The Dixie State University LGBTQ+ community implores the DSU administration to remove Jeffrey R. Holland’s name from the Jeffrey R. Holland Centennial Commons as a consequence of his homophobic and outdated rhetoric.

On August 23, 2021, Jeffrey R. Holland addressed Faculty and Staff at BYU. In this speech, he reiterates Elder Oaks 'musket fire' statement about how the Mormon church should defend marriage as a union between a man and a woman and aim at those hostile to the church.

Natalie Cline of the Salt Lake City Board of Education quoted Holland's speech in a Facebook post depicting a welcome sign directed to LGBTQ+ students inside Layton high school's seminary classroom. Criminal justice attorney Gregory Smith shared Natalie's post quoting Holland's musket fire reference. Soon after, The State Board of Education reprimanded Natalie Cline for her role in stirring hate against the LGBTQ+ community. 

Jeffrey R. Holland goes on to berate the 2019 BYU valedictorian, Matt Easton. In his commencement speech, approved by the BYU Dean's office, Easton said, "I am a gay son of god." However, Holland describes Easton's speech as divisive and forceful:

"If a student commandeers a graduation podium intended to represent everyone getting diplomas that day in order to announce his personal sexual orientation, what might another speaker feel free to announce the next year, until eventually anything goes? What might commencement come to mean—or not mean—if we push individual license over institutional dignity for very long?"

Holland is a member of the Quorum of Twelve apostles therefore, his reach is extensive and worldwide to the LDS following.

In 2012, DSU chose to honor Holland by dedicating the Centennial Commons in his name for "warmth and selflessness." Holland's actions are the antithesis of warmth and selflessness, rather, his ideology propagates hate, homophobia, and divisiveness. Jeffrey R. Holland's ideology marginalizes the LGBTQ+ community.

Holland's name is representative of what he stands for, and his stance on LGBTQ+ issues conflicts with the values of inclusivity DSU has.

As a response to Holland's homophobic reiterations, DSU’s LGBTQ+ community sent a letter to DSU administrators to see if they would condemn Holland's words. Instead, administrators felt best to quote Title IX policy and did not address Holland’s comments whatsoever in their released statement.

This petition promotes the accountability of DSU's administration in their decision to ignore the comments coming from Holland stirring hate against the LGBTQ+ community. Removing his name from the Centennial Commons will promote a more inclusive environment for the students and faculty of Dixie State University.