Azusa Pacific University students linked arms and prayed for one another Monday in response to the university board’s decision to reinstate a ban on LGBTQ relationships late last week.
Two hundred students gathered in front of the Richard and Vivian Felix Event Center on Monday morning in support of LGBTQ students who may have been hurting as a result of the reinstatement of the ban. A clause banning same-sex relationships had been removed from the student code of conduct by administrators at the start of the semester but reinstated on Friday.
Students had planned to post encouraging messages for LGBTQ students via chalk on concrete and sticky notes affixed to walls in response to a negative letter written by a faculty member that was shared by a conservative Christian website last week, senior Alexis Diaz said. However, Friday’s reversal meant that students needed to make their support known with their presence on campus, Diaz said.
“It’s incredible to see all of the support on campus for the LGBTQ community,” Diaz said. “We have students, faculty, staff and administrators here affirming their support for these students who suddenly found themselves in a scary, vulnerable place.” Read more via SGVT