Texas Christian University, who was considering creating seperate housing for gay and lesbian students are now backing down. The housing was set to open in the fall for students who were homosexual or lesbian, but after heated debate over the issue, TCU is now putting the plans on hold news sources are saying.
TCU is a private school, and was trying to accomodate students who felt that they should have housing of their own. Students on both sides of the debate have sounded off rather vocally. The people that are against the idea claim that it is because all people should be treated similarly.
One has to wonder if the real debate lies in the subject matter for the school. TCU was applauded by many in the gay and lesbian community for the gesture, and that certainly rubbed some of the more conservative people in the area the wrong way. Pressure came from somewhere in this situation to have TCU scrap the idea this far into the planning.
Should gay and lesbians be allowed to have their own housing independant from other students? That is the question that TCU is facing, and the issue is not universally agreed upon. In some eyes it is segregation of sorts, and to others it is a great idea that would give the group some individuality and like minded friends nearby.
The fact is, gays and lesbians are much more accepted in today’s world. The fact that someone is gay or lesbian is often no more important to people than the fact that they are boy or girl. To a shrinking number of people, however, gays and lesbians are still looked down upon. Certainly the chances are high that gays and lesbians would face a higher percentage of these people attending a conservative religious school like TCU.
The school was trying to exend an olive branch of sorts in trying to open these dorms. The bottom line now, however, is the fact that TCU has shot themselves in the foot and seen this gesture backfire horribly. The very people they were looking to help are the people that they now are leaving in the lurch due to backlash.
While TCU has not claimed to have scrapped the idea permanently, the damage has been done. What effects this decision will have on everyone moving forward remains to be seen. Here is to hoping that it will be a peaceful solution if people do in fact protest the decision.
