DEAR HORNETS,
I AM KICKING YOUR NEST
- Dear BYU Students
I have been on the phone with several organizations who are very interested in how you’re being treated by BYU. For example, the US Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, is interested in the experiences of students who are protected by the Civil Rights Act which outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex,… Continue reading Dear BYU Students - Definitely the worst weekend of my life.
I was reported and met with Kevin Utt. He didn’t tell me who reported me but it was during my 6 month probation that they changed honor code reporting so that you cannot report anonymously. He still didn’t tell me after that. Kevin was a nice guy and didn’t seem judgmental or looking to punish… Continue reading Definitely the worst weekend of my life. - She was the only person who listened to me after my assault without any judgement
I had an incredible experience with Lisa Leavitt, BYU’s survivor advocate. She was the only person who listened to me after my assault without any judgement and who validated the way I was feeling. At the same time, I met with the Title IX office at BYU and it was HORRIFIC. I asked for a… Continue reading She was the only person who listened to me after my assault without any judgement - This was not about my safety. It was another deception.
CW: Suicide, police, and a brief mention of abuse I came to BYU happy to be away from my abusive family. I lived in Heritage Halls, barely 19 and very naïve. I knew I was gay, but I was not out to anyone except my Heritage YSA Ward’s Bishop and two close friends from home.… Continue reading This was not about my safety. It was another deception. - before the HCO and Title IX were separated
Back before the HCO and Title IX were separated, I was a TA for the Computer Science dept. I had a student say sexually inappropriate things to me on 2 separate occasions and I brought it up during a TA meeting, which a few professors were in. They encouraged me to report it to Title… Continue reading before the HCO and Title IX were separated - Dear BYU (part two)In part one, I mentioned that I had researched the websites of several other private religious or Utah-based universities to see if this BYU resource, the “Survivor Advocate,” was replicated at other universities. Here is what I found on the BYU.edu Title IX page, where I discovered that the advocate link in the screenshot does… Continue reading Dear BYU (part two)
- Dear BYU (part one)I’ve been involved with several students who have been reported to the Honor Code Office. Often, I help with advice or support, but sometimes, I accompany students to the HCO. The last time I was there, a student reported an event that occurred without their consent and the HCO counselor stopped the meeting and said… Continue reading Dear BYU (part one)
- Gallery: DezNat HarassmentHere is an ongoing collection of screenshots of the harassment that LGBTQ+ folks have faced from members of DezNat. It is not organized (yet).
- Resource: Definitions and Examples of Title IX ViolationsGender Discrimination Gender Discrimination is defined as the following by Title IX: Gender discrimination is defined as the following by Title IX: Discrimination or harassment based upon one’s gender (sex) Unfair treatment, attitudes, or behaviors towards an individual based upon their gender (sex) Gender identity discrimination as covered by Title VII Sexism, sexist attitudes, and… Continue reading Resource: Definitions and Examples of Title IX Violations
- Link: BYU + Clery Act2020 Brigham Young University Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports
- Resource: Center for Changing Our Campus CultureThe Center for Changing Our Campus Culture (The Center) is an online resource to address sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. The Center is supported by the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women in collaboration with its designated Campus Program Technical Assistance Provider Team. This comprehensive online clearinghouse provides important resources for colleges and… Continue reading Resource: Center for Changing Our Campus Culture
- Resource: The Clery Center“Our mission: Working together with college and university communities to create safer campuses. When institutions of higher education seek guidance on campus safety regulation, they turn to Clery Center. “We are a national nonprofit dedicated to helping college and university officials meet the standards of the Jeanne Clery Act. By equipping professionals with the training and resources… Continue reading Resource: The Clery Center
- News: Former BYU-I students among filers of class action lawsuit against Department of Education over Title IX rights“When the government provides public funds to private actors, like the colleges and universities represented by Plaintiffs, the Constitution restrains the government from allowing such private actors to use those funds to harm disadvantaged people,” the lawsuit says. “This Constitutional principle remains true even when the private actors are operating according to sincerely held religious… Continue reading News: Former BYU-I students among filers of class action lawsuit against Department of Education over Title IX rights
- Resource: KNOW YOUR IXOur survey of more than 100 student survivors who formally reported sexual violence to their schools found a massive failure on the part of schools to fulfill their obligations under Title IX. In fact, 39 percent of survivors who reported sexual violence to their schools experienced a substantial disruption in their educations.
- News: BYU professor calls gay student a Book of Mormon term associated with anti-Christ“Last month, a Brigham Young University professor publicly used a Book of Mormon term associated with an anti-Christ to attack a gay student. “With the private religious school taking no public action since then to condemn it, LGBTQ students say there’s been a chilling effect on the Provo campus where many already feel unsafe. Others… Continue reading News: BYU professor calls gay student a Book of Mormon term associated with anti-Christ
- Resource: Title IX explainedWhat is Title IX? Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a Federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination at educational institutions that receive federal funding. Under Title IX, sexual discrimination includes harassment on the basis of sex. This can take many forms including: Verbal or written harassment Sexual assault, including rape… Continue reading Resource: Title IX explained
- Dear President NelsonI want to believe you don’t know what DezNat is, despite the many news outlets that have reported on them. Here is an article from the Salt Lake Tribune: “In the past two weeks my life has been threatened over and over and over and over,” said one recipient of #DezNat wrath, Billy D, a former… Continue reading Dear President Nelson
- Dear ReaderI am writing this here to make sure I keep my facts straight. I’ve been involved in a situation with a handful LGBTQ+ student at Brigham Young University who needed some support. First, BG, had been stalked by a guy he’d briefly met on a dating app. The stalking started with online harassment and quickly… Continue reading Dear Reader