The establishment of a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender resource center at Georgetown would unavoidably lead to advocacy of LGBTQ issues, said Vice President of Student Affairs Juan Gonzalez in his official written response to students’ proposal for a center. In the statement issued on Friday, Gonzalez formally rejected the establishment of the proposed LGBTQ resource center on campus.
Last week, resource center supporters said that Gonzalez told them for the first time that there was no possibility of establishing such a center. Gonzalez said that he has given the students a definitive ‘no’ on the resource center since December.
“As I have said on several occasions … I do not believe that a formal University-administered center is the appropriate way … to further our shared goals of supporting LGBT students,” Gonzalez’ letter said.
Gonzalez objected to the center because of the University’s Catholic identity. Gonzalez said that although the Catholic teachings support the pastoral care of non-heterosexual individuals, it forbids homosexual behavior. Gonzalez said that he feels that a LGBTQ resource center would unavoidably lead to advocacy.
“Center staff would inevitably find themselves supporting activities that reasonably could be construed as promoting or advocating homosexual behavior,” Gonzalez said in the letter.
The letter referenced Always Our Children: A Pastoral Message to Parents of Homosexual Children and Suggestions for Pastoral Ministers, released by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1997. The document is meant to encourage respect of homosexual people but maintains the Catholic Church’s position that participating in homosexual activity is immoral.
Gonzalez said he will not contradict what he believes church teaching to be. “Neither the University nor I are going to forsake what the Church has taught us,” he said.
Center supporter Anthony House (CAS ‘02) said that he feels the proposed center does not violate church teachings. He also said that he feels Gonzalez’ rejection is not based on the proposal but on a projection of a future development of the center.
According to House, the proposal for the resource center did not refer to the sexual ethic at all. “It’s a poor excuse. I don’t see [the center] as having anything to do with advocating sexual behavior?that would be completely out of its scope,” he said.
House said that he felt that Gonzalez’ reasoning was inappropriate. “Basing his decision on the assumption that the worst-case scenario is inevitable when that isn’t the usual way of making decisions shows differential treatment based on sexual orientation,” House said.
Center supporter Danielle DeCerbo (CAS ‘03), a Voice staff member, also disagreed with Gonzalez’ reasoning. “It’s not relevant,” she said. “The proposal and all the information we presented had to do with a center to alleviate problems that LGBTQ students face. Nothing talked about endorsing a sexual ethic. We believe that is avoidable.”
Yet Gonzalez claimed that the University supports the concerns of LGBTQ students.
“The fact that we have an organization like GU Pride shows that we see a need for those issues,” he said.
DeCerbo questioned this support of GU Pride. “It’s interesting that Dr. Gonzalez would reference GU Pride as a University commitment because that club is based on a settlement after years of a lawsuit in the 1980s. The University was forced to fund it,” DeCerbo said.
In 1979 and 1980 a group called Gay People of Georgetown University requested funding and recognition by the University, which was denied. The group then filed a lawsuit claiming that the University had violated the D.C. Human Rights Act. The case was resolved in 1987 when the D.C. Court of Appeals said that the University must allow the group access to funds.
The University lost its right to sell tax-exempt bonds as a result of this decision, which according to the GU Pride website, caused the University to lose approximately $50 million. Former University president Timothy S. Healy, S.J released a letter concerning the lawsuit in 1988.
“This is the kind of case that no one wins, and both sides lose,” Healy said.
“I would disagree that the existence of GU Pride shows support of administration since they refused to recognize it,” House said. Yet House was optimistic about the help GU Pride has received from certain administrators in making the organization more available to students.
In his response, Gonzalez said he is committed to reviewing current services and enhancing them if necessary. He has compiled a list of LGBTQ Support Services on campus that includes aspects of New Student Orientation, Campus Ministry, the Diversity Working Group and GU Pride.
“I do believe it’s a good point for the committee to work out of. I see hope. I see that [Gonzalez] is interested,” DeCerbo said. She said that she felt certain resources listed were insufficient, like the Residence Life resource.
“These people had a two-hour training session. I don’t think that qualifies you to really assist someone with an LGTBQ identity,” DeCerbo said.
House expressed concern over the scope of the resources listed. Only three of the resources listed deal explicitly with LGBTQ students: GU Pride, OUTakes and SafeZones.
“The list shows that LGBTQ issues are on the sidelines of administrative affairs, which is disappointing since Dr. Gonzalez said seven to eight percent of undergraduate students have an LGBTQ identity,” House said.
Gonzalez said that he feels the University is supportive of LGBTQ issues. “We do indeed do a great deal for LGBT students. Can we do more? Probably. Do we have a desire to do that? Absolutely,” Gonzalez said.
“I think the University fully understands that our youth are here to ask questions of themselves [which] may relate to their own sexuality. We believe that we’re here to ensure that if a student wishes to have that conversation … that we provide those opportunities,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez denied any claim that the University may be influenced by alumni donations in this matter. “I don’t think the University is making a decision based on revenue services,” he said.
LGTBQ students plan to meet with Gonzalez again this Friday to discuss the new committee being formed to deal with LGBTQ issues.
