Baptist university drops ‘homosexual acts’ from misconduct policy
In Texas, Baylor University- the largest Baptist university in the world- has eliminated “homosexual acts” from its sexual misconduct code.
The policy for the conservative college includes bans on sexual assault, adultery, incest, fornication, sexual harassment and sexual abuse.
University spokeswoman Lori Fogleman said to The Dallas News: “These changes were made because we didn’t believe the language reflected Baylor’s caring community.
“We are pleased with the recent changes to the policy language and that it states more plainly the expectations of the university.”
Baylor was among the ranks of the few religious learning institutions that could expel students and fire staff for exhibiting homosexuality.
While the Baylor policy change was first acknowledged by university officials in November 2013, it was finally passed as official in May 2015.
The proposition was originally presented by Trenton Garza, a university student in 2013, but was vetoed by the president of the student body.
According to The Toledo Blade, the revised code states: “Baylor will be guided by the biblical understanding that human sexuality is a gift from God and that physical sexual intimacy is to be expressed in the context of marital fidelity.”
Brittney Griner- a former student and basketball player- was pushed to keep her sexual orientation hushed by both the university and her coach.
Ms Griner said to USA Today last year: “I would love to be an ambassador for Baylor, to show my school pride, but it’s hard to do that — it’s hard to stand up and say, ‘Baylor is the best!’ — when the administration has a written policy against homosexuality.”
She was told to delete her Twitter posts involving her girlfriend and not to publicly express her homosexuality because of recruiting purposes.
Through the opposition, she became a professional basketball player, winning the AP Player of the Year, the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, and 2014 WNBA Champion.
