On the morning of Sept. 20, 2022, members of the Samford community came together to silently protest decisions made by the university regarding local churches that were uninvited to take part in the annual on-campus ministry fair. Last week, exactly a year after the first one, a second silent protest was held at the same time and location, but for a different reason.
Following the ministry decisions made during the fall of 2022, members of the Samford and Birmingham community felt that LGBTQ+ students were not being accepted or supported by the university. The organizers of the protest were promised changes that still have not been made a year later. Goldie Hatch, a senior musical theater major and one of the students who helped organize the protest, shared information regarding the motivations behind this year’s event.
“The reason that we’re doing this again is because after the last protest, we were promised an open line of communication with the president and unfortunately, that had not really happened last year,” Hatch said. “A group of students tried to speak with the president last year and were not allowed to, so we felt like we weren’t being heard still.”
Hatch listed the changes that were promised but still have not occurred and will continue to be fought for until they are implemented by the university.
“It’s the same changes that we wanted last year that haven’t happened,” Hatch commented. “We would like a recognized LGBTQ+ affirming organization, we would like for churches who would like to attend the spiritual fair that are LGBTQ+ affirming to be allowed on campus and we would also like some Samford policies that help protect their students.”
Hatch went on to express a commitment to seeing these changes enacted, as well as her feelings towards Samford and its future.
“The goal is that, if this continues to happen – that we’re being ignored, and our demands aren’t being met – we will do this every year until we start to see actual change happen,” Hatch shared. “I love Samford; I want to be a part of a school that not only loves their LGBTQ+ students but fully embraces them and celebrates their differences.”
Rosemary Fisk, who was an associate dean of Arts & Sciences and taught in the English department at Samford for 34 years was at the silent protest because she feels that no improvements have been made for LGBTQ+ students since she worked at the university and shares Hatch’s desire for change.
“I never saw progress on this issue; we continued to discriminate against our LGBTQ+ students,” Fisk shared. “I will show up every year to protest until we welcome everyone to the table and value all of our students.”
Though many of the same people who attended the first silent protest were also at this one, there was a new type of representation featured this year. Angela Whitlock, president of the LGBTQ+ student organization OutLaw, explained a new part of the protest that was not featured at the first protest: face masks for those who are passionate about this issue but could not attend in person.
“Today we were wearing masks with names of alumni who have either written a letter to [or called] Dr. Taylor or Dr. Westmoreland in the past and said, ‘Hey these exclusionary policies that you guys have are harming LGBTQ+ students,’ and yet their voices are being ignored and nothing is happening,” Whitlock said. “We had over 150 masks representing those alumni who could not attend today.”
Whitlock expressed her concerns for current and future LGBTQ+ students who choose Samford as their home but do not feel like they are being represented and supported.
“I’m thinking about those students that are coming behind us, those queer students that will be on this campus,” Whitlock shared. “I want to make sure that they feel loved, [that] they feel [a] sense of belonging, because Samford is making policies and decisions to keep us where we do not feel included or treated the same.”
Sylvia Swayne, who is the first transgender woman to run for office in Alabama, also attended the silent protest as a way of showing solidarity with the queer community on campus. Swayne shared her thoughts on the ministry decisions made in 2022 and how they affect the message that queer-affirming churches are trying to communicate.
“The reality is that there are a number of churches who want to spread the message of love and community with all people and the fact that the university will not acknowledge or bring those folks into the fold I think goes against the message of what many of these churches are trying to share with the world,” she said.
Swayne ultimately hopes to portray a sense of support and encouragement for LGBTQ+ students on Samford’s campus so that they feel welcome.
“It’s so important that we work together in solidarity and community,” said Swayne. “I’m proud to be a part of this silent protest because at the end of the day, it’s about the people. Whether you’re gay or straight, trans or cis; no matter who you are, we all have a place at the table.”
Samford released a statement in response to the protest.
“Samford appreciates the importance of free expression and civil discourse, in accordance with its core values. It will always be a Christ-centered place where students are encouraged to thoughtfully and respectfully express their opinions and viewpoints.”
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