The evening then moved to a question and answer session where Jordan and Cronin interviewed each other using anonymous audience-submitted questions. Artists bring light to Houghton College's LBGTQ+ community I never had that sex-crazed puberty that it seems most people do, and I have also struggled to understand what it means when someone was described as being hot or sexy because those words mean nothing to me. We need to do better in the area of loving our gay and lesbian neighbors. 23a)); and that discrimination based on sexual orientation is sex discrimination because one simply cannot consider an individuals sexual orientation without first considering his sex. (Amicus Br. Their day is ending, and a bright new day is coming. If we are to be like Christ then we must engage with the world the way he did, while still acknowledging the failings of humanity. Much of the student body, administration, and several professors were openly hostile toward LGBT students and anyone who might support them. Both Duttweiler and Coon said Houghtons culture doesnt cultivate a safe place for LGBTQ students to come out. Its another thing that your policies explicitly say something else.. Duttweiler identifies as gay, and didnt come out until after graduating in 2015. Meanwhile, Houghton College is considering adding clarifying language to the Community Covenant which would make handholding between two men or two women suspect and grounds for a meeting in the Student Life office. For the project, Duttweiler and Coon gathered stories from current students and alumni and projected their words in large print on campus buildings. I have spent a lot of time reflecting on and researching asexuality to make sure I understand myself enough to be confident with the labels I use. : Same-sex Attraction and the Christian College., Every few years as students turn over theres a difference in the way students think said Jordan when asked why he decided to give the talks. We recognize that controversy surrounding this topic is ongoing, particularly regarding the recent paintings of the Spirit Rock. By, Community Resources for Those Impacted by Mass Shooting, Comprehensive Coverage of the Crisis in Ukraine, Invisible Army: Caregivers on the Front Lines, Turn Your Car Into The Public Radio Programs You Love, Birx encourages Houghton grads to 'stay true to your moral self', COVID while gay: 'Horrificness' for an already marginalized community, LGBTQ people are going undocumented in NYS' COVID-19 health data, Don't rely on HR to protect your rights, NYS says. Before discussion began, Jiwan Dhaliwal 17 provided a devotion and prayer. I sincerely hope that Houghton will follow through and make concrete changes to care for and support the Houghton queer community, without feeling the need to remind us how wrong they think we are along the way.. And the exercising of my newfound freedom and courage would not come without cost. The office of Student Life found me guilty on all charges. Duttweiler said that as an artist, he is not a policy maker, but part of what he does comes from the values he learned at Houghton. She said, Its not some mythical creature up in Scotland; this is a reality in culture, in American culture and in Christian culture and in world culture.. You cannot love your brothers and sisters in Christ while also viewing them as a tragedy. Cronin expressed frustration with rhetoric regarding how the church should respond to the LBGTQ community, insisting that this fails to grapple with the reality of the situation. On the one hand, affirmation and love, and on the other, shame and suspicion. Mullen shared an open letter which was posted on the schools website (see: https://www.houghton.edu/blog/an-open-letter-from-president-mullen/). Will I go to heaven even though I feel this way about that boy from school? These were questions I began pondering as early as 13 or 14, and the apparent silence I received in reply only caused anxiety and angst. They told me that telling this student information about my sex life constituted a form of sexual harassment before the information was not invited, despite the fact that there was precedence in our friendship to talk about our experiences. We Are All Houghton was created in response to the experiences of LGBTQ+ students at Houghton University and the college's involvement in the Supreme Court cases regarding the interpretation of Title VII and Title IX. This college shares a hometown with True Light Pentecost Church, an anti-LGBT hate group that has declared on its blog that, "The sub-human culture created by the anti-christ and magnified by. Though he was always aware that his identity as a gay man stood in tension with Wesleyan Church doctrine, his commitment to the Christian faith transcended differences about sexual ethics, regardless of how painful they could be. Also, I met my wife at Houghton. Jordan chose to honor this decision despite disagreeing with it. On April 5, Cronin and Dean of the Chapel, Michael Jordan, hosted a forum entitled Baptized into One Body: LBGTQ-Affirming Christians at Houghton College, which aimed to spark dialogue and compassionate listening on LBGTQ, specifically transgender issues. Why does it bother us to think some people disagree? What are your thoughts on the We Are Houghton project? It's one thing to show up to a vigil or send out an email. Houghton junior Sarah Halvorson is part of an unofficial LBGTQ student group on campus. on My Experience: Asexuality and Coming Out in a Christian Environment, The way popular forms of media create and imitate culture has always been a point of contention amongst consumers with a religious eye. The racist shooting at Tops has renewed the spotlight on right-wing extremism across the country. Colleges that violate the law lose federal funding. I would love for that to be true. My generation was raised on the, . Disagree and debate, but for the beauty of the Earth, do not use your differences as an opportunity to inflict pain. Due largely to my own conservative evangelical upbringing, I arrived at Houghton terrified of beingor even being. We also believe that sexual expression should be confined to marriage between one man and one woman as legally assigned at birth. Intercultural Student Programs. All I did was point out that he, as a self-identified ex-bisexual, had opposite-sex attractions all along, and that homosexuals do not have the kind of option available that he, as a bisexual person, had. Why does it anger us so much to think there are students with a different theological position than what is popular? In college, I think in a lot of ways its a time to kind of figure out who you are," Duttweiler said. She sent out an email that was really beautiful and really supportive explaining that she wants to stand in solidarity with us and show that she truly believes and wants for us to have a place at Houghton, said Halvorson. Along with the physical exhibit in the Ortlip Gallery, the project has a website, weareallhoughton.com, as well as a page on Instagram (@weareallhoughton) which currently has 705 followers (as of Monday, October 5). He had been the first person I came out to, and though we didnt speak frequently, when we did talk it was typically about our same-sex experiences and the hardships of being queer at Houghton. The culture of the world will always be the worlds, and we are all a part of it. Emily Warner (21) values the way that the project has called Houghton to act, both now and in the future. Houghton junior Sarah Halvorson is part of an unofficial LBGTQ student group on campus. Residence Life. App. What is considered progressive has drastically changed since I was a student twenty years ago, but even since Jill and I moved back to Houghton, Ive seen viewpoints shift. My Resident Director, a man I considered a friend and who I trusted, offered me no defense. This is pertinent because it interprets that Title VII protects LGBTQ+ Employees. Whether or not homosexuality is a sin is not the issue. Halvorson is one of only a few openly LGBTQ students at Houghton and has now become an advocate. Coming out is an act of integrity, and I hope someday my alma mater's integrity includes its queer alumni. They even staged a sit in in the Student Life office in protest of my termination and held a barbecue party for me. Most of us wish our sexual ethics werent so divisive; why do the actions of adults in their own bedrooms have to affect our friendships, our politics, our faith? Im inclined to choose people, but I understand whats at stake for traditionalists: their interpretation of Scripture, their churches, their whole worldview. Since ending the installation, Duttweiler and Coon have kept in touch with the students and are currently exploring ways to continue the conversation at Houghton. Duttweiler was glad that this panel was being hosted, but was disappointed that Amy and [him], as the artists of the project would not be included in any further conversation., In terms of general reactions, Duttweiler and Coon expressed their overwhelmed feelings at how many positive responses they received from both participants and allies, saying they received many personal messages of gratitude for the project and, overall, received nearly 100 survey responses from LGBTQ+ current students, alumni, and staff/faculty. But the most courageous thing I was inspired to do was to begin speaking out on behalf of LGBT Christians, even though I did not tell most people that I was one of them. Both Duttweiler and Coon said Houghtons culture doesnt cultivate a safe place for LGBTQ students to come out. And over the summer, Houghton alumni Joshua Duttweiler and Amy Coon came back to their alma mater to collaborate on an exhibition called "We are all Houghton.". 2. Duttweiler said, their stories are heartbreaking. I was loved as I sat at late night Christmas eve dinners with family friends who would later become college professors. Now, years down the road, those wounds have healed, but there are still scars. Houghton's position in this case isn't surprising, but it does reiterate the boundary lines of the community that sits at the core of Houghton's identity. On the surface, it seems like Houghton has done an excellent job of trying to maintain unity. Also within the ace spectrum people can be anywhere from sex-repulsed to sex-positive (this refers to the way we perceive the thought of sex in general, not sexual attraction). It is spearheaded. "And so Houghton ends up in some ways making it kind of really hard to figure that stuff out.. 12 (citing Stephens Pet. According to Jordan, this decision was a result of a meeting between himself and representatives of the LGBTQ community. The artists' goal: amplify the voices of Houghton's LGBTQ students. Amici disagree with the findings of the Sixth, Second, and Eleventh Circuits below that discrimination on the basis of transgender and transitioning status constitutes sex discrimination because it is analytically impossible to fire an employee based on that employees status as a transgender person without being motivated, at least in part, by the employees sex, (Amicus Br. They used words of current LGBTQ students through answers submitted through a survey they provided. You cannot pick and choose members of that family. Faculty and staff at Houghton College work to improve the campus climate surrounding same sex attraction through a new study, community voice document, and discussion group. I was loved by friends who sacrificed their sleep to laugh, to cry, to daydream, to think, to grow with me. We need to work more diligently to make sure that we are a welcoming and nourishing place for all of our students, said Mullen. Disney has an agenda, but that agenda is parallel to what is becoming culturally acceptable. Actions speak louder than words, and performative allyship is something that we see a lot these days, said Coon. That is why the New York State Division of Human Rights, WBFO-FM 88.7 | One anonymous participant wrote: The inability to speak about sexuality openly and in an informed way led to much fear, confusion, and anxiety in my own life, often for reasons I didnt even understand., Photographs of light projections on campus buildings courtesy of the artists.Credit Joshua Duttweiler and Amy Coon. You can be a changemaker, and so this in some way comes from that., PublishedNovember 16, 2020 at 1:53 PM EST. They chose to reject and edit, and will create an editing committee comprised of the Executive Council and class presidents. Artists Amy Coon and Joshua Duttweiler collaborated using light projections of quotes by LGBTQ+ alumni around Houghton's campus. Apply Request More Info News & Events Read More Read More Read More Read More And there I knew (and I know) so much love. I took my job very seriously and thrived in this position of leadership. I describe people as cute or attractive because I appreciate their aesthetics, but I am not sexually attracted to them. Now, years down the road, those wounds have healed, but there are still scars. As Pool said, The intent is that the entire community agrees on the language. I would find one color I thought was my favorite and then see another and melt all over again, and then return to the one before seeing its beauty again as if for the first time. Its another thing that your policies explicitly say something else.. Because of repressing it and because of some of the policies that Houghton has out, it scares people to not even consider it and think about it," Coon said. Comment below or get in touch with us viaInstagram,Twitter, or email (editor@houghtonstar.com)! I came to find that a fellow LGBT student in whom I occasionally confided in had leveled the accusations against me. After all, the ability to relate to others is a muscle, something that must be trained. However, the changes are not just technical. God has called you his own, and no one can take you our of his hands. Dont forget that when you go to the theater, read a book, or listen to music, that you are listening to the inner thoughts of someones personal expression, shared with you, not simply something to affirm you and your faith. Other people joined the argument taking my side, and it got slightly heated. Everyone needs a personal estate plan. LGBTQ Conversation - Houghton STAR News | Houghton University I just hope that from this we learn to not corner someone into some category or theological argument, but learn to listen to understand, said Rachel Caine (23). The purpose of this committee will be to find language that addresses the vagueness within the current covenant, while remaining sensitive to the needs of the entire community. Students who expressed their support of the movement focused less on theological debate and arguments, and more on their gratitude for the movement, along with acknowledging the need for support and inclusion for the LGBTQ+ members of the Houghton community. Joe is a junior communication major with minors in business and Bible. We need to work more diligently to make sure that we are a welcoming and nourishing place for all of our students, said Mullen. Houghton Colleges involvement, which became known to a group of alumni in August of 2019, was as an amicus curiae. Discover how a Houghton education will help accelerate your path to fulfill your God-given, fearless potential. Colleges that violate the law lose federal funding. The Highlanders Shop - Official Campus Store of Houghton College Br. Whether or not you choose to see a film in which a gay character is portrayed positively, you are still called to interact with the world as an ambassador for Christ: with love and empathy. Houghton College vs. Rabbinical Academy Mesivta Rabbi Chaim Berlin comparison; Houghton College Rabbinical Academy Mesivta Rabbi Chaim Berlin College 3 College 4 Remove: Remove +Add +Add: Location: Houghton, NY: Brooklyn, NY: Setting: Remote Rural: Large City: Students: 902: 336: Type: Private 4 Year: Private 4 Year: Religious Affiliation: We all know that racism is bad. That was the last time I ever spoke to him. Other participants hoped I could provide insight into ways Houghton College, as a traditional institution, could support these students as well. We rounded up a few examples of how colleges have celebrated the month on campus. Jordan Markwood '05 Receives Houghton University's 2022 Distinguished Achievement Award. I do not regret my decision to attend Houghton. Jesus would have celebrated me for who I am, for who God made me. Jordan originally stated in a chapel announcement his intention to deliver three lectures. Quotes came from a group of recently graduated alumniCollin Belt (15), Mitch Galusha (14), Sally Jacoby Murphy (13), Sarah Jacoby Murphy (13), Holly Chaisson (16), and Emilie Powles Ocock (14)along with some who opted to remain anonymous, including current students. The survey served purposes twofold: one, to allow those who would like to participate in the show in the Ortlip gallery to do so, as select quotes would be projected in the gallery in hopes of amplifying additional LGBTQ+ voices from the school, and two, to present findings to the college after the shows closure, so administration can both hear from and better understand its students, the survey form explained. She said her goal is to make the group an official club before new leadership comes in; Mullen is set to retire in the spring. Part of the appeal of such projects is the effect time has in the retelling of the familiar. The college also maintains satellite campuses in Buffalo and Utica, all three of which require full-time students to attend chapel at least twice weekly. The community is bigger than it might seem. As Pool said, The intent is that the entire community agrees on the language. Another reaction that I have gotten is that I am just being abstinent and, while that might be a personal choice I have made, that does not make me ace. My generation was raised on the The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast. The student newspaper of Houghton University for more than 100 years. He says, having an LGBTQ faculty member would have helped him feel more comfortable on campus. Cronin counseled traditionalists and progressives to remember that first and foremost, anybody who has been baptized in the name of Christ and trusts in Jesus life, death, and resurrection as their hope and their salvation is a part of Christs body. She continued, That extends to LBGTQ people, that extends to conservative people, that extends to anybody who we find inconvenient. Houghton President Shirley Mullen agreed, responding that the decisions regarding LGBTQ+ discrimination should be made by Congress, and is the reason why Houghton joined in the amicus brief. Student Leadership. Asexuality Awareness Week is October 25th-31st so I thought I would share a bit about myself. Nine alumni shared stories that were highlighted in the project. This means that art is inherently tainted by the reality of sin nature the same way that humanity is. Thinking about selling your car, boat, motorcycle, truck or other vehicle? This has never not been the case. Jakin is a senior communication major with a concentration in media arts and design. I found much joy and freedom with those peers who refused to judge me or stop loving me even if some of them didnt agree (whatever that means) with my sexuality. He accepts saints and sinners and never once turned away the undesirables. If nothing else, it is clear that We Are All Houghton has given voice to those who have not always had the platform to share their experiences safely, and that Houghtons community may have work to do to reconcile that term we value so much with those who have felt anything but welcomed into the community here. Campbell University The project was initially prompted by some of the Supreme Court cases around religious organizations' ability to discriminate in their hiring, specifically against LGBTQ+ individuals. Here's how 5 colleges celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month | EAB I identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community even though, in the broad sense of the word, I am still straight. I identify as heteroromantic demisexual, but most of the time I just say that I am ace. Houghton was actually involved in the lawsuit, said Duttweiler. He was far more experienced than I was, so it was rather natural for me to tell him when I had my first sexual experience with another man. Validated? 13)). Another student, Blythe Gilbert (21), had a similar attitude, focusing more on the aspect of steering LGBTQ+ people away from homosexuality, or any variety thereof, [which] is forbidden in the Bible. As Messerschmidt said that Houghton should shepherd its students to the truth, Gilbert emphasized his belief that Christians are called not just to love, but to lovingly correct people to help them move closer to Christ. I am still a Christian. I hadnt even the faintest notion that by sharing this exciting news with someone I thought was my friend, I would be opening myself up for one of the worst experiences of my life to date. The website explains the background and purposes of the project, introduces the alumni involved, and links to the survey. The Bible never says that if you disagree with a Christian brother or sister, you should isolate yourselves immediately. And if we remember that, then we will actually be able to be brothers and sisters in Christ.. "The project was initially prompted by some of the Supreme Court cases around religious organizations' ability to. December 3, 2015 2 Comments A lot of people discover their sexuality during their college years. After hearing what they had to say, I decided to put off two of talks. Through fellowships, conferences, events ,and community initiatives, the college encourages students to organize and lead their own volunteer projects and connect with activists around the world. And over the summer, Houghton alumni Joshua Duttweiler and Amy Coon came back to their alma mater to collaborate on an exhibition called "We are all Houghton.". Shouting at them and questioning why they would even want to attend Houghton College has done and will continue to do nothing to strengthen the church. However, the changes are not just technical. Now that we have explored and defined the different aspects of asexuality, I would like to talk about my own experience with being ace. Certainly anyone can come in and listen, just as anyone can go see a film, but it would be ridiculous for a non-religious visitor to hear people affirming the existence God in such a place and attempt to boycott the church. Even prior to my Houghton days I was well-steeped in the evangelical world, a world which proved to be a spiritually and emotionally toxic environment for my soul. The inability to speak about sexuality openly and in an informed way lead to much fear, confusion, and anxiety in my own life, often for reasons I didnt even understand. I was loved wearing awkwardly large glasses with buck teeth running around the quad. Probably not. I, however, was well aware of my identity as a homosexual man well before I arrived at Houghton. The gist of the concern right now is legislation on the horizon that identifies the gender preferences of people in the LGBTQ community as protected rights but seeks to exempt religious institutions from protecting those rights. Halvorson, who identifies as queer, said she feels supported by the administration. Friends I had made from the Equality Ride which took the campus by storm earlier that year even offered to put me in contact with their ACLU lawyers, but I was too dejected to even entertain the idea of a legal battle. Well, every topic except for one. I see it every time a Christian brother or sister says we should not think less of someone because of their race, gender, or economic status, but conveniently disregards sexual orientation. I was loved as teachers stayed late after office hours to listen to my woes. I hope when people hear the hurt of their community, they then ask themselves how they can help and what they can do better instead of arguing about who is right and who is wrong.. I was a homeschooled pastors kid. Although I deeply believed in Jesus, or at least I deeply desired to believe in him, my growing understanding of my own sexuality created a crisis of conscience a guilt-sickness which poisoned my faith. I was respectful, even supportive of him taking the path he believed was right for him. However, Im not talking about the surface. When the rainbow flag that the group painted on a large boulder on campus was painted over with an American flag, the LGBTQ students organized a vigil and invited Mullen and other members of the college community to participate. Another major focus of many of the supportive responses to the project was the fact that it showed the deep pain that has been inflicted on the LGBTQ+ community on campus. The Equality Act Through the Eyes of a Christian College President The LGBT conference 2022 is attended by researchers, scientists, graduate and post-graduate students, as well as representatives of for-profit and non-profit organizations, research institutions, and government agencies. I was fired from my job as an RA and forced to move out of my living space just three weeks before the end of the year. Duttweiler said that as an artist, he is not a policy maker, but part of what he does comes from the values he learned at Houghton. The lawsuit involved cases brought to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 that determined whether sex discrimination prohibited by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 extends to sexual orientation or gender identity. I am still a Christian. Jordan said he had slightly modified the content of his first talk so that it can stand alone, but it is still covers most of the same information he originally planned for his conservative segment. Many of the responses from current students did take this theological approach in showing their disagreement with the project. But it had serious repercussions. They claim that their credibility as religious institutions relies heavily on the character and conduct of their teachers and because of that, they should have the right to be selective about their employees. Most traditionalists (in this case, someone who thinks sexual expression ought to be limited to heterosexual marriage) do not actively advocate the physical or mental abuse of LGBTQ people. The criterion to be the "absolute worst" campus includes either of the following: 1) Received and/or applied for a Title IX exemption to discriminate against LGBTQ youth and/or 2) Demonstrated past history and track record of anti-LGBTQ actions, programs and practices. We do not matter., Likewise, said Cronin, reducing LBGTQ people to their sexual behavior fails to acknowledge them as human beings, The conversation around queer people is so saturated with discussion of sex acts that it has long since passed the point of objectification.. They chose to reject and edit, and will create an editing committee comprised of the Executive Council and class presidents. The data, Discrimination issues haven't gone away, even in these COVID-19 days of remote work and school. What I learned from my time at Houghton is that some of the most horrible things that happen to us don't always happen in a dramatic cataclysmic way.