Rice University in Houston, Texas, openly mocked Baylor University during a football game last weekend, where Rice:
"displayed dozens of rainbow and trans flag-waving students and alumni to bring attention to Baylor's insulting denial of recognition [of the LGBTQ community]."
A spokesperson for Rice University's marching band, Chad Fisher, said that Rice's band thinks Baylor's policy is absolutely ridiculous.
Baylor'spolicy states:
"biblical understanding of sexuality as a gift from God" and "Christian churches across the ages and around the world have affirmed purity in singleness and fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman as the biblical norm."
"We just think that's kind of ridiculous," Fisher, said to the Houston Chronicle.
"And so we all got to our show writing meeting Sunday, and we were like, 'Oh my gosh, this is like exactly what our show needs to be about. We absolutely need to call Baylor out for this.' From there, it just kind of happened."
Some of Baylor's own students cheered on the display:
On Sept. 6, Baylor's administration declined to officially recognize Gamma Alpha Upsilon, an LGBTQ student greek group that has been trying to be recognized by the Baptist university since it came about in 2011.
On August 27th, Baylor president Linda Livingstone said:
"Baylor is committed to providing a loving and caring community for all students — including our LGBTQ students."
But with the refusal to acknowledge the only campus LGBTQ+ group, this seems like it is not the case.
The show inspired support and happiness from around the internet.
Now that Baylor's anti-LGBTQ+ policies have been put on blast, perhaps the university will reconsider its damaging stance on LGBTQ+ people—students, faculty, staff and their families—within its walls.
And if Baylor does relent, its students may have Rice to thank.
Show your solidarity with the movement for equality for all with this shirt available here.
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