Update: LGBTQ

Reported by Matãsina Childress

Since the lip-sync competition in November, the LGBTQ+ committee at George Fox University (GFU) has been busy advocating and supporting those whose voices have been ignored. While doing so they have faced many setbacks.  

Of course any progress is progress, but there seems to be a bigger goal that the LGBTQ+ committee would like to accomplish. 

Some setbacks that the committee has faced are “the lack of education” and “lack of open mindedness,” according to GFU Student Body President Lexi Hamaker. 

Hamaker and freshman committee member Moriah Reid say faculty are “pretty set” theologically. There is “not a lot of room for disagreement” says Reid, conveying how hard it is to talk with those who are troubled even by the mention of affirming LGBTQ+ students.

While there seems to be much hardship that the committee has endured, they have made progress. Hamaker is proud of how “we [the committee] have brought light to this issue,” mentioning how the subject is no light matter, and expressing gratitude that people are aware of what is going on. 

Additionally, Reid mentioned that there have been listening sessions which allowed students to fellowship with one another and allowed others to listen and receive a better understanding of the situation. She also said there is a generous amount of people such as parents, friends, and even families who are supporting the committee by providing t-shirts with the “Be Known” motto. 

There have been many different reactions from faculty and students around campus. Reid said that it “depends on who you interact with” in regards to what people’s reactions have been to the committee's work thus far. 

Hamaker responded similarly, commenting that “some of it was very positive and some of it was very negative.”  Hamaker said that “students, for the most part, have been supportive and curious.” Hamaker acknowledged a lot of progress, but what matters most is that “there has been a desire to learn and to gain more information.”

Though there have been different responses from the community, the committee still strives to complete its end goal. According to Reid, the end goals of the committee are to help the LGBTQ+ community  “to be welcomed and respected while simultaneously advocating for support and solidarity.”

Photo by Jen Wright