BYU Queer Experience
Like every person in the world, no two students will have the same experience at BYU. That holds true for queer students at the school. These featured articles and experiences do not speak for all, but give a brief insight into what it can be like to live and learn in a place that systematically roots against you.
Image Courtesy of Kallie Brown
BYU is under federal investigation for how it disciplines LGBTQ students
Featured article from the Salt Lake Tribune
With Courtney Tanner breaking the news, she details the federal investigation into BYU regarding their disciplining of queer students. Launched in October of 2021, the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights is examining BYU's actions that are claimed to be under religious exemption.
Striving to belong: LGBTQ students, alumni and faculty work for change
Featured article from Daily Universe
Written by April 2021 graduate and newspaper editor, Lisi Merkley, this article examines life as a queer student at BYU, what is being done to improve that life, and how we can all learn more.
BYU ‘Rainbow Day’ participants show support for LGBT community while others protest
Featured article from Daily Universe
Covering 'Rainbow Day', an event put on by Bradley Talbot of Color the Campus, the Daily Universe Staff write about the amazing show of love across campus. The article also covers the day's protestors claiming to uphold the LDS "Family Proclamation" document. Despite the protestors, rainbows were seen all across campus to show love for the both those seen and unseen in the queer community at BYU.
BYU semester starts with pray-in for LGBT students
Featured article from Daily Universe
Starting off the Winter 2021 semester, reported Alli Rachel covers BYUQ's campaign headed by Luka Romney, "BYU Pray-in". The purpose of the campaign was to show that queer members of the LDS faith can still have a testimony and a belief in Christ, the counter-narrative too often being spread. Despite the campaign not being able to be carried on due to COVID-19 and campus policies on free speech, the testimonies shared were powerful, as documented in the article.