Notre Dame: From Condoning Gay Bashing to Supporting Ex-Gay Speakers

Does the University of Notre Dame want to cement a reputation as one of the fiercest anti-gay institutions in the country? They're on the fast-track toward doing so. First comes a cartoon in a student newspaper that advocates gay bashing. Now comes word that the University is going to host a columnist who not only believes that ministry can change one's sexual orientation, but that homosexuality is on par with clinical depression and that same-sex attraction is the result of deep-seated psychological wounds.

Hear that sound? It's the sound of the University of Notre Dame's academic reputation deflating.

The speaker in question is Melinda Selmys, who is one of the headliners of Notre Dame's "Edith Stein Project," an annual event that examines what it means to be "authentic women and men." Apparently authenticity to Notre Dame means heralding speakers who believe that homosexuality is as changeable as a pair of underwear, and that queer folks suffer psychological problems.

In three columns for the National Catholic Register in 2007, Melinda Selmys wrote that she gave up her lesbian relationship when she decided to be Catholic, and accepted the Virgin Mary as a seminal role model of femininity. But the juicy bits don't stop there. Selmys says that gay men have a hard time accepting God because he reminds them of their own harsh father figures

What is Notre Dame thinking?

Melinda Selmys' appearance is even more troubling given that it comes in the wake of renewed attention being paid to Notre Dame for their complete lack of compassion and tact when it comes to LGBT students and alums. Sure, the student paper ran a cartoon that advocated beating queer people into vegetables. But beyond that, the University has continuously refused to recognize LGBT student groups on campus, and does not include sexual orientation in their non-discrimination policies, despite the fact that other Catholic colleges do.

Worse yet, the mission statement of the Edith Stein Project seems to completely contradict the theology and personal beliefs of someone like Melinda Selmys. According to their own Web site, Notre Dame says that the Edith Stein Project is meant to remind everyone of their inherent human dignity.

"Whether you are religious or not, conservative or liberal, committed to community service or preparing to enter the business world, what we discuss here is relevant to your life. Created in the image of God, we all seek fulfillment ... happiness, and a sense of completion," organizers of the conference say.

Unless you happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. In which case, you'll apparently be told that you're psychologically corrupt. So much for everyone being created in the image of God.

For more on Melinda Selmys, check out these links, including her advice on how to evangelize the homosexual, or why it's right for the Catholic Church to view sexual orientation as just a tendency and not an inherent human trait.

Again, commentary like this is what passes for academic discourse these days at Notre Dame? How sad.

Photo credit: Student_Subway