support politically, and warn others.
And, after having this much warning information presented in every imaginable way, with mountains of scientific evidence to back it up, Southern Baptists still deny the existence of global warming and don't support ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. That is simply willfully destructive obstinance, not "good stewardship," like they urge....
So yeah, religion and I are still in the same place, but now I might've found something I can do to counteract its negative influence in the lives of GLBT students...