Choose a Pronoun, and Lose a Job: Discrimination at Another Christian University

Shua Wilmot and Raegan Zelaya, two students and dorm directors at Houghton University (just southeast of Buffalo, NY and another Christian related institution of higher education of 800 students), just lost their jobs because they put their personal pronoun choice in the signature line on their emails. The reason they put “he/him” for Shua, and “she/her” for Zelaya was because of the peculiarity of their names. But there was a policy at Houghton University that forbids this naming of your personal pronoun choice. The University wanted them to drop the moniker, and the two people refused, which is why they were fired. The University defends itself, saying that no one who is employed by the University can have any "extraneous quotes,” including Bible verses, by their email signatures. 

Seven hundred alumni/ae have signed a petition in support of Shua and Zelaya, with probably more to come. 

Houghton University was founded in the 19th century, and is connected to the more conservative Wesleyan Church, which is openly hostile to LGBTQIA2S+ people. They are similar to Seattle Pacific University, which is connected with the Free Methodist Church. Both Universities are struggling with LGBTQIA2S+ students, staff, and faculty, as are other colleges and universities that are part of the conservative, evangelical consortium, Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), like Whitworth University in Spokane, WA.

Where the hypocrisy of this University lies is in such statements like this, part of the University mission, that they are “Christ-centered education in the liberal arts and sciences.” Weird, because Christ isn’t against LGBTQIA2S+ people, but this University is, or against those who choose their personal pronouns. 

Here’s a link to the article about the University: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/5/22/2170761/-Using-he-him-she-her-in-emails-got-2-dorm-directors-fired-at-small-New-York-Christian-college

I’m fairly certain that Jesus Christ can handle people putting their personal pronoun choices for their names in email signature lines, and not be upset at all. Why is the University have such a fit over personal choice and personal preference?

Do like Jesus did, Houghton University: Accept all.

May it be so.





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