Understanding Sexuality, Gender, and Allyship

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USGA
Founded2010; 14 years ago (2010)[1]
Purpose"Strengthen families and the BYU community by providing a place for open, respectful discussions on the topic of same-gender attraction and LGBTQ issues."[2]
Location
Area served
Brigham Young University student body
Members
100+[3]
Volunteers
40+[3][4]
Websiteusgabyu.com
Formerly called
Understanding Same-Gender Attraction

USGA (Understanding Sexuality, Gender, and Allyship, previously Understanding Same-Gender Attraction)[5] is an organization for LGBTQ Brigham Young University students and their allies.[10] It began meeting on BYU campus in 2010 to discuss issues relating to homosexuality and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).[1][11] However, by December 2012, USGA began meeting off campus at the Provo City Library[12][13] and is still banned from meeting on campus as of 2018.[14][15] BYU campus currently offers no official LGBT-specific resources as of 2016.[16] The group maintains political neutrality and upholds BYU's Honor Code. It also asks all participants to be respectful of BYU and the LDS Church.[17] The group received national attention when it released its 2012 "It Gets Better" video.[11][18][19] The group also released a suicide prevention message in 2013.[20] A sister organization USGA Rexburg serves the LGBT Brigham Young University–Idaho student community in Rexburg, Idaho.[21][22][23]

Publicized activities

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USGA participants in 2017

The group released an "It Gets Better" video in March 2012 that received press coverage.[24] A student panel of USGA leaders held on BYU campus soon after in April by the sociology department also received press coverage as well as complaints to the university from a conservative political group.[25]

BYU LGBTQ students and allies gather at a 2017 Thursday meeting.

In 2016 the Provo newspaper Daily Herald published a series of six in-depth articles on the experiences of USGA members, centered around the topics of why they attend BYU,[26] the USGA group,[3] mental health,[27] the Honor Code,[28] and why some leave BYU.[26] The articles were written over the space of two months, with an editorial conclusion at the end of the series asking administrators to listen to USGA BYU students.[29]

Other activities reported by media in 2017 include their Faces of USGA photojournalism project[30][31] and their Provo Pride Festival booth.[32]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Kemsley, Tamarra (September 19, 2011). "Clubs With Meaning: Understanding Same-Gender Attraction" (PDF). Student Review. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 26, 2012 – via The Salt Lake Tribune.
  2. ^ "Welcome to USGA!". Understanding Sexuality, Gender, and Allyship. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d Braley, Dodson (November 4, 2016). "Group provides a safety net for BYU's LGBT students". Daily Herald. Archived from the original on December 17, 2016.
  4. ^ "About Us". Understanding Sexuality, Gender, and Allyship. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  5. ^ Tanner, Courtney (July 19, 2018). "BYU's unofficial LGBTQ club has changed its name to reflect 'all different types of sexuality and gender identity'". The Salt Lake Tribune.
  6. ^ Fieldsted, Page (February 24, 2013). "Gay BYU students say attitudes are changing". Daily Herald. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  7. ^ Wood, Benjamin (November 6, 2016). "LGBT at Mormon universities tell of isolation — often from the people teaching them". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  8. ^ Katrandjian, Olivia (April 8, 2012). "Gay Mormon Students Discuss Struggles With Suicide in 'It Gets Better' Video". ABC News. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  9. ^ Johnson, Frances (March 24, 2016). "Choosing Love or the Mormon Church". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  10. ^ [6][7][8][9][3]
  11. ^ a b Olsen, Jessica (January 20, 2017). "Timeline". The Daily Universe. Brigham Young University. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  12. ^ Hales, Whitney (September 18, 2015). "Provo LGBTQ support group reacts to Elder Rasband's devotional invitation". The Daily Universe. Brigham Young University. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  13. ^ Shire, Emily (May 13, 2014). "Mormon U. Forces Gays to Be Celibate". The Daily Beast.
  14. ^ Kerr, Emma (May 22, 2018). "Inside Gay Students' Fight to Be Heard at BYU". The Chronicle of Higher Education. There are no institutional means of supporting students or educating professors on LGBTQ issues. ... USGA, is forced to meet in a local library because the university does not support or sanction its existence. Students in the group say they've been told it will never be allowed on campus.
  15. ^ Alberty, Erin (August 16, 2016). "Students: BYU Honor Code leaves LGBT victims of sexual assault vulnerable and alone". The Salt Lake Tribune.
  16. ^ Gleeson, Scott (August 10, 2016). "Could BYU's LGBT policies really deter Big 12 move?". USA Today. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  17. ^ "About Us". Understanding Sexuality, Gender, and Allyship. May 17, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  18. ^ Winters, Rosemary (April 6, 2012). "Gay BYU students to Mormon youths: 'It gets better'". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  19. ^ "Gay Mormon Students From Brigham Young University Produce 'It Gets Better' Video". HuffPost. April 6, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  20. ^ McDonald, Amy (November 12, 2013). "'Just be there': Group raises awareness for LGBT suicide prevention". The Daily Universe. Brigham Young University. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  21. ^ Brown, Taylor (January 28, 2014). "USGA Provides a Place for Comfort". Scroll. Brigham Young University-Idaho. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  22. ^ "BYU-Idaho Group Fosters Understanding Around LGBT Issues". Affirmation. January 19, 2013. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  23. ^ "USGA Rexburg". USGA Rexburg. Retrieved February 20, 2017 – via Facebook.
  24. ^ Bolding, Joshua (April 6, 2012). "BYU groups seek to understand students with same-sex attraction". Deseret News. Archived from the original on April 8, 2012. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  25. ^ Avery, Dan (April 5, 2012). "Brigham Young University's Gay-Mormon Panel Draws Crowds, Questions". Queerty. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  26. ^ a b Dodson, Braley (October 28, 2016). "LGBT BYU students explain why they chose to attend and stay". Daily Herald. Archived from the original on October 2, 2017.
  27. ^ Dodson, Braley (November 11, 2016). "LGBT BYU students fighting suicide while facing unique mental health challenges". Daily Herald. Archived from the original on December 5, 2016.
  28. ^ Dodson, Braley (November 18, 2016). "LGBT BYU students want honor code clarification". Daily Herald. Archived from the original on August 26, 2017.
  29. ^ Hale, Isaac (November 27, 2016). "Herald editorial: Listen to BYU's LGBT students". Daily Herald. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  30. ^ Wagner, Danielle B. (October 5, 2017). "Lesbian Mormon Shares a Powerful Message to Members of the Church: 'I Want People to See My Face'". LDS Living. Deseret Book.
  31. ^ Jackman, Josh (October 6, 2017). "This lesbian Mormon has posted an incredible coming out message". PinkNews.
  32. ^ Pierce, Scott D. (September 16, 2017). "Provo's growing gay pride festival surprised many fans headed to the BYU football game". The Salt Lake Tribune. No group was more visible than BYU's unofficial LGBTQ support group, USGA (Understanding Same-Gender Attraction) — their booth was right on the corner of Center and University. 'A lot of people on campus don't know that we exist, so they feel alone. And some of them think about suicide,' said Sabina Mendoza, 22, a BYU senior from Houston. 'We don't want anyone to feel that way.'
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