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Veronica Bonifacio Penales (20) claims that she doesn’t feel supported by her Christian University after coming out as a “queer.”
Penales alleges that she’s “faced harassment, including Post-it notes with homophobic messages placed on her dorm room door.” When she reported the incident, she says that she was recommended to see a counselor.
According to a survey by the Religious Exemption Accountability Project, Penales’s story is not unusual. The survey results found LGBTQ students reported more bullying, harassment and were more likely to experience isolation and depression.
Baylor spokesperson, Lori Forgleman, discussed the incident with NBC News.
“Baylor is committed to providing a loving and caring community for all students – including our LGBTQ student – because it is part and parcel of our University’s mission that calls us to educate our students within a caring community,” says Forgleman.
Forgleman couldn’t give full details regarding the situation with Penales but maintains that “students who face harassment can report it to the Title IX Office, the Bias Response Team, or if they are in immediate danger, the Baylor University Police.”
“It’s been a 10-plus-year fight for LGBTQ rights on this campus,” Penales said. “[Baylor] has made a lot of strides but it’s hard when you know your school’s mission doesn’t protect you. They talk a big game when it comes to ‘Love thy neighbor,’ but they don’t really follow through on it, especially when it comes to the LGBTQ community.”