The Effects of Homophobia in The Work Place: Experiencing discrimination and religion within your work place can be a mind field of legal and ethical issues.
Allegedly at an Eastern Michigan University; A female student refused to affirm homosexuality as morally acceptable based on her religious views.
For the sake of this article we will call the female student “X” ;
The attorney who was representing “X” stated that their client was “wrongfully dismissed” from EMU’s Master of Arts in School Counseling program for not agreeing, prior to a counseling session, to affirm a client’s homosexual behavior.
The Legal Counsel, who was representing “X”, said “she should not be ejected from the program based on her religious views”.
In a statement released to the media ADF Senior Counsel said:
“EMU is ’stepping over the line’ when it enforces ‘a prerequisite of affirming homosexual behavior as morally good in order to obtain a degree. “X” did the responsible thing and followed her professional supervisors advice to have the client referred to another counselor who did not have an homophobic judgment. She would have gladly counseled the client if the subject had been nearly any other matter.”
Source: The Ypsilanti Courier.
As a professional psychotherapist and counselor I endeavour to convey an attitude against discrimination, offering acceptance toward gender, race, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.
What are your views on this controversial matter ?
Do you agree or disagree with EMU ’s decision?
Why not Leave a comment in the box below;
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
An opinion is just that…an opinion. If Female X does not see homosexuality as moral then she is entitled to her views. That is, as long as her behavior in class and toward the student in question does not become a problem.
Many of us have beliefs that others would find strange if not offensive but we are all entitled to them. Female X does not have to affirm homosexuality as moral and hopefully she would have been trained to have some boundaries in counseling. EMU needed to have some boundaries themselves and not eject her.
They stepped over the line.
Larry
Dissociation
Hi Larry and thank you for reading our post and taking the time to leave a valuable comment.
I am glad the post evoked a response in you.
It just goes to show we are all different, if we were all the same it would be boring.
Therapists are human beings and will from time to time be affected by the ingredients of life.
Many thanks
Gary Graye