Boston College’s undergraduate GLBTQ+ Leadership Council (GLC) issued a petition in solidarity against the Vatican’s recent statement opposing same-sex civil unions. The petition calls for the private, Jesuit university to “clarify their position on LGBTQ+ rights and to make a statement in support of Queer students and alumni.”
Reads the petition:
We are saddened, hurt, and angered by the statements from the Vatican and Pope Francis on the church’s refusal to bless same sex unions. The Vatican’s remarks, describing our sexual and gender identities as “a choice” and as fundamentally sinful, do great harm to LGBTQ+ catholics and Queer people everywhere. These bigoted remarks are hypocritical coming from a church whose mission is to aid the marginalized in our world.
In light of the Vatican’s statements, we ask Fr. Leahy and the University Administration to clarify their position on LGBTQ+ rights and to make a statement in support of Queer students and alumni. We implore Fr. Leahy and administrators to support ANY of the plethora of policies and initiatives that the queer community at BC has put forward to make this campus a safe and welcoming environment for Queer students. We need these measures to be enacted now more than ever.
Today especially, it is important that we remind Queer students at Boston College and at all catholic universities: The Vatican does not define our belovedness. GLC will continue to create a community of support and fight on for true LGBTQ+ equality on campus.
Celebrating Our Queerness,
The Executive Board of GLC
Read more about the petition and the student response in the Boston College student newspaper, The Heights.
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