Such statistics demand attention and action, which is why experts say destigmatizing mental health and talking about it is so important. If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is in need of help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (273-8255) or text "HOME" to the Crisis Text Line: 741741.
“The faster you do the scary thing, the sooner you can be free.” Orr said she hopes that students at the school who are hiding their sexual orientation will feel less alone by seeing her bold act.
Orr told TODAY, “I hope that they recognize that the sooner they live their life authentically, the sooner they can tap into true happiness,” she said. While this doesn’t appear to be Orr’s case, her daring to show an LGBT pride flag while crossing the stage was a clear nod to other students letting them know that they can make it through being authentically themselves. This can lead to depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation, but the fear around coming out may keep them attending institutions that are in direct contrast of who they are as a person. People who grow up in strictly religious households may hold more shame and fear coupled with a lack of support at home and within their friend group around their sexual orientation.
Private universities and schools are able to set their own policies and it’s typically up to the students and their families to decide if their policies align with what they would like to follow, but it makes you stop to wonder about the kids who don’t feel safe enough to come out at home, which can happen for many reasons. Being able to show affection to your partner while walking to class or frequenting a campus hangout shouldn’t evoke feelings of fear or shame, but policies such as these cause students to hide their true selves giving them no place to feel truly safe. Students who desire to express who they are in a school environment are not doing so to bring any sort of dishonor, because being a part of the LGBTQ+ community isn’t dishonorable. Orr told TODAY “I started to realize my actions and beliefs were not lining up and there was a lot of preconditioned shame and guilt around it, but I came to the realization that this is who I was and it was beautiful.”īYU’s policy on LGBTQ students is written in its honor code, where showing homosexual inclination is deemed as dishonorable. The psychology student grew up in the Mormon Church and completed an 18-month mission trip in Oregon, but things changed when she was honest with herself about her feelings. For Orr, this wasn’t something that directly affected her until about halfway through her time there when she came to realize that she was bisexual. Students risk being disenrolled from the university for violating this policy, which also allows other students to report same sex dating to the school. Orr had sewn a rainbow flag into her graduation gown and as she walked across the stage to receive her degree, she opened her gown revealing the flag to the audience and cameras.Ī private research university, BYU is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the school restricts LGBTQ+ students from dating or showing signs of affection toward a same sex partner while enrolled. Orr was there to receive her degree in psychology, and for the first time since being a student at the Y she decided to share her truth while also protesting against the school’s LGBTQ policies. You’re now looking at the modified version that was created in Colorado in 2017 by the University of Northern Colorado poly community, according to their website.New graduate Jillian Orr sent a strong message to underclassmen coming up behind her at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The history: It can be traced all the way back to Jim Evans in 1995, who “wanted to create an anonymous symbol for the polyamorous community,” according to the Gender & Sexuality Resource Center at University of Northern Colorado. “The infinity heart sign represents the infinite love for multiple partners at the same time,” according to the Gender & Sexuality Resource Center at University of Northern Colorado. And the infinity heart sign on top of all the colors is truly where you see its meaning. “Polyamory is a form of consensual nonmonogamy that emphasizes emotional connection among multiple partners,” says Elisabeth Sheff, PhD, author of The Polyamorists Next Door: Inside Multiple-Partner Relationships and Families, who previously told Cosmopolitan. The meaning: First, it’s important to understand the term.