Hand-Delivered Hate or Free Speech Exercise?

Hands of the administration of the university is tied legally said by University of Louisville. They cannot stop a student to distribute anti-LGBTQ literature to LGBTQ students directly.

The incident took place inside the campus and it was so shocking for all the students. The university claim to be available and equal for all the students irrespective of their sexuality. The incident took place was anti-gay and students get stunned after listening about this incident happened in their university.

The university has maintained a good status among the students for being welcoming to the students of all sexual identity. One of the students opened about its sexual identity before said that the incident was horrible. He came to this college and was proud that he can now tell the world about his sexual identity but the incidents have made a bad impact on his mind.

What was the incident

All this started when a guy came into the campus. The class was going on and the teacher was teaching an introduction to LGBTQ. This guy just came in class and started the distribution of a pamphlet. The pamphlet was about of 30 pages. He gave a pamphlet on every desk. The pamphlet was said to be published by the Christian organization Living Waters. One of the students said that the pamphlet has a title on it named “God and sexuality”.

The book has words which says that being gay is like a person sitting in a car on the railway track and the train is coming but you do not know it. This somehow tells that being gay is dangerous. The incident have shaken all the gay students as they have never thought this type of things can happen in this university.

The guy who have distributed the pamphlet was not even enrolled in the university and came around 20 minute before starting of the class. When he is done he was just gone in the hall. The administration said that the guy can not be stopped to enter in the class and distribute a literature among students. They can not do anything to the guy if he somehow return again and distributed the same pamphlet again, this statement from the officials have also worried the students more than the incident.

How safe student feels in university

As the university have maintained a good and decent status among the students belong to LGBTQ community, it has some fringe elements also. Trans community have to deal with those kind of person in a regular manner. One of the student also claimed that they feel targeted and uncomfortable in the classroom. Students wait outside and stalks on them and waited for class to end.

Many students have lifted this issue in front of administration but they are showing no response in favour of the worried students. One of the officials also said that according to Kentucky law and university’s policy a student have right to came in class but, he should not disturb the class and have freedom of speech and can express himself in front of other fellows. The administrative staff also added that the literature doesn’t spread any kind of hate or discrimination against LGBTQ community.

Aftermath of the incident

The incident have set up a fear in the LGBTQ community students. They are now more worried and alarmed that they are not safe here and people’s thoughts have also frightened them. From the university administration, a police man has been appointed which stay outside the class where an introduction to LGBTQ studies taught.

This incident has attracted may eyes and many official people also. The incident have spread already in many areas as it was very rare at the University of Louisville. The hate and discrimination for the LGBTQ community have come from the outside as it is not present inside the campus boundary but, it is present already outside the college campus among the people. Many believe that being gay is not good and not natural. A marriage can only happen between a man and a woman. Marriage of man with a man is not acceptable.

The authority of rights of people said that the freedom of speech is allowed in the classroom but for the purpose of discussion only and it should not affect any student’s identity in any way. If a person repeatedly saying hateful words or doing bad things for a certain student than it will be considered as harassment and will be held by the law.

Louisville’s code of conduct also says that the organization or student’s union should not interfere with the administrative work in any way.

Whatever happened, should be treated with care and a good step should be taken by the officials in order to maintain the status of University of Louisville as was before.…