A Texas Christian university has issued strict anti-gay standards in its latest student athlete handbook update.
LeTourneau University, a private Christian university of about 5000 based in Longview, Texas, has updated its official Student-Athlete Handbook to include a ban on gay students dating, or anyone publicly supporting same-sex marriage.
“Based on biblical standards, we believe that God has created the institution of marriage to be between one man and one woman, and only within this institution does God bless intimate sexual expression; all other intimate sexual expression outside of marriage is considered immoral behavior,” the handbook reads. “Consistent with our desire to celebrate and model a Scriptural approach to sexuality;, the University prohibits same-sex dating behaviors and public advocacy for the position that sex outside of a biblically-defined marriage is morally acceptable.”
LOOK:Â Christian College Tweets Its Anti-Gay Position Update Directly To Its Two Openly Gay Students
Participating in any of these “immoral or immodest” behaviors can result in the student athlete being kicked off the team.
Some are not please about this new addition.
“The school’s policy gagging student-athletes on a key public-policy issue of the day runs against the spirit of the First Amendment, something so many Texans and Christians claim to hold so dearly,” Outsports co-founder Cyd Zeigler reports.
LeTourneau has a history of anti-gay efforts. The administration has brought in “ex-gay” speaker Christopher Yuan to talk about God helping people become not-gay – it’s a common theme with LeTourneau speakers. One gay former LeTourneau student describes a school environment in which closeted gay students feel under constant verbal assault. LeTourneau has not been rated on the Campus Pride Index.
Zeigler doesn’t think this is merely “a reflection of Scripture,” noting, “there is no mention of banning students from eating shellfish.” He says the “administration has selectively chosen LGBT people for targeting.”
Â
Image via Instagram