Badpuppy Gay Today

Wednesday, 2 April, 1997

Even if gay males and lesbians obey school policies (i.e. NO sex) they shouldn't be allowed in our school, say 42 percent of the students polled at Utah's Brigham Young University.

According to Janet Scharman, dean of students, Brigham Young has "a general policy that any student who has current ecclesiastical endorsement, good academic standing and is abiding by the honor code can attend the university."

Three students, Sam Clayton, Dale Franklin, and Melanie Dinger, conducted the school-approved viewpoint-inspection, noting the responses of 420 students selected randomly on campus. Clayton, a senior who self-identifies as gay, is a sociology major. He has had no intention, he explains, of changing school policies. "Just clarifying and publicizing already existing policies," he said. The results of the survey show that at least 42 percent of Clayton's classmates are struggling with considerable degrees of discomfiting homophobic hysteria. Also, the poll shows that although 91 percent of the students polled thought themselves familiar with the school's policy, only a third truly were. The results were published in the Salt Lake Tribune.

"What statement do you think best describes the church's stand?" said the university poll, allowing four choices:

1.) Accepts in full fellowship homosexually oriented persons who live the Church's law of chastity. (true for 33 percent.)

2.) Accepts homosexually oriented persons as long as they change their sexual orientation. (true for 41 percent.)

3.) The Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) excommunicates the same-sex oriented, regardless of sexual activity ( true for 10 percent.)

4.) Other (true for 10 percent)

The First Presidency of the Church of Latter Day Saints issued the following 1991 statement, meant to help clarify Brigham Young University's position on same-sex love:\par \par "Sexual relations are proper only between husband and wife appropriately expressed within the bonds of marriage. Any other sexual contact, including fornication, adultery, and homosexual and lesbian behavior is sinful.

"There is a distinction between immoral thoughts and feelings and participating in either immoral heterosexual or homosexual behavior. However such thoughts and feelings, regardless of their causes, can and should be overcome and sinful behavior should be eliminated."

Brigham Young professors questioned the methodology of the poll. Clayton responded by saying that he simply hopes the poll will bring the issues before Brigham Young's student body. "We want them to acquaint themselves with the issue, to not be scared to address it and understand that there is a place in the church and the community for homosexually-oriented people."

Thirteen percent of those surveyed said they knew someone who is same-sex oriented. Approximately 80 percent said they would not want a gay or lesbian roommate. Clayton told 10 roommates that he was gay, he said, and found no difficulties arising from such forthrightness.