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xchrom

(108,903 posts)
Sat Jul 12, 2014, 07:18 AM Jul 2014

How A University Used A Religious Exemption To Discriminate Against A Transgender Student

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2014/07/11/3459458/george-fox-university-transgender-religious/



In the wake of the Hobby Lobby decision, LGBT organizations have been rethinking whether they can support a religious exemption in employment protection policies, and it seems they have good reason to be concerned. A Christian university in Oregon just used a religious exemption in a 40-year-old law to justify discriminating against a transgender student.

PQ Monthly reports that George Fox University has successfully obtained a religious exemption from the Department of Education (DOE) to deny a transgender student named Jayce a place in the campus’ single-sex residence halls. When Jayce first filed his complaint in April, the university said that it had offered him a single apartment as an accommodation, but that it stood by its refusal to allow him to live with other men on religious grounds.

By conceding to the university’s intention to discriminate, it seems that the DOE was simply following the letter of the law. Title IX has prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex since it passed in 1972, and in 2010, the DOE issued guidance clarifying that Title IX also protects LGBT students from sex discrimination, which would include cases like Jayce’s. But the original 1972 law includes a broad exemption for religious universities: “This section shall not apply to an educational institution which is controlled by a religious organization if the application of this subsection would not be consistent with the religious tenets of such organization.”

In other words, religious universities are free to ignore any sex nondiscrimination protection they disagree with, and George Fox has just used that exemption to discriminate against a transgender student.
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How A University Used A Religious Exemption To Discriminate Against A Transgender Student (Original Post) xchrom Jul 2014 OP
I always gave Quakers more credit...peace loving. Well, there are exception, you know. CurtEastPoint Jul 2014 #1
Exclusion from the kingdom of heaven based on anything other than the littlemissmartypants Jul 2014 #2

CurtEastPoint

(18,549 posts)
1. I always gave Quakers more credit...peace loving. Well, there are exception, you know.
Sat Jul 12, 2014, 08:45 AM
Jul 2014

George Fox University is a full member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. As such, students sign a lifestyle agreement, attend required chapel/current-event gatherings, and participate in service projects. No statement of faith or religious preference are required to attend, although the student body is overwhelmingly Christian.[24] Faculty members and staff are required to sign a statement professing faith in traditionally Christian doctrines.

George Fox University (GFU) is a Christian university of liberal arts and sciences, and professional studies located in Newberg, Oregon, United States. Founded as a school for Quakers in 1885, the private school has more than 3,500 students combined between its main campus in Newberg and its centers in Portland, Salem and Redmond.

From their 'lifestyle' statement... more moments of WWJDA hypocrisy (Whom Would Jesus Discriminate Against):

We believe the Bible teaches that all persons are created in God's image and that God actively seeks renewed relationships with every individual. We are bound therefore to regard each person with love and respect (Romans 12: 9-21, 1 Corinthians 13, Ephesians 4:32). So we avoid discrimination, abusive or manipulative actions, and gossip or mean-spirited behaviors. We seek actively to honor each person, loving and serving one another as Jesus taught us.

Our lifestyle excludes immoral practices and calls us to transformed living as we "offer [our] bodies as living sacrifices" to God (Romans 12:1-2). In regard to sexual morality, we believe that only marriage between a man and a woman is God's intention for the joyful fulfillment of sexual intimacy. This should always be in the context of mutual compassion, love, and fidelity. Sexual behaviors outside of this context are inconsistent with God's teaching. We recognize these principles may conflict with the practice or opinion of some within the larger culture. We are convinced that this is God's design for providing the most loving guidance and practice for individuals and our community.

littlemissmartypants

(22,418 posts)
2. Exclusion from the kingdom of heaven based on anything other than the
Sat Jul 12, 2014, 09:13 AM
Jul 2014

Personal relationship with Jesus that Christians are supposed to have is amoral. It can't be called a personal relationship and then regulated by anyone, especially a university. Many of these so called institutions of higher learning have become money pits sucking the life out of our youth. They are becoming evil bureaucracies second only to some politicians in their twisted abuse of power.

Love, Peace and Shelter.
littlemissmartypants

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