PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
Urge Notre Dame To End Homophobia On Campus
  1. Signatures
    892 out of 1,000
    Petitioning
    1. President, University of Notre Dame (+ 2 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • President, University of Notre Dame (Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.)
      • Managing Editor, The Observer (Bill Brink)
      • Executive Vice President, University of Notre Dame (John Affleck-Graves)
  2. Created By
    Michael Jones
    Boston, MA
About this Petition Petition Letter

Earlier this month, the University of Notre Dame's student newspaper, The Observer, ran a cartoon that advocated beating gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people into vegetables. While the University, and the student newspaper, apologized for printing the comic strip, the very sentiments behind the comic are fostered by a university that has consistently fought to keep sexual orientation off of its non-discrimination policy, and has consistently refused to recognize LGBT student groups on campus.

If Notre Dame is serious about building the type of institutional culture where LGBT-bashing isn't seen as funny, they should start practicing what they preach. Part of that means adding sexual orientation to non-discrimination policies, and recognizing LGBT students with the dignity they deserve.

Homophobic comic strips don't get authored and printed in a vacuum. Tell Notre Dame to fight back against efforts to turn gay bashing into comedy, and institute policies that truly show respect for diversity.

Recent Signatures

Help End a Culture of Homophobia at the University of Notre Dame

Dear President Jenkins, Executive Vice President Affleck-Graves,

Recently, the University of Notre Dame came under intense pressure to apologize for a comic strip that was published in the university's student newspaper, The Observer, which suggested that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people should be bashed into vegetables. Both the student newspaper and the university issued statements apologizing for the comic strip.

But the roots of homophobia that lie behind the comic strip reach far beyond just the pages of The Observer. The University of Notre Dame has consistently refused to add sexual orientation to its non-discrimination policy, and has consistently refused to recognize LGBT student groups on campus. These decisions fuel the fire of homophobia, and help create a culture at the University where not only hateful comics, but hateful language and actions, can be tolerated.

I urge you to adopt a non-discrimination policy at Notre Dame that includes sexual orientation, and moving forward, to officially recognize LGBT groups on campus. Not doing so denies the dignity of your LGBT students, faculty, and alums.

Being Catholic does not have to be synonymous with being homophobic. Other Catholic universities have taken these steps. There's little reason for Notre Dame not to follow in the footsteps of these universities -- and many reasons, namely dismantling a culture of homophobia, why Notre Dame should.

[Your name]

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