Georgetown University approves plans for LGBT-only campus housing

This image features Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., | Wikimedia Commons/Daderot

Georgetown University has reportedly approved plans to offer LGBT-only residential housing for students for the 2018–19 school year.

Campus Reform reported earlier this month that the university's Office of Residential Life initially rejected the proposal for LGBT-only living facilities back in April, but it was subsequently approved in December.

The proposal, called "Crossroads: Gender and Sexuality" Living Learning Community (LLC), was spearheaded by Grace Smith, who serves as the head of the university's "LBGTQ+" inclusivity policy team.

In an email obtained by Campus Reform, Associate Director of Residential Education Katie Heather tells Smith that her proposal has "been approved and accepted for the 2018-19 academic year."

Heather went on to note that the "logistics for this community are in the process of being finalized," including the "location of the community" and the "application process."

In a recent Facebook Post, Smith hailed the approval, saying it was "A REALLY BIG DEAL AT A JESUIT UNIVERSITY."

"This means that students will now begin to have a unique residential space dedicated to exploring and understanding themselves and others in relation to gender and sexuality. Congratulations to everyone who made this dream a reality," she added.

Vice President of Student Affairs Todd Olson said that the new residency option aims to "provide a community space for discussion on gender and inclusion while upholding the Jesuit values of community in diversity and educating the whole person."

Georgetown, a Catholic university founded by the Society of Jesus in 1789, has drawn criticism in the past for allegedly ignoring the teachings of the Catholic Church.

In January 2017, "Exorcist" author and Georgetown alumnus William Peter Blatty spearheaded the release of a dossier detailing over 20 years of "anti-Catholic sentiment" at the university. The document lists the university's hiring of professors who had advocated for abortion rights and same-sex marriage.

According to Church Militant, the university also sponsors student organizations that were found to be advocating for abortion, contraception and same-sex marriage.

In October, a Catholic student group at the university had to undergo a hearing to defend itself against accusations that it fosters hatred and intolerance.

Student LGBTQ activists Chad Gasman and Jasmin Ouseph filed a complaint against Love Saxa in September, accusing the group of promoting hatred for its belief that marriage is a union between a man and a woman. The petition called on the Student Activities Commission to remove the group's funding and officially recognized status.

An initial hearing ended with no vote, but the commission eventually voted 8–4 to reject the complaint.

Love Saxa President Amelia Irvine said that she was glad that the commission voted to take no action against her group, but she expressed regret that the school had been involved in the controversy.