The Church of Latter Day Saints drastically eased its policy on homosexual behavior at Brigham Young University recently, only to rescind the change shortly afterward and cause a protest on campus by homosexual students who thought they had prevailed.
Despite removing the section on “homosexual behavior” from its Honor Code in February, the LDS church has just clarified that same-sex romantic behavior is still “not compatible” with the rules at BYU, reports the Salt Lake Tribune.
The revelation came on March 4 after weeks of questions about the change and after LGBTQ students had celebrated what they assumed was a major victory. Many said they recently admitted they were gay only because they thought — and were told by some Honor Code staff — that the school now permitted it.
Why so many gay students made the decision to attend a university that does not condone homosexual behavior remains a mystery.
“We felt like we finally had a place and then they ripped it away again,” said junior Katie Guerrero, who says she is bisexual.
Hundreds of students met in the campus quad to protest what they saw as a painful reversal by BYU. They solemnly sang church hymns and marched in a circle. One waved a poster that read, “Jesus said love everyone.” And they chanted together, “The Honor Code is honor-less.”
Hundreds of students had originally celebrated the Honor Code change last month before the clarification — with many coming out openly as gay or lesbian in response and many more attending a Rainbow Day event on campus.
