Source: Myung J. Chun / Getty
This is the last thing we’d ever expect to happen in California, of all places.
Azusa Pacific University in Azuza, California reinstated its ban on LGBTQ relationships, nine short days after they announced their new campus policy allowing LGBTQ students to date and instituting the formation of Haven, the LGBTQ support center.
The policy had been in the works of being disbanded for over a year, but conservative critics quickly swooped in before it could truly take effect. Within the nine days that the announcement was made, parents were threatening to withdraw their students from the school, donors were calling, emailing and commenting on social media refusing to give another dollar until the policy was changed.
A queer student at the university, Alexis Diaz, spoke to Into about the incident. Diaz said while she was initially excited about the new policy quickly protested the response. Overnight, students chalked up the campus with LGBTQ-affirming messages. The following day, about 200 students gathered to protest the decision.
“This decision didn’t seem like it [was made] in the best interest of students,” Diaz said. “Things were happening at a hundred miles per hour, and it felt like we weren’t a priority. Like, ‘Oh, what’s the next item of business? Yes, let’s just go ahead and reverse that.’ It didn’t seem well thought-out.”
One major concern for LGBTQ students is whether or not those who have been open about their relationship status will now face repercussions. Right now, the consequences are “vague,” but students are expecting a Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell type of policy.
You can read more about the report at Into.
