https://www.change.org/petitions/george-fox-university-stop-denying-my-transgender-son-appropriate-on-campus-housing

Please consider signing this petition.  I hope this is the correct place to put this.

Article below:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/07/transgender-dorm-george-fox-university_n_5106075.html?utm_hp_ref=transgender

I've got mixed feelings about this. This is a religious school. Even if their beliefs are divorced from fact and even Christian tenets of mercy and inclusion of the marginalized, they are entitled to believe what they want and run their school accordingly.

There is nothing forcing this guy to attend a school that discriminates against him and has little regard for his safety or well being. There are (literally) thousands of schools in the country that treat transgender people with humanity.

Quote from: suzifrommd on April 09, 2014, 06:40:38 AM
I've got mixed feelings about this. This is a religious school. Even if their beliefs are divorced from fact and even Christian tenets of mercy and inclusion of the marginalized, they are entitled to believe what they want and run their school accordingly.

There is nothing forcing this guy to attend a school that discriminates against him and has little regard for his safety or well being. There are (literally) thousands of schools in the country that treat transgender people with humanity.

Agreed. Also, in the heads of those who support schools like this, activism just "proves" "we" are "out to get them". That's obviously wrong (the mother is not asking for the school to renounce their faith or close down, after all), but still, it's how they interpret it.

To borrow from Christian evangelists, "we have to win their hearts and minds". It's sometimes easier said than done (believe me, I've been less than charitable on some religious forums I've participated in, when some of the users keep perpetuating myths about "us"), but still, I don't think activism will get us far when it comes to religious groups. It works with governments and politics, but with religious groups, it often worsens the situation instead of improving it. Gently trying to educate them works a lot better - it may take a frustratingly long time, but the end results will be better.

Quote from: suzifrommd on April 09, 2014, 06:40:38 AM
I've got mixed feelings about this. This is a religious school. Even if their beliefs are divorced from fact and even Christian tenets of mercy and inclusion of the marginalized, they are entitled to believe what they want and run their school accordingly.

There is nothing forcing this guy to attend a school that discriminates against him and has little regard for his safety or well being. There are (literally) thousands of schools in the country that treat transgender people with humanity.

I agree with this. What annoys me is that the people commenting on the article imply that he cannot take care of himself, or that somehow, because he is trans, that everyone is going to be out to rape/hurt him if he gets put in the guys dorm :/ Now, if this were any other school, I would say that they should go ahead and put him in the guys dorm, because he is a guy and not only is it the school's responsibility to ensure his safety, but as a non-religious, objective school, they would/should be taking strides to ensure this.

However, this school already seems to have issues accepting his identity, and no matter how many 'professional' pinkie promises we make, there is no guarantee that they will uphold them to insure this young man's physical and emotional safety, regardless of whether there are truly any students with malicious intents.

However, if he really is adamant on this specific school ((Which I am not blaming him since anyone, regardless of trans status or not, should be allowed to follow their beliefs.)) I don't think the solution is to put him with the girls, since that would only create more problems than it would solve. Off-campus housing should be considered in this situation, although that is simply my opinion. I already have mixed feelings.

Quote from: suzifrommd on April 09, 2014, 06:40:38 AM
I've got mixed feelings about this. This is a religious school. Even if their beliefs are divorced from fact and even Christian tenets of mercy and inclusion of the marginalized, they are entitled to believe what they want and run their school accordingly.

There is nothing forcing this guy to attend a school that discriminates against him and has little regard for his safety or well being. There are (literally) thousands of schools in the country that treat transgender people with humanity.

I hear what you are saying.  I too feel mixed, as I am not "anti-Christian", and believe that Christians can come from a place of true genuine concern for a person's "eternal life" and believe that if others do not believe the same as them, they won't get into heaven, and instead will be in hell forever (which isn't a nice place).

However, how far should this extend?  If this school's religious beliefs include segregation by race and that "no blacks" are allowed, should we accept this, as well?  What is the difference?

To my knowledge no religious group have presented any verses from the the Bible indicating that changing one's sex is a sin (like they do with homosexuality, for example), so it is not like they are even hanging their hat on the Bible per say.  So, this is why I believe it is closer to the racial segregation argument then homosexuality, for example. 

What I think is especially disconcerting is that room assignments are based on the sex that we are assigned at birth.  The article included his mother saying that his legal gender marker would be changed soon (well before the Fall semester starts).  The kid has no chance of ever being seen as male at this institution, even when he is legally male in our country.

Quote from: Brett on April 12, 2014, 09:04:57 AM

However, how far should this extend?  If this school's religious beliefs include segregation by race and that "no blacks" are allowed, should we accept this, as well?  What is the difference?

Wow. Great question.

It's not illegal for a religious school to exclude all people of color. A religious institution is not considered a public accommodation. I would say the same thing about someone of color who was complaining about treatment in a school run by a white supremacist  cult. Yes, they're despicable, (as are people who deny a trans person their gender), but they're allowed to run their church according to their beliefs.

Quote from: suzifrommd on April 17, 2014, 12:17:09 PM
Wow. Great question.

It's not illegal for a religious school to exclude all people of color. A religious institution is not considered a public accommodation. I would say the same thing about someone of color who was complaining about treatment in a school run by a white supremacist  cult. Yes, they're despicable, (as are people who deny a trans person their gender), but they're allowed to run their church according to their beliefs.

Gotcha.  Makes sense.  Thanks for circling back around to this.  I had hoped you would.