In the final word today on a ongoing case, a transgendered male student applying for on-campus housing at (religiously affiliated) George Fox University near Portland, Oregon will be denied the right to room with his male peers this fall. Context important to this discussion is that this college requires students to live on campus for at least the first 1-2 years of their undergraduate experience.
Excerpts from the kgw.com story (and my incensed musings) below the fold:
Although Jayce has finished his transition process and is, in the eyes of the U.S. government -- on his birth certificate, driver’s license and Social Security card – a male, George Fox lobbied to obtain a religious exemption allowing the Christian college to deny Jayce’s housing request.
So....in the eyes of the U.S. government this student is a male, yet the Dept of Ed has the right to tell the university that they aren't required to treat him as any other male? Why, exactly?
George Fox spokesman Rob Felton confirmed the university was granted that religious exemption by the U.S. Department of Education on May 23. A complaint against the exemption was denied.
"The university sought this exemption to preserve its right to draw on its religious convictions to handle situations related to students experiencing gender identity issues...." George Fox said in a statement Friday.
Students experiencing gender identity issues? Really? The entity making an issue out of the student's gender identity is the university YOU represent.
Felton said George Fox has offered Jayce the option to live on campus in a single apartment.
Oh yes, that's right, let's try to shut the poor kid up by offering him an additional 50 square feet of living space and the luxury of no roommate. What if he wanted roommates? Some people do.
Jayce says he will fight the university’s ruling.
“I’m not giving up. I deserve to be treated like the other men on campus,” he said.
I'm proud of you, Jayce. Screw the bigoted jerkwads at both George Fox Univ. and the U.S. Dept of Ed. Congratulations on your transition, and go kick some discriminatory ass. I'll be rooting for you.
Full story Here.
And another commentary piece about the situation at ThinkProgress: http://thinkprogress.org/...