Campus Involvement and Leadership office removes unauthorized LGBTQ+ pride flag display
According to several social work students, Calvin’s treatment of LGBTQ+ students and staff is at the heart of their struggle
Staff from the office of Campus Involvement and Leadership removed more than 1,000 LGBTQ+ pride flags from Commons Lawn on Friday morning. A self-organized group of approximately 20 students, motivated by recent controversy surrounding the Center for Social Research’s split from the university, placed the flags about two hours prior, according to members of the group.
The students who placed the flags admittedly did not have CIL’s permission to do so. CIL is responsible for approving student-organized posters and events on campus.
When addressing student organizers, J.B. Britton, associate dean for CIL, cited the lack of approval but also repeatedly mentioned the fact that Friday was an admitted student visit day.
“Not every conversation like this is appropriate to have on a visit day,” said Britton. According to Britton, the presence of prospective students is taken into consideration when approving dates for sensitive demonstrations.
Britton declined to respond to questions from Chimes reporters after removing the flags.
“I supported the people putting the flags out, and it deeply hurt. It kind of sends the message that queer people aren’t welcome here,” said Angela Blinne, a student present for Britton’s address to the organizers.
Britton and two students removed the flags. One of those students was a CIL employee. The other was the leader of an unchartered, conservative student organization who volunteered to help while passing by.
Student organizers understood that their event wasn’t authorized, and some even expected it to be removed, but members of the group were upset by the second student’s involvement.
“I’m fine with CIL people taking them down, but I think it’s completely inappropriate for leaders of far-right groups to be taking them down,” said Isaac Seiler, one of the lead organizers of the display. “I just think that’s needlessly political and trying to cause trouble, really.”
LGBTQ+ issues have taken center stage on campus since Chimes reporting revealed that the university’s policies against same-sex marriage played a role in the CSR’s separation.
Last March, at the same location, CIL disbanded another unapproved student demonstration, which took a stance against same-sex relationships and orientation. On March 9, 2021, members of a conservative, on-campus Bible study set up a table with a sign reading “LGBTQ is sin. The Bible says. Change my mind,” sparking outrage from affirming students and prompting a sit-in on Commons Lawn.
Friday’s display was not accompanied by a written statement.
Conversations about human sexuality and university policy are ongoing. Chimes will continue to cover the situation as it unfolds.
Grace Swanson • Mar 26, 2022 at 9:31 am
LINK TO PETITION CALLING FOR AN END TO DISCRIMINATION:
https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/stop-lgbtq-discrimination-at-calvin-university
LINK TO GOFUNDME FOR LGBTQ+ STUDENTS:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-lgbtq-students-at-calvin
Joshua Maher • Mar 26, 2022 at 12:13 am
“Not every conversation like this is appropriate to have on a visit day.” -Britton
Calvin’s priorities:
-keep up appearances
-don’t take too radical a stance
-maintain the status quo
-don’t anger the DeVos family
-quiet dissenting voices
-please dear god don’t let enrollment levels drop
Prospective students shouldn’t be shielded from the ongoing dialogue re: acceptance of queer students and faculty at Calvin. Their stance is abundantly clear: queer and Calvin don’t mix.
Scott Henry • Mar 26, 2022 at 6:33 pm
I believe some students need to reconsider what college they attend. You can find may colleges and universities out there that will agree and align with your worldview. Calvin is a reformed doctrine holding university with a believe in the biblical worldview of marriage, gender identity and leadership being accountable to those beliefs. Some parents need to sit with their adult children, many whom aren’t paying for their education here but rely on their parents, and discuss if they believe in those principles or not. If not, parents can address those and either move their children to a place their activism will be accepted and rewarded or explain to their children that Biblical principles actually matter more than their awakened and enlightened opinion. This will make the children mad, but that’s what children often do. If parents are realizing their kids are not biblically sound Christians, they can take time to self examine how that occurred and also make adjustments. Until then, get approval before putting flags in the lawn. It’s a rule and you didn’t change the world for the better, you abused a privilege on private property.
Owen Stevens • Mar 25, 2022 at 10:03 pm
Have you ever played Lincoln logs? The point of the game is to link up pieces that go together. One log fits into another log, and so on. The same is true of sex, and sexual intercourse. Things that fit together, like male and female genitalia. That’s natural. It is what God intended. Just like the creator of Lincoln logs intended for us to put the right pieces together to make a Lincoln log house. God intended for men and women to engage in sexual relations in the context of marriage. Sex for reproduction, and enjoying your husband, or wife, in the Godly context of marriage. LGBTQ people are engaging in an unnatural practice of sex and sexuality, that is not only opposed to Gods design, but fundamentally sinful, since it has no chance of reproduction, and only results in sexual perversion. God intended for us to enjoy sex, and it is a gift. But Satan has transformed and attacked that gift, and unfortunately some have fallen victim to it. But the good news is that Jesus FORGIVES. It’s important to always remember that through him, you can always find forgiveness, and repent, and build that house of Lincoln logs, the right way.
Mica Walter-Rooks • Mar 25, 2022 at 11:16 pm
Believe it or not, human beings aren’t Lincoln Logs. We’re animals, which means we have natural inclinations towards the same or other genders (just like penguins and lions do in nature). We’re also sapient, which means that we can choose to think critically and not make analogies that biologically don’t make sense. It also means that we can consent to loving relationships AND choose to be compassionate and support other people’s consensual loving relationships, whether or not we “agree” with them. So have some compassion, and stop analogizing sex and children’s toys.
Edward • Mar 26, 2022 at 10:05 am
Mica please be realistic about what your ask is here; biblically, homosexuality is a sin, both in the OT and NT. Many still hold to that. So you aren’t just asking people to “love” and “support.” You’re asking us to compromise the Bible, which is central to our lives.
That is no small ask.
Mica • Mar 26, 2022 at 5:26 pm
No, I’m actually asking you to have some civility and basic respect for human choices. Support doesn’t have to mean you support queerness as a concept, it can mean that you are able to respect other people’s choices enough to not do them harm through your words. The bible preaches time and time again against doing harm, so if you truly care about the bible, don’t support the CRC and Calvin in taking away people’s livelihoods just because they’re queer. When did being queer or not evangelising queers become a greater sin than literally taking away someone’s way of providing for their family, when did it become a greater sin than not loving your neighbour, when did it become a greater sin than harassing queer students on campus like the table last year or in their messages like your friend Owen here did to me last year? We see people sinning on this campus every single day according to the words of the bible, why do you place this “sin” above all those? Do you reply to anyone who says “oh my g_d” and lecture them about using God’s name in vain? Do you actively condemn the Calvin donors who idolise money? If you don’t lecture everyone who you see sinning like you lectured me here, you’re a hypocrite and only lecturing out of hate, not love for God.
Spencer • Mar 26, 2022 at 12:12 am
Have your ever had sex? The point of the game is to do the things that feel good for everyone involved. One person asks if something feels good for another person’s body, that person says yes or no, they adjust until it’s good, and so on. They find what fits together. It’s natural. It is what God intended. There are no wrong pieces. Only individual pieces. God intended for us to enjoy sex, and it is a gift. But the systemic voices and vices of homophobia and sexual shame have manipulated and attacked that gift, and unfortunately some have fallen victim to it. But the good news is that Jesus came to bring LIFE. It’s important to remember that you can always find life outside of shame, and that life will always be of God. You can build a life that feels good – not a life of life-limiting Lincoln logs – the right way.
Candy • Mar 27, 2022 at 6:13 pm
A whole Lincoln Log house is more than two pieces… Calvin Chimes is the best.