ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE

The purpose of the Affirming Alum Collective is to connect current Lee students with alums who are LGBTQIA+ or straight allies. For too long, Lee University has used its conservative theology and rigid policies to silence queer students. The stigma felt as a student often lingers past graduation so that even alum no longer closely affiliated to the school feel pressure to meet and connect in secret. The Affirming Alum Collective is ending that stigma. We are the public face of queer students at Lee University - past, present, and future.We want to support, encourage, and reassure LGBTQIA+ students that they do not need to repent for who they are. Breaking the Community Covenant is not a sin, and neither is being queer. This group is brand new, and we are brimming with ideas for the future. For now, our goal is to be a landing page for current students who need a one-stop shop for pro-LGBTQIA+ resources: books, films, websites, therapists, pastors, theologians, legal representation, plus alums and our stories.

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PRESS

** Press Release: LGBTQIA+ Alumni Outline Approach to Student Acceptance and Safety on Campus *****The Affirming Alum Collective Issues Statement addressing inequality and mistreatment of LGBTQIA+ students at Lee University leading into the Fall Semester. ***Cleveland, TN: Despite repeated attempts to meet with the Lee University administration to discuss concerns about their policies regarding LGBTQIA+ students on campus, no changes were made and the fall semester has started with policies in place that endanger queer students and allies at the University. Recognizing this, the Affirming Alum Collective (AAC) stands ready to advocate for and support students during this time.The AAC has repeatedly outlined how the policies clarified in the spring of 2022 will harm students on campus and impact the mental and physical wellbeing of queer students and allies who are a part of the Lee University community. While the stance of the AAC has been clear, Lee University’s administration has failed to recognize these points and has moved forward with the new semester without any sort of change to these policies. Not only is this harmful to current LGBTQIA+ students on campus, it sets a dangerous precedent at the University and could have severe negative impacts on the quality of education students are receiving.Regardless of Lee University’s unwillingness to address these pressing concerns, the AAC remains committed to lifting the voices of queer students and allies on campus. Though this semester may prove difficult for some who find themselves at odds with these policies, the AAC is dedicated to being a resource for students and will continue to provide support whenever possible. Throughout the semester, the AAC will host events and provide other opportunities for students to become engaged as we work together to create a safe space that is welcoming for all. While Lee University may be willing to brush queer students off to the side, the AAC recognizes the immense value these students bring to the campus community and will continue to advocate for their wellbeing.The Affirming Alum Collective is ready to support students on Lee University’s campus who find themselves at odds with these policies and further affirms our intent to advocate for inclusivity of LGBTQIA+ students in the campus community. Community members who want to get involved in protecting and lifting the voices of queer students on campus can visit the Affirming Alum Collective website at https://affirmingalum.com/ for resources and contact information.About the Affirming Alum Collective: Established in early 2021, the Affirming Alum Collective, or AAC, was created to connect current Lee students with alums who are LGBTQIA+ or straight allies, while also taking active steps to hold the administration of Lee University accountable publicly. The AAC is a registered non-profit organization in the state of Tennessee and the public face of queer students at Lee University - past, present, and future. Our goal is to be a starting point for current students seeking affirmative resources, including books, therapists, local pastors, theologians, legal representation, plus alums and our stories. For more information, please visit https://affirmingalum.com/_______________________________________________________________________5.23.22 Press Release: LGBTQIA+ Alumni Respond to Lee University Policy on Gender and SexualityThe Affirming Alum Collective Issues Statement advocating for current LGBTQIA+ studentsCleveland, TN: In response to recent so-called clarification from Lee University regarding their policies on gender and sexuality, the Affirming Alum Collective (AAC) is issuing the following statement.In a document circulated among faculty and staff in late April 2022, Lee University reemphasized their stance on gender, gender identity, and sexuality. The document outlines Lee University’s expectations on campus which include prohibiting members of the campus community from “using or requesting others to use pronouns that do not correspond to the person’s biological sex … dressing or outwardly presenting as a gender that does not correspond to the person’s biological sex” and banning the act of “publically identifying or behaving as a gender that does not correctpond to his or her biological sex.”This document also bans sexual behavior outside of marriage between one man and one woman, and expressly prohibits displays of affection between members of the same sex. Furthermore, faculty and staff at Lee University are severely limited in their ability to discuss these topics in an open environment and face retribution if they have conversations that are against the new guidelines.To be clear, the policies outlined in the document AAC has received pose a direct and imminent risk to student mental health and wellbeing on Lee University’s campus.According to The LGBTQ+ Student Divide (March 2021), a report on LGBTQ+ students on Christian college campuses by the Religious Exemption Accountability Project and College Pulse:- Nearly half of gender minority students say they do not feel like they belong on their campus.
- Gender minority students are seven times more likely to be sexually assaulted on their Christian campus than cisgender students (14% versus 2%).
-Sexual and gender minority students are 15 times more likely to report that their sexuality or gender identity has prevented them from feeling accepted by others on their college campus compared to their peers.
-Sexual minority students are three times more likely to experience depression and anxiety compared to heterosexual students.The intent of this formal clarification of policy appears to be a legally substantive restatement of the institution’s social policy which, ultimately, reinforces their ongoing campaign to silence LGBTQIA+ voices on campus. Regardless, the document greatly diminishes the protections these students have in their dorms, classrooms, and campus activities. Lee University has reaffirmed their position that all students are to be treated with dignity and as a person with worth, yet their continued repression of a large group of students on campus via such published guidelines directly contradicts this stance. Students face disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion, simply for expressing their personal identity. We would underscore that a God who makes no mistakes has a plan and a purpose for everyone, and such attempts to silence, hide, or ignore those who don’t fit “guidelines” is to thwart His plan and to squander the diversity of experience LGBTQIA+ students add to the Lee community.Lee University’s new policy is also in violation of Title IX, a civil rights law protecting students from discrimination on the basis of sex and gender. The university receives the majority of its funding from the federal government and is thus pursuing religious exemption retroactively, claiming that it is “controlled by a religious organization,” in order to receive government support in spite of such institutionalized discrimination. This is not the love Jesus taught. It is the legalism He warned against.The Affirming Alum Collective stands ready to support students on Lee University’s campus who find themselves at odds with these policies and advocate for the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ students in the campus community. We take this stand because, while our alma mater currently insists on policies which have a demonstrably negative impact on students, we believe in Lee’s inclusive culture of faith, hope, and love, and we trust that it will prevail.To LGBTQIA+ students and allies of Lee University: we hear you. You are not alone. Though the road to inclusivity and acceptance is long, we affirm that you deserve to feel welcomed and loved on Lee University’s campus.Students in crisis at Lee University who need immediate assistance are urged to seek help from official sources. If in imminent danger, please call 911. If experiencing thoughts of self-harm, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or by texting “HOME” to 741741. Students may also visit https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/ for a list of ways to contact a free and confidential counselor. The Affirming Alum Collective website provides other resources as well for those needing support at https://www.affirmingalum.com/#lgbtsupportlines.About the Affirming Alum Collective: Established in early 2021, the Affirming Alum Collective, or AAC, was created to connect current Lee students with alums who are LGBTQIA+ or straight allies, while also taking active steps to hold the administration of Lee University accountable publicly. The AAC is a registered non-profit organization in the state of Tennessee and the public face of queer students at Lee University - past, present, and future. Our goal is to be a starting point for current students seeking affirmative resources, including books, therapists, local pastors, theologians, legal representation, plus alums and our stories. For more information, please visit https://affirmingalum.com/