A New Generation of College-Educated Christians Love Us in the LGBTQIA2S+ Community

One of the reasons I supported the "mainstream movement" of children with intellectual disabilities and other physical and sensory disabilities in public schools rather than special schools or classrooms is because I, along with other educators, knew that the mere exposure of people with various disabilities to children without disabilities would be an organic form of education unto itself. Children with disabilities would want to copy and imitate and hang around children who were not disabled. And children who were not disabled got to know children with disabilities not as "the disabled one," but as Sam, Mary, Hector, or Shaniqua. In other words, it was good for all concerned, and everyone learned, and liked, one another, regardless or because of the differences. 

The same thing is now happening with the LGBTQIA2S+ college-aged young people going to school with non-LGBTQIA2S+ young people. They are getting to know each other, on first name basis, and they like one another.

In recent weeks I've posted/blogged about the discrimination facing LGBTQIA2S+ students, faculty, and staff at private, conservative Christian colleges and universities, from Seattle Pacific University to Calvin University. Alejandra Molina of religionnews.com wrote an article, "Students Across Country Walk Out, Allege LGBTQ Discrimination at Religious Schools." There are students, along with faculty and staff, who are de-constructing harmful, hate-filled theologies on "sexuality, gender, and queerness." These students understand that you can be Christian and queer, and that the two are not incompatible but one and the same. 

Which leads to the question: why go to these conservative, private, evangelical colleges, universities and seminaries, if you are LGBTQIA2S+? For some, it is because of family influence. For others, peer influences. And still for others, some schools offer programs that are not at other institutions.

And yet...

What is fueling the drive for justice is the continuation of the Title IX program that protects not only women in terms of equality with mens' sports, but also people of color, as well as LGBTQIA2S+ people. Title IX is the federal civil rights law in the U, enacted in 1972 by the US government, that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school of other education program receiving funding form the federal government. While many of these conservative institutions say they want "out" of this part of Title IX programs, the students are demanding they provide equality for all, regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation. If schools like Seattle Pacific, Brigham Young, and Calvin University--to name a few--want the federal funds, then, the students are demanding, they have to follow the protocol or standards laid out in Title IX. Equality and justice first, and then the money. 

As Paul Southwick of the Religious Exemption Accountability Project noted, “(Students) are done being told that in order to be a good Christian, that means you must be a white, straight Christian, (or non-disabled) or embrace white, straight Christian values.”

Here's a link to the article: https://religionnews.com/2022/10/10/students-across-the-country-to-walk-out-in-protest-of-discrimination-by-religious-schools/

And why is it that students have had it with the former "status quo?" Because this generation who are currently in college and university and seminary have been raised not only with other people with disabilities, but with others who are part of the LGBTQIA2S+ community.

Thanks be to God.