LGBT Groups Object to Big 12 Admitting Brigham Young University
The Big 12, one of the most storied conferences in college athletics, is in the midst of an expansion effort. One of the schools seeking to join, Brigham Young University (BYU), itself an institution with a substantial athletic legacy, is finding that its candidacy is running into trouble on the basis of the school���s stance when it comes to alternative lifestyles.
According to ESPN, BYU, which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is the subject of a letter from various LGBT groups to the Big 12 commissioner that urges the conference to pass on admitting the school to the conference.
The letter to commissioner Bob Bowlsby, written by Athlete Ally, an advocacy group for the LGBT sports community, and co-signed by dozens of other LGBT support organizations, reads, in part, ���As organizations committed to ending homophobia, biphobia and transphobia both on and off the field of play, we are deeply troubled by this possibility. We feel it would be extremely problematic to include BYU in your conference expansion.���
���Currently, the Big 12 as a conference is overwhelmingly LGBT-inclusive. BYU, conversely, actively and openly discriminates against its LGBT students and staff. It provides no protections for LGBT students. In fact, through its policies, BYU is very clear about its intent to discriminate against openly LGBT students, with sanctions that can include suspension or dismissal for being openly LGBT or in a same-sex relationship.���
There is nothing in the BYU Honor Code that prevents attendance at the school by members of the LGBT community, but the Honor Code does reflect the following language: ���Homosexual behavior is inappropriate and violates the Honor Code. Homosexual behavior includes not only sexual relations between members of the same sex, but all forms of physical intimacy that give expression to homosexual feelings.���
According to ESPN, Athlete Ally spokesperson Ashland Johnson indicated that the letter was written on the basis of the objectionable language found in the BYU Honor Code, and not because of any incident of discrimination.
By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large
