April 30, 2007
Mormonism: 'Do Ask, Do Tell' at BYU

By STEVE FRIESS

Newsweek

Brigham Young freshman Brian Condron hadn't told his straight friends that he's gay—a statement that would've violated BYU rules. But after a surprising change in the Mormon-owned school's honor code last week, he decided not to transfer out this fall.

"Behaviors that indicate homosexual conduct" are still forbidden, but now, "one's stated sexual orientation is not an honor-code issue." To gay students it marks a new era. But being gay is still a burden at BYU. All unmarried students must remain chaste, but gays can be punished for showing same-sex affection, for forming a gay student group or, says the code, "promoting homosexual relations as being morally acceptable." Activist Will Carlson sums up the new policy—which comes after a winter meeting between administrators and gay students, as well as a March protest by the activist group Soulforce—as "Do ask, do tell, don't do."

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