By Matthew Muir | Staff Writer
Gamma Alpha Upsilon, an unchartered LGBTQ organization, has a new meeting space.
Gamma announced the new venue, 301 Marrs McLean Science Building, in a post on its Instagram page. The announcement said Gamma “FINALLY got a real room on campus” after “years and years and years of meeting in public in the SUB.”
A statement released to the Lariat by Gamma said the change of venue was done to benefit the group’s members.
“Gamma does not have an official room from Baylor; we are simply moving to a more private space to ensure the safety of our members,” the statement said. “We have been working closely in other ways to improve the university and the campus will hopefully see these matters in the near future.”
In a Presidential Perspective email Thursday, Baylor president Dr. Linda Livingstone addressed the conversation surrounding LGBTQ representation at Baylor. Livingstone said the university “initiated focus group discussions” with student leaders and members of the faculty senate to “explore the best ways to support the educational experience of our LGBTQ students within the context of our Christian mission.”
Baylor has focused on civil discourse throughout the semester, including an event hosted by the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work which featured Justin Lee, an LGBTQ activist, devout Christian and author.
Baylor’s official statement on human sexuality says it is “expected that Baylor students will not participate in advocacy groups which promote understandings of sexuality that are contrary to biblical teaching.” Thus far official university policy remains unchanged.
Established in 2011 and formerly known as Sexual Identify Forum (SIF), Gamma supports LGBTQ students at Baylor. The group gained attention for its requests to become an official chartered organization at Baylor, none of which have been approved.
