An anonymous group at Ohio’s Youngstown State University (YSU) recently inundated campus with posters advocating for a ‘Straight Pride’ week. When the university learned about the unsanctioned event, it prompted a meeting with Vice President of Student Life. Soon thereafter, there was an expeditious removal of all posters circulated. Campus leaders say that while they feel the posters were meant as satire, the message was inappropriate. “When individuals belong to dominant social societal cohorts (Caucasian, male, heterosexual, etc.) it is very easy to state ‘we have nothing against your sexual orientation’ and to claim that efforts to raise awareness are ‘annoying.”‘, says Vice President of the Student Government. The group also says they respect the rights to free speech, but they cannot tolerate divisive language to promote unprofessional agendas.
The ‘Straight Pride’ posters counter the school’s mission to create a diverse campus that encourages cultural and sexual acceptance. Officials are investigating possible student code violations and if disciplinary actions will follow. However, YSU Public Information Officer Ron Cole highlights that any punishment will result in angering first amendment defenders.
News of the posters comes several days after a group of students organized an ‘Anti-Gay Day’ at McGuffey High School in Claysville, Pennsylvania. Some of the openly identified gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered, had bible verses written on their lockers and fights broke out in hallways. All of this anger for what? What is the end game for those whom disagree with one’s sexual preference?
Despite the quick removal response, the message was definitely delivered. Tim Bortner, President of Youngtowns’s LGBT group, says he continues to see polarizing reactions across social media. Some students say they are flummoxed as to why people went to this extent and feel unsafe. While the university mostly receives responses of disagreement with the poster, some have been overly vociferous about the violation of First Amendment rights. Let’s hope disagreeing parties can engage in intelligent discourse over ‘Straight Pride’ instead of repeating actions of those in Pennsylvania.
Source: The Washington Post
