Tribune Photo/MARCUS MARTER Members of the University of Notre Dame and South Bend march to the Administration Building to protest the University's policy regarding homosexual persons Wednesday, January 27, 2010. The protesters believe the University encourages silence, ignorance, and intolerance amongst Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender persons on campus.
Story Created:
Jan 27, 2010 at 2:01 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Feb 2, 2010 at 11:50 AM EDT
SOUTH BEND — Hundreds of demonstrators took part in a silent protest at Notre Dame. They want the University to break its silence on gay rights. The demonstration and march may have been silent, but it certainly was not without drama.
From the purple duct tape that demonstrators wore over their mouths, to a showdown at the entrance to the Golden Dome, this effort to force the university to do more to recognize gay students on campus certainly attracted plenty of attention.
Demonstrators carried a banner saying “No Home Under the Dome.” They broke their silence outside the administration building as an open letter to University President, Fr. John Jenkins was read.
“Father Jenkins, when the University refuses to acknowledge club status for alliance and refuses to add sexual orientation to the non-discrimination clause, we are reminded of our other-ness,” St. Mary’s student, Laurel Javors said as she read aloud from the letter.
“I had an apple thrown through my window at St. Mary’s. I think it speaks for itself the discrimination we face,” Javors said.
“We still exist and we’re still going to fight for our rights,” said Javors.
The demonstration comes two weeks after a comic appeared in Notre Dame’s student Newspaper, “The Observer.” The cartoon was later denounced as offensive and potentially promoting violence against gays.
“It’s not a direct response, but I can’t say it wasn’t spurred on by that. It just more or less was an impetus to us. A lot of us had been passionate about the issue and we saw that in light of the comic controversy, this was a great way to show solidarity for the LGBT community at Notre Dame,” Notre Dame student, Patrick Bear, said of the event he helped organize.
“This is a way for us to act in unison, to end discrimination and hatred against LGBT people,” Bear went on to say.
Bear says it’s impossible to estimate the size of the LGBT community on campus. He says he believes there are a lot of closeted student at N.D. He says he estimates that at least 6% to 7% of the N.D. population is gay.
The demonstrators also prayed in front of the Golden Dome.
Another Notre Dame student organizer, Melanie Lemay, helped lead the group in prayer.
“Look with compassion on the whole human family. Take away the arrogance and hatred that infects our hearts,” she prayed. “People of all sexual orientations are welcome in the Catholic church and Notre Dame policies don’t reflect the Catholic mission of acceptance of all people, regardless of sexual orientation,” Lemay said.
“I personally came here because I wanted a Notre Dame education. I wanted to be part of the Notre Dame family and community. I don’t think that should be relevant to my sexual orientation,” Lemay went on to say.
But, even with prayer, the student organizers were stopped in their attempt to deliver their letter in person to Fr. Jenkins. Faculty and staff who had joined in the protest then tried to intervene. They, too, were stopped at the doors to the dome.
“It seems a little awkward. They said they were told students could not enter the building with the letter. Therefore, we suggested faculty might be able to. The rule is there cannot be a demonstration in the building. We respect the rule. We just want to make sure the letter reaches Fr. Jenkins by presenting it to someone from the office of the President,” Peter Holland, a professor said.
Ultimately, a senior administrative assistant to Fr. Jenkins emerged to accept the document.
You can read the documents, both from the protesters and the university, in our related content section.
