Despite the storm clouds cast by the Julea Ward case, the LGBT community at Eastern Michigan University continues to vibrantly show its rainbow colors with the same planned events and hopeful attitude for the 2010 school year. One instance was Welcome Back BBQueer at Big Bob’s Lake House last Tuesday. The free cookout was the LGBT Resource Center’s kick off where members of the LGBT community reunited after months apart and learned of upcoming LGBT events.
Last April, Julea Ward filed a lawsuit claiming EMU dismissed her based on her religious beliefs, which violated her constitutional rights to freedom of speech, due process and equal protection.
Ward was expelled after she transferred her client’s file to another counselor. The client went to Ward for help on a homosexual relationship and Ward chose not to counsel the client because it violated her religious beliefs.
On July 27 Judge George Steehe ruled in favor of EMU.
“The Court upheld Eastern Michigan’s right to establish the curricular requirements of its counseling program, which adhered to the Code of Ethics of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the Ethical Standards of the American School Counselor Association,” Walter Kraft, vice president of communications at EMU, said.
“I appreciate the University for standing by our [EMU’s] creed and institutional values,” Mary Larkin said about the Julea Ward case.
Larkin is the program coordinator of the LGBT Resource Center, which located in Room 354 in the Student Center. The LGBT Resource Center is EMU’s source for coming out and being out support groups, training others how to raise awareness of LGBT issues and hosting entertaining LGBT events.
According the EMU’s official creed, “We believe the integrity of our work and the respect we show for our fellow students, faculty, alumni and staff is an integral part of our ongoing education.”
EMU’s institutional values are to enhance, understand, respect and include diversity among members of the EMU community and all of its constituencies.
EMU student Adam Whalen, 22, prolonged coming out until last year because he wanted to prove he was not gay to those who told him he was.
“I feel that it [the Julea Ward Case] is unfortunate, but it doesn’t upset me,” Whalen said. “There are just people out there that aren’t going to accept homosexuality. Should it be that way? No.”
According to Campus Climate Index, the national assessment tool of how LGBT-friendly a campus is, EMU is distinguished as a Premier Campus, with a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Some criteria used as measures are LBGT Policy Inclusion, LGBT Student Life, LGBT Academic Life, and LGBT Counseling and Health.
Donald Long, 24, transferred to EMU in winter 2008 from Philadelphia Biblical University after he was given the choice to voluntarily leave PBU or get expelled because he was gay. Long’s acquaintance told a PBU dean that Long indicated he liked men on Facebook. When the dean spoke to Long, he confirmed it.
“I went to PBU during the period I was still trying to be straight,” Long said. “I thought if I read enough about the bible or became a good enough Christian that God would give me my wish to become straight. I feel comfortable being gay at EMU. I don’t think there’s a hostile environment.”
However, he does not think EMU’s rating on Campus Climate Index is accurate.
“Within the education department, students are more traditional,” Long said. “Whenever an LGBT issue is brought up that is going to be expressed in the classroom, people are very hesitant to discuss that a child has two parents.”
While in the class Schools in a Diverse and Democratic Society taught by lecturer Duane Castanier, the book “Heather has Two Mommies” was brought up in discussion.
“There will always be pockets of campus that we can do a better job raising awareness,” Larkin said. “Every year, thousands of new students come to EMU from different life experiences…so every year, we have to continue to educate.”
