As I write this post, I am shaking. My body does not know how to respond to what has occurred in the last few hours.
This morning I was forced to sit silently in a chapel service where I was described as less than. I was told that my sexual orientation could be prayed away. I was told that I was subhuman and needed to be fixed by the power of prayer. These words were spoken with a confidence that screamed "LGBTQ+ students do not have a place here." If my actions would not have put me in danger of being dismissed from the school I would have walked out halfway through the service.
The anger I accrued during the hour long service fueled me to do something about what I had heard. I decided to go to the school plaza and sit with a pride flag showing that I exist unapologetically as a christian, gay male at Spring Arbor University. I couldn't let the institution treat me and my community that way. I could not sit silently and pretend that I was not hurt.
As I sat on the library steps with my flag, joined by supportive friends, a community member approached us and began yelling. This woman told our group that our support was ignorant and unjustified. She told us we were "unrighteous" "snowflakes," and insinuated that I was "mentally ill" because of my orientation.
She hurled insult and belittled us for close to 10 minutes as we tried to defend ourselves. We tried to get her to calm down telling her an argument was not necessary or useful. We tried explaining that we were not trying to insult anyone but none of it worked. At this point she was making a scene and we were the center of it.
As the yelling rose, we were approached by a member of administration. We told that we were not allowed to be "protesting" without a permit and were asked to disband. All the while this woman was still yelling. It wasn't until after our group has dispersed that the woman was talked to.
The administration found it necessary that our voices were silenced first and foremost. The message that we were the ones truly at fault rang loud and clear. We were condemned for our peaceful behavior before a woman who was verbally assaulting us was ever addressed. We left, knowing that we wrong for not following procedure but disheartened knowing our voices could be silenced so easily.
I am writing this post now in hopes of creating awareness for the LGBTQ+ community at Spring Arbor University. I hope that as more awareness is drawn, the SAU community changes. I don't want another class of LGBTQ+ students to go through their four years thinking their existence is in direct opposition to the school. I don't want them to be told that their voices aren't worth something and that they are not welcome here.
Spring Arbor University's concept states that we are to be critical participants in a contemporary world. I am tired of the school pretending that the contemporary world does not include voices that they disagree with.
Today has been a rough day. But I will stand back up and continue to fight the injustice in this community. We will not be prayed away. We will not be silenced. I am here, I am queer, and I am ready to fight.
Thank you to the people who stood by me today, and thank you to anyone who shares this and spreads awareness.
