Progress for LGBTQIA2S+ Students in Religious Institutions of Higher Education

Some good news of late. Religious-based institutions of higher education are being called on to support LGBTQIA2S+ students and staff.

The first case had to do with the Yeshiva University, an orthodox Jewish university in New York City. The University insisted, based upon its religious freedom, that it did not have to recognize the LGBTQIA2S+ Jewish student group--Yeshiva University Pride Alliance (YU Pride Alliance)-- because of religious freedom and First Amendment defense. 

Kathryn Post of religionnews.com wrote that, " JQY (Jewish Queer Youth), a nonprofit that supports Orthodox Jewish queer youth, commended the court’s move in a statement. “Today is a turning point for LGBTQ Jews in the Orthodox community who, for too long, have been told that their identities are not a sin, yet made to feel like their self-worth is against Jewish law (Halacha),” said JQY Executive Director Rachael Fried.

JQY has been funding events for the YU Pride Alliance and providing mental health support for its members as the group advocates for official campus recognition. JQY leaders have argued that the group is simply seeking to receive funding and space to gather on campus for events such as picnics and movie nights, something they say shouldn't be considered a religious violation." 

Fried said that Yeshiva was: "“In framing this as a religious emergency that has to be stopped, to me, (Yeshiva is) demonstrating the very homophobia that they claim doesn’t exist on campus.”

All this over picnics and movie nights for LGBTQIA2S+. 

Here's a link to the article: https://religionnews.com/2022/09/15/scotus-says-yeshiva-university-must-recognize-lgbtq-club-as-legal-battle-continues/

In another article on the religionnews.com website, there was a report that nearly 200 religion or faith-based institutions of higher education are deemed "unsafe" for LGBTQIA2S+ students. Campus Pride, which surveys such institutions in terms of their treatment of LGBTQIA2S+ students, sees this as a continual problem. Schools like Yeshiva University and Seattle Pacific University, which I've reported on earlier, as well as Brigham Young University, continue to be hostile towards the issues surrounding LGBTQIA2S+ students, staff, and faculty.

Here's the link to that article: https://religionnews.com/2022/09/08/nearly-200-religious-colleges-deemed-unsafe-for-lgbtq-students-by-campus-pride/

It is a conundrum: religious institutions, who would be quick to say "God is love," and that we should love one another, are still struggling with finding love for LGBQIA2S+ people. 

May we continue to struggle with these institutions till all are welcome, recognized, respected, and treated as equals.

May it be so.


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