Texas A&M has offered the LGBTQ+, studies minor for under a year. Texas Representative Brian Harrison said the minor is a waste of his constituents’ tax dollars.
Two sociology professors at A&M believe the minor is a necessary addition to the educational opportunities offered to the students. They said removing the minor limits academic freedom and success beyond the university.
LGBTQ+ Studies is listed in the Undergraduate Catalog stating it “prepares students to examine the ways in which gender and sexuality are socially constructed and offers a critical understanding on how sexuality and sexual orientation shape gender roles, identities, and social statuses in societies.”
Graduating with this minor is said to help “students develop critical thinking, writing, and analytical skills as they explore a wide range of topics that provide an intricate and nuanced understanding of LGBTQ+ lived experiences, histories, and social movements.”
Sociology professor and director of the Women’s and Gender Studies, or WGST, program, Theresa Morris, Ph.D., said in a written statement that there was no issue when developing the minor; there was only support.
“The development of the minor had broad support from the Aggie community … WGST faculty and students, and was approved by the WGST Program, the legacy College of Liberal Arts and the University,” Morris said.
Harrison wants the minor terminated, with or without the support of the leadership of A&M.
“I was profoundly disappointed as the leadership of Texas A&M decided or, should I say, did not honor my request to terminate the program,” Harrison said. “The leadership of Texas A&M should not have to sit around and wait for the legislature to force them to do the right thing. They should end the program right now.”
He said his constituents should not have their tax dollars go towards “liberal indoctrination.”
“I represent 200,000 Texans, hard-working, and I wish I could tell you how many Texans are concerned about even being able to stay in their home because their taxes are so high,” Harrison said.
Harrison detailed the timeline to have the minor removed.
“Our next regular session will gavel in January of next year, so that would be a timeline for a legislative solution to be filed, and I will file a bill to end this insanity,” Harrison said. “I am working with lawmakers of the state and the federal level to come up with a solution to protect my constituents’ tax dollars, as well as the integrity of Texas A&M.”
Sociology professor and Aggie Ally, Mary Campbell, Ph.D., said removing the minor would only negatively affect students’ education.
“The minor is a legitimate area of study that you should be able to study at A&M,” Campbell said. “If we want to be a high-quality university, that’s how we do it: by providing those opportunities to students. I mean, we don’t want students from A&M to not have all the opportunities that you have at other universities.”
Campbell said removing this minor will result in a chilling effect on campus.
“A sense that there are certain things that you’re not allowed to study here or certain research topics you’re not allowed to investigate,” Campbell said. “I think we should work very hard to protect academic freedom, the freedom to study any legitimate area of study, which this minor absolutely is.”
Morris added in a written statement the minor shows A&M recognizes individuals as part of the LGBTQ+ minor.
“It’s also an opportunity for all members of the Aggie family to learn and engage with each other,” Morris said.
Morris said the sociology department has certain obligations and values to uphold.
“One job our program has is to prepare students to live and work in a diverse society and to have meaningful conversations with a variety of people,” Morris said. “The minor is relatively new and just taking off. We have seen much faculty and student excitement about the minor.”
Harrison said he has many urgent concerns regarding the integrity of not only the sociology department, but also A&M.
“They have an entire course on alternative genders,” Harrison said. “I would love to know from the leadership of Texas A&M exactly how many genders they believe there are. I’d love to know that.”
