HLS Group Sponsors 'Coming Out of Homosexuality' Event

The Society for Law, Life and Religion (SLLR) at Harvard Law School (HLS) made an appearance in the Yard yesterday with posters promising "hope" for "those struggling with homosexuality."

The SLLR is hosting HLS's first "National Coming Out of Homosexuality Day," an event scheduled for October 10, which advances the idea that gay people can abandon homosexuality.

"Coming Out of Homosexuality Day [on the national level] was, I think, a response to the increasing marginalization of any message that questions or opposes homosexuality," said Brian J. Burt, president of SLLR.

"There are those who have left the lifestyle and it is a viable option for those who are thinking about starting the lifestyle or are participating in it," he said. "There are thousands and thousands of people who've left the lifestyle."

Burt said, to his knowledge, no members of SLLR are or have ever identified themselves as gay.

According to Burt, the group decided to bring the event, which is entering its third year on the national scene, to Harvard because it believes the dialogue on homosexuality has been one-sided.

"Groups [that offer a path out of homosexuality] serve a compassionate mission," he said.

Burt declined to state either his own or the group's position on the morality of homosexuality, saying he would leave that question for the event.

The announcement of the event, which is scheduled to occur the day before National Coming Out Day has already provoked response from organizations of gay, lesbian and bisexual students at HLS and the College.

"We find the suggestion that homosexuality is something that can be cured a little offensive," said Mark R. Penney, a second-year law student and treasurer of LAMBDA, the queer students organization at HLS.

LAMBDA has not decided whether it will host an alternative event but is continuing with its own plans for its annual Coming Out Day events, Penney said.

According to Burt, the SLLR event is not designed to be "combative."

"The message is not that everyone can or should be changed," he said.

"For many people, there is an ability to make a choice. The point is not to debate what percentage of people could leave if they wanted to. The event is just to say that there is this option."

But students at the College said they believe the event is inherently problematic for the gay community.

"It's a very sad statement for the University as a whole," said BGLSTA co-chair Andre Sulmers. "It's a direct attack. It's implying that our sexuality is something that we can come out of at the same time that we are trying to affirm our sexuality."

The BGLSTA, which discussed the event at a board meeting last night, has not yet decided whether it will host an alternative event or attend the SLLR convocation, according to vice-chair David A. Campbell '00.

But the advertising for the event itself has already sparked controversy at HLS.

After the SLLR put up posters at HLS several days ago, other posters mimicking them appeared.

"It was essentially the same poster with different words looking like it was put out by the organization that put out the original poster," said Michael J. Chmura, a news officer at HLS.

According to Penney, the mock poster replaced all instances of "homosexuality" with "Judaism."

"It was clear that it attempted to point out precisely how ridiculous [the original posters] were," he said.

Penney said that his organization has had nothing to do with the second set of posters.

Dean of the Faculty of Law Robert C. Clark responded to the mock posters with a letter sent to all HLS students.

"This behavior is not acceptable and has no place in the University, the Law School or the legal profession," Clark said in the letter. "It is important that differing points of view be debated here, but the debate must be carried out in a civilized manner."

The letter also warned students that tearing down, altering and mimicking posters is an offense subject to disciplinary action.

Following the letter, the Harvard Law School Civil Liberties Union put up a poster of its own asserting that "Dean Clark Wants to Control Your Thoughts."

"After reading Dean Clark's letter of September 24, we can only conclude that parodies are no longer permitted at Harvard Law School. (And that Dean Clark doesn't understand the parody)," the poster said. "Welcome to 1984."

The SLLR, which according to Burt, focuses on "pro-life, religious liberties and pro-family values," has not yet released the details of the October 10 event

"It's a very sad statement for the University as a whole," said BGLSTA co-chair Andre Sulmers. "It's a direct attack. It's implying that our sexuality is something that we can come out of at the same time that we are trying to affirm our sexuality."

The BGLSTA, which discussed the event at a board meeting last night, has not yet decided whether it will host an alternative event or attend the SLLR convocation, according to vice-chair David A. Campbell '00.

But the advertising for the event itself has already sparked controversy at HLS.

After the SLLR put up posters at HLS several days ago, other posters mimicking them appeared.

"It was essentially the same poster with different words looking like it was put out by the organization that put out the original poster," said Michael J. Chmura, a news officer at HLS.

According to Penney, the mock poster replaced all instances of "homosexuality" with "Judaism."

"It was clear that it attempted to point out precisely how ridiculous [the original posters] were," he said.

Penney said that his organization has had nothing to do with the second set of posters.

Dean of the Faculty of Law Robert C. Clark responded to the mock posters with a letter sent to all HLS students.

"This behavior is not acceptable and has no place in the University, the Law School or the legal profession," Clark said in the letter. "It is important that differing points of view be debated here, but the debate must be carried out in a civilized manner."

The letter also warned students that tearing down, altering and mimicking posters is an offense subject to disciplinary action.

Following the letter, the Harvard Law School Civil Liberties Union put up a poster of its own asserting that "Dean Clark Wants to Control Your Thoughts."

"After reading Dean Clark's letter of September 24, we can only conclude that parodies are no longer permitted at Harvard Law School. (And that Dean Clark doesn't understand the parody)," the poster said. "Welcome to 1984."

The SLLR, which according to Burt, focuses on "pro-life, religious liberties and pro-family values," has not yet released the details of the October 10 event