Notre Dame Observer exhorts ND profs to teach more about "sexual orientation"

The Notre Dame Observer, having recently refused to run an article about Church teaching and homosexuality by Dr. Charles Rice, long-time columnist for the Observer and Professor Emeritus of Notre Dame Law School, is now calling for professors to "join the ongoing conversation about L(esbian) G(ay) B(i-sexual) T(ransgender) Q(ueer/Questioning) issues":

At the recent “Beyond Fruits and Vegetables” forum, students complained that Notre Dame’s professors teach almost nothing about sexual orientation.

We agree. We think it’s time for the faculty — in their capacity as experts and educators — to join Notre Dame’s ongoing conversation about LGBTQ issues. Student government and the Office of Student Affairs — especially Core Council and the Gender Relations Center — are already doing great things in these areas. Why should Notre Dame’s professors lag behind?

Informed political and ethical judgments require solid and up-to-date knowledge. Professors are the best possible sources about cutting edge academic research — in this, as in other areas. In fact, isn’t that why universities employ professors in the first place?

That’s where this column comes in. For the rest of this semester, a different Notre Dame professor each week will write a column about sexual orientation using the most up-to-date research in her or his discipline. Each column will provide an entertaining but up-to-date introduction to one important area of scholarship.

These columns will not be venues for professors to air their personal opinions about politics, ethics or anything else! Rather, columnists will write as professional experts about the scholarship on sexuality and sexual identity in their own disciplines.

Read the entire column, which, as the last paragraph indicates, has no interest in Church teaching about sexuality, morality, or moral theology (the words "moral" and "theology" don't appear in the column). Some of the topics that apparently will be addressed, or at least considered for "conversation", include:

* The genetic basis for non-straight sexual orientations;
* Brain differences in people of different sexual orientations and gender identities;
* Same-sex sexual and pair-bonding behavior in other animal species;
* How factors from homophobia to extended family affect children with gay or lesbian parents;
* Gay and lesbian teenagers;
* How to help gay and lesbian couples improve their relationships.
* How sexual orientations are understood in Western as well as non-Western cultures;
* The relationships between gender and sexuality;
* Social influences on the development of sexual identities

The column was penned by Gail Bederman, associate professor of history, American Studies and Gender Studies at Notre Dame. Her bio on the Notre Dame website states, "Since 1995, she has been working on a revisionist history of the American reproductive rights movement. Bederman also writes and speaks on two related topics: 'Why the History of Sexuality Should be Taught in Catholic Universities,' and 'Why Catholic Theology is a Useful Resource for Historians of Sexuality.'"

How about something titled, "Why Catholic Moral Theology is a Useful Resource for a Student Newspaper at a Catholic University"? Naw, probably far too controversial, narrow-minded, and judgmental...

Comments

[Ed Peters]

But, I thought, Rice DID try recently to teach something about sexual orientation, and was promptly silenced by the student press for the attempt. I'm confused.

[Charles E Flynn]

Since when are the sexual activities of other species normative for human beings?

[Kevin J Jones]

I take it "Overcoming taboos against criticizing sexual misbehavior" won't be one of the articles?

[joe]

What dishonest garbage.

1. I edited my college paper. "We" means only me and mine....

2. "Each column will provide an entertaining but up-to-date introduction...." Entertaining. Wait, aI thought this was scholarship, no AmChurch Idol.

3. "Professors are the best possible sources about cutting edge academic research — in this, as in other areas. In fact, isn’t that why universities employ professors in the first place?"

I am a professor. Her statement is, charitably, comical.

Today at the post office I saw Ellen DeGenres face staring at me from a stamp poster. Orthodox Catholic s have essentially lost the culture war. Gays and Lesbians are wonderful people, just sinners like the rest of us. About as false as any true statment could possibly be. As for the NDO, it's a rag.

[FREE THE ND 88]

This is what you get, when most of the faculty attended http://www.Indoctrinate-U.com

[MANHATTAN DECLARATION]

Please join www.ProjectSycamore.com if you still care about Notre Dame.