The Waltonian

A recent survey by College Pulse and the Religious Exemption Accountability Project (REAP) detailed the harsh realities of LGBTQ+ students at Christian colleges. According to this survey, queer students at Christian universities are more likely to face harassment, isolation, and other adverse events, all of which create starkly different mental health outcomes than those of their cisgender-heterosexual peers.

The report was conducted between January 28 and February 6, 2021 on 3,000 LGBTQ+ students enrolled in four-year degree programs at Christian colleges and universities. Findings demonstrate that 12% of students identify as non-heterosexual, 2% of students identify as a gender minority, and most of these sexual and gender minority students are closeted.

The report details responses from queer students at Christian colleges, most of which are members of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU). Sexual minority students were three times more likely to report depression and anxiety, and just as likely to have seriously considered suicide.

Gender-nonconforming students are at an even higher risk; on average, gender minority students experience double the number of adverse experiences, are seven times more likely to experience sexual assault, and 22% have reported bullying. Nearly half (47%) of gender minority students at these Christian universities reported feeling they do not belong on their campus, compared to 29% of sexual minority students, and 17% of straight students. These realities contribute to vastly different collegiate and mental health experiences for queer students compared to straight students.

This survey was commissioned by the REAP, an organization dedicated to advocating for the empowerment of queer students at taxpayer-funded religious colleges and universities. REAP is led by Director Paul Southwick, a queer lawyer who attended a Christian University and represents LGBTQ+ students, children, and employees in civil rights matters.

“This discrimination and abuse is funded by taxpayers. These findings should serve as a wake-up call for all higher education stakeholders to address the ongoing abuse taking place at publicly funded institutions,” said Southwick. He also explained that many Christian schools, while private, still receive federal funding in the form of grants and student financial aid.

LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination protections in education were greatly expanded under Title IX during the Obama administration and the Biden
administration’s recent order to federally protect sexual orientation has put this issue under increased scrutiny. However, private colleges that receive federal funding can still claim an exemption on religious grounds. This poses a concerning fate for queer students at Christian universities and holds implications for our own private Christian university.

Eastern University receives funding from the CCCU as well as the federal government. Eastern has very unclear narratives for queer students who attend the university, as well as for its faculty and staff members. Our queer students are not exempt from the statistics revealed by this report and are not fully protected by our student codes of conduct. Though students at Eastern University are permitted to be out on campus, the university’s stance on the LGBTQ+ issue is ambiguous. Class after class of students have raised concerns on the implications of this stance for the safety and well-being of queer students attending Eastern University.

A class action lawsuit has been filed against the Department of Education over this rights violation, including students from Eastern University and associated colleges.

For more information about the Religious Exemption Accountability Project, or to join the fight, visit reap.org.

Sources: REAP.org, NBC, The Collegiate Post, Metro

As the impending November election draws nearer and the number of U.S. COVID-19 cases continues to rise, it has become even more necessary for an agreement to be made about the Coronavirus Relief Bill. The updated Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act originated in the House of Representatives in September. It is intended to reflect the Democrat’s original HEROES Act
from May earlier this year that was unable to advance due to opposition from the Republican representatives. The current bill stands at $2.2 trillion yet is being opposed by the Republicans due to this high cost. Negotiations around the bill have been transpiring for months.

According to congress.gov, “This bill responds to the COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses.” Among other things, proposed components will provide a stimulus package of up to $1200 per individual, modify and expand the Paycheck Protection Program, provide funding for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, and expand sick days, family and medical leave, unemployment compensation, nutrition and food assistance programs, housing programs, and payments to farmers. The proposed bill would be beneficial to many jobless persons, low- and middle-class families, those struggling with childcare, and food-insecure families relying on food assistance programs. In addition, the HEROES Act would modify or expand a wide range of programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, health insurance, immigration, student loans and financial aid, prisons, the U.S. Postal Service, and federal elections.

Currently, the bill is being held at a stand-still by the primarily Republican-led Senate, largely because of cost. This sentiment was echoed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who stated, “My members think half a trillion dollars, highly targeted, is the best way to go.” Despite this statement, President Trump blamed Nancy Pelosi for the delay in a tweet on Thursday, Oct. 15. He wrote, “Pelosi is holding up STIMULUS, not the Republicans!” He has also requested that Congress “go big or go home” for COVID-19 legislation and told Fox Business that he would go above $1.8 trillion for a final deal. In addition,
he claimed that such a large bill would garner support from the Republicans. Contrary to this, Pelosi sent a letter to her Democratic colleagues in which she included, “We must come to an agreement as soon as possible, but not before we are truly helping the people without accommodating the Republicans’ surrender to the virus.”

Despite the contrasting ideas on how the relief bill should be passed, it is clear that both the Democrats and the Republicans see a need for this aid. With unemployment levels rising, continued small business closures, and the increase in COVID-19 hotspots, the spotlight is on Congress to come to an agreement.

Sources: congress.gov

Why is Solidarity Week important to me? It starts with why I care so much about the LGBTQ+ community. My answer should be that because I am a Christian, I radically love others like Jesus loves them. Unfortunately it most certainly did not start out that way for me. Both of my older brothers are gay and somewhere along their journeys, I took notice of how incredible the queer community is. For a long while, I was too stuck in tradition to see that I was hurting myself and my brothers by relying on the doctrine that I had always been taught. It took me so long, entirely too long, to realize how real and incredible these people are.

A few months ago, I became new leadership of a club called Refuge, which is the LGBTQ-friendly club on Eastern’s campus. We are also the club that sponsors Solidarity Week and put in the hours of work for it to run smoothly. The first time I attended Refuge was a few months ago, after having read about Eastern’s Gay Straight Alliance in a brochure about the clubs at Eastern. I was utterly terrified about what I might find there. What if I was the only straight person there? What if they hated me because I was not as supportive to my brothers as I should have been? What if I was not knowledgeable enough? What if I wasn’t good enough for them? As I sat down in Sparrowk 111, I was met with smile after smile, and kind looks of love and acceptance.

Even when I told my story, despite the messy, ugly parts, their stares of kindness did not change one bit. In that moment, I had a small, miniscule glimpse of what the queer community feels like as they walk through every set of doors at this school and every place they go to. That is why Solidarity week was so important. It is a week that is meant to break down barriers, educate Eastern University and, most importantly, create an Eastern that is better and safer for everyone, not just those that we want Eastern to welcome and accept.

I love Eastern University. It is a place that has welcomed me and challenged me and made me a better, stronger person. This community has loved me and told me to be my most authentic self. Yet, not everyone at Eastern is told to be authentically, truly them. Some are told to hide in shame and fear of who they are. That is not okay to me. It should not be okay to this community either. It is time that we raise our voices and make it known what we think, because Eastern University has taught us well enough to recognize something as a justice issue. We need to have openly queer faculty that are not only allowed to be out, but are encouraged to be authentically truly themselves. We need to have trans- inclusive housing.

We need to have a neutral definition of marriage in the student handbook. These are not outrageous demands, rather they are demands that more accurately reflect who Eastern University is. Solidarity week meant something to me because it gave me a glimpse of what Eastern can and hopefully soon will be. It showed me that there is potential for change at this school. It showed me that there are people who desperately need to be shown that they are loved and accepted. It showed me that despite the ugly, messy parts, I can be proud of where Eastern is going. It showed me that there is hope on this campus for a better Eastern, and stronger Eastern, and an Eastern that I want to be a part of.