I am looking forward to my 45th reunion in a few months and will enjoy seeing the remarkable changes in the student body, the beautiful campus, and hanging with my classmates and new friends I am bound to meet. I am a gay man who came out late in life. Princeton was a very closeted place when I attended almost 50 years ago. I thought that my memory might have been distorted by my personal conflicts with my sexual orientation at the time. However, after reading the oral histories of other students of my generation, I concluded that homophobia was endemic at Princeton in the mid-1970s.
Professor George and his followers would have us return to that state of repression. His “natural law” is nothing more than homophobic bigotry dressed up as high-minded theology and abstract political theory. Second class status for LGBT individuals results from application of his theory to society at large. There is nothing more natural than gay men and women living authentically, falling in love, and having a full range of human experience, including long term commitment. His cramped view of human sexuality, social order, and our political system would restrict the freedom of gay people to live in a manner consistent with their sexual orientation as an exercise of a civil right, granted and protected by our government on a pari passu basis with the rights granted to straight people. Call me closed minded and uncivil, but at this point in my life, I am intolerant of homophobic thinking and wish that Princeton stop glorifying Professor George.
I was a steady contributor to Annual Giving and participated in a number of campaigns over the years. Around a decade ago, I corresponded with the development office and informed them that I will not make any further contributions until such time as Professor George is no longer affiliated with Princeton. Don’t bother sending the letter, save the postage.
I am looking forward to my 45th reunion in a few months and will enjoy seeing the remarkable changes in the student body, the beautiful campus, and hanging with my classmates and new friends I am bound to meet. I am a gay man who came out late in life. Princeton was a very closeted place when I attended almost 50 years ago. I thought that my memory might have been distorted by my personal conflicts with my sexual orientation at the time. However, after reading the oral histories of other students of my generation, I concluded that homophobia was endemic at Princeton in the mid-1970s.
Professor George and his followers would have us return to that state of repression. His “natural law” is nothing more than homophobic bigotry dressed up as high-minded theology and abstract political theory. Second class status for LGBT individuals results from application of his theory to society at large. There is nothing more natural than gay men and women living authentically, falling in love, and having a full range of human experience, including long term commitment. His cramped view of human sexuality, social order, and our political system would restrict the freedom of gay people to live in a manner consistent with their sexual orientation as an exercise of a civil right, granted and protected by our government on a pari passu basis with the rights granted to straight people. Call me closed minded and uncivil, but at this point in my life, I am intolerant of homophobic thinking and wish that Princeton stop glorifying Professor George.
I was a steady contributor to Annual Giving and participated in a number of campaigns over the years. Around a decade ago, I corresponded with the development office and informed them that I will not make any further contributions until such time as Professor George is no longer affiliated with Princeton. Don’t bother sending the letter, save the postage.