Posted April 14, 200817 yr School formal's same-sex ban April 14, 2008 http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0...5006301,00.html STUDENTS at a prestigious Anglican school expect some boys to boycott the formal in protest at a ban on same-sex partners. A Brisbane Anglican Church Grammar School Year 12 student has criticised the all-boys school after he made a request on behalf of at least eight gay students who wanted to take their partners to the June 19 senior formal. The student, who declined to be named, said he felt let down following his approach to the school and said he expected students would consider boycotting the event. The student said he approached the school and was told the school's practice of allowing only female formal partners may be "quietly changed" if he did not not make a big deal about it. "(They) said to me, 'if you start a political movement this is going to get blown out of proportion. If you go quietly about this and if you don't cause us too much trouble, we will just quietly change the rules so they're allowed and no one gets hurt'," the student said. "At the start of 2006, there was no one at the school who was openly gay in Churchie but now there are dozens. You could say it's the changing times but it's been brought about by the efforts of a few brave individuals. Generally, it's a very accepting school. It's not like anyone has ever been persecuted for being gay. A few students will have second thoughts about going to the formal because of all this." He also urged other students who felt strongly about the issue to confront the administration on their first day back at school next week. "(Let's) demand an end to this oppression of the only remaining minority that is still legal to oppress," he said. The Courier-Mail newspaper's story about Churchie's practice of banning same-sex partners at the formal sparked one of the most heated debates on the newspaper's website with about 500 written responses lodged at the weekend. Churchie's headmaster, Jonathan Hensman, said the formal was an opportunity for the school's 215 Year 12 students to escort a young lady to a dinner dance. "We decide what is appropriate behaviour and what is not," Mr Hensman said. He said he had not been formally approached by a student but promised to consider taking any direct request to the school council. Churchie old boy Ken McKenzie said he thought many parents would be encouraged by the school's stance. "The aspect I find most interesting is that there are students who are openly gay," he said. "I finished in 1990, and nobody came out in those days. I think it (the school) must have become much more accepting and tolerant." Catholic schools in Queensland also have ruled against gay partners at school formals but state high schools set their own guidelines within the Inclusive Education policy.
April 14, 200817 yr Author There has been alot of talk about this already today, on both the radio and TV alot of people are getting angry about this. Just wanted to know what people here thought about it...Personally I think we've taken a step back into the dark ages -_-
April 14, 200817 yr There has been alot of talk about this already today, on both the radio and TV alot of people are getting angry about this. Just wanted to know what people here thought about it...Personally I think we've taken a step back into the dark ages -_- Agreed really. I mean, tbh I've not heard of anyone taking their gay partner to this sort of thing before... maybe my school just didn't have enough gays in relationships :lol: But obviously if they want to, they should be to take who they want.
April 14, 200817 yr My religion forbids gay partnerships, so I have to say I can sympathize with the school. They obviously don't want controversy and fights to break out.
April 14, 200817 yr My religion forbids gay partnerships, so I have to say I can sympathize with the school. They obviously don't want controversy and fights to break out. Presuming your religion is Christianity, your religion also condones slavery...
April 14, 200817 yr Author What's a formal? :unsure: A big dance for the grade 12's like a Ball or a Prom
April 15, 200817 yr Presuming your religion is Christianity, your religion also condones slavery... Spot on mate, the bible very much condones slavery, esp. the Old Testament.. People who use "religion" as an excuse for their petty-minded bigotries really are just talking out their arses... There's a hell of a lot of really, really nasty sh!t that the Bible and the Koran (they both appear to condone having sex with underage children actually...) seems to condone, but these things just get swept under the rug. These "religious" types just seem to pick and choose which bits they want to concentrate on and believe.... As for the story itself. The school is pandering to petty, narrow-minded bigotry, something that education is supposed to combat. Education is surely about broadening one's mind and one's perceptions; and after all, these students are seniors, certainly old enough to know their own minds..... Yes, this is a serious step back to the Dark Ages. If these "religious" schools are not prepared to move with the times and broaden their students' minds, then perhaps it's time to do away with Religious schools, ALL religious schools.....
April 15, 200817 yr Author As for the story itself. The school is pandering to petty, narrow-minded bigotry, something that education is supposed to combat. Education is surely about broadening one's mind and one's perceptions; and after all, these students are seniors, certainly old enough to know their own minds..... Yep they'd be 17/18 yrs old. One comment on the radio really stuck with me, the school is so keen on stopping gays going together instead of the real problems that accompany things like formals such as post parties where underage people get drunk and often drugs are involved aswell.
April 16, 200817 yr Spot on mate, the bible very much condones slavery, esp. the Old Testament.. People who use "religion" as an excuse for their petty-minded bigotries really are just talking out their arses... There's a hell of a lot of really, really nasty sh!t that the Bible and the Koran (they both appear to condone having sex with underage children actually...) seems to condone, but these things just get swept under the rug. These "religious" types just seem to pick and choose which bits they want to concentrate on and believe.... As for the story itself. The school is pandering to petty, narrow-minded bigotry, something that education is supposed to combat. Education is surely about broadening one's mind and one's perceptions; and after all, these students are seniors, certainly old enough to know their own minds..... Yes, this is a serious step back to the Dark Ages. If these "religious" schools are not prepared to move with the times and broaden their students' minds, then perhaps it's time to do away with Religious schools, ALL religious schools..... Excuse me! I find that rather offensive. My religion does not condone having underage sex in any manner. If these boys will not go to heaven if they carry on offending God's maxims.
April 16, 200817 yr Excuse me! I find that rather offensive. Well other people find it offensive when you state your approval of giving gay people unequal rights. I love how you avoided answering about the Bible condoning slavery. And btw, its never actually explicitly stated in the Bible that homosexuality is a sin anyway.
April 16, 200817 yr And btw, its never actually explicitly stated in the Bible that homosexuality is a sin anyway. i believe it does actually, something about 'man shall not sleep with fellow man nor with beasts in the field'...
April 16, 200817 yr Excuse me! I find that rather offensive. My religion does not condone having underage sex in any manner. If these boys will not go to heaven if they carry on offending God's maxims. I am sure you will find your religions book has lots of contradictions in it aswell.
April 16, 200817 yr i believe it does actually, something about 'man shall not sleep with fellow man nor with beasts in the field'... That would be the same part of the bible that forbids wearing mixed fibres and says that menstruating women should not be allowed to attend church.
April 16, 200817 yr That would be the same part of the bible that forbids wearing mixed fibres and says that menstruating women should not be allowed to attend church. Yeah... theres actually a very strong argument that quote from Mushymanrob and also the one which goes something like "sleeping with a man as with a woman is an abomination" are actually not the word of God even in the context of the Bible. A lot of people interpret them as specific cultural things, such as another thing that it is apparently an abomination to sleep with a woman having her period. Also, I read that Jesus once says something in the Bible about marriage and conventional relationships not being for everyone, which many interpret as an acceptance of same-sex relationships.
April 16, 200817 yr Excuse me! I find that rather offensive. My religion does not condone having underage sex in any manner. If these boys will not go to heaven if they carry on offending God's maxims. OH PLEASE. I would find your statement offensive, but I find you too ignorant for it to truly matter. I think it should be pretty obvious where I stand on this issue.
April 17, 200817 yr Some of the comments i have read in this thread are explicitly against Buzzjack rules. Since when were people allowed to bash and abuse others because of their religion and beliefs??? I will be reporting all of you and i expect something to be done about it from the moderators. Frankly, some of the comments i have read are disgusting.
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