SALT LAKE CITY — After Brigham Young University recently dropped a section from its strict code of conduct that had prohibited all expressions of homosexual behavior, bisexual music major Caroline McKenzie felt newfound hope that she could stop hiding and be herself. She even went on a date with another woman.
That optimism was pierced last week when administrators at the university owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints clarified in a letter posted online that “same-sex romantic behavior” was still not allowed on campus. The letter said the recent revision to what is known as the “honor code” didn’t change the “moral standards” of the church or the faith’s opposition to same-sex marriage.
McKenzie said it made her feel whiplash and that her religion was telling her she was unwanted by God. She’s reassessing whether she wants to finish her studies at BYU even though she loves her professors and the education she’s receiving.
“It’s psychologically damaging,” said McKenzie, 23, of Kaysville, Utah. “It has been a roller coaster the last couple of weeks. This last Wednesday pretty much destroyed me. It felt like I was drowning again.”
She was one of several hundred people who protested Friday outside church headquarters in Salt Lake City to cap off a week of fury and heartbreak for LGBTQ students and their straight allies.
McKenzie held a sign that said, “My family doesn’t want me, now my school? BYU is home.” It referenced a lack of support from her family after she came out last summer.
The Utah-based religion of 16 million members worldwide has tried in the past decade to create a more welcoming environment for LGBTQ members while adhering to its doctrinal opposition to gay marriage. The faith, widely known as the Mormon church, teaches that while being gay is...
