In a move they hope will make Baylor University less discriminatory and more "Christian," the school's Student Senate passed a measure to remove the phrase "homosexual acts" from the school's sexual misconduct code. They're replacing those homosexual acts with the more inclusive: "non-marital consensual deviate sexual intercourse."
That's a big move for the private, Christian university. "Major points expressed by those in favor of the bill were that the amendment was technical, not theological; the amendment would broaden to all sexual acts outside of marriage regardless of orientation; and the amendment would create a more caring, loving Christian environment," the Baylor Lariat reported.
Essentially, everyone's sex acts — aside from, presumably, lights-out missionary among married couples — will now get them busted equally, and students believe that makes the campus environment more welcoming to gay people. "What I think this bill does is take a step towards a more caring, Jesus loving community," one senior told the Lariat. It's unclear whether or not gay people at Baylor approve of the measure, since being gay at Baylor is a difficult situation to be in.
Baylor's policy toward gay people and how it treats gay students was brought to the forefront this summer when its star women's basketball player, Brittney Griner came out and said that her coach, Kim Mulkey-Robertson, told her to keep quiet for her four years at school. "The coaches thought that if it seemed like they condoned it, people wouldn't let their kids come play for Baylor," Griner told ESPN. "When I was at Baylor, I wasn’t fully happy because I couldn’t be all the way out. It feels so good saying it: I am a strong, black lesbian woman," she added.
The bill will now be reviewed by the Board of Regents.
