SUU officials hear from huge crowd regarding choice of Latter-day Saint leader as commencement speaker

CEDAR CITY — Southern Utah University officials on Monday heard the concerns of dozens of students and faculty members regarding the recently announced invitation of Latter-day Saint apostle Elder Jeffrey R. Holland to be the keynote speaker at the graduating class of 2023’s commencement ceremony.

The school made the announcement last Thursday via a news release that was also shared on its social media accounts.

Shortly thereafter, however, an online petition was circulated on change.org calling for Holland’s removal as the keynote speaker at SUU’s scheduled commencement April 28. The petition specifically criticizes Holland for his call for “‘musket fire’ toward the (LGBTQ+) community,” as referenced in a speech he gave to Brigham Young University faculty and staff in August 2021.

Hundreds of people filled the ballroom of SUU’s Sharwan Smith Student Center for Monday’s forum, which was initially billed as two separate “listening sessions” that were scheduled to take place starting at noon and at 4 p.m.

In actuality, the two sessions ran together, taking up more than eight hours total, with only a 15-minute break in between, from 3:45 to 4 p.m. The last of the approximately 100 commenters finished their remarks just after 8:30 p.m.

A crowd fills the student center ballroom during a “listening session” regarding the selection of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland as Southern Utah University’s Class of 2023 commencement speaker, Cedar City, Utah, March 20, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

SUU President Mindy Benson prefaced each of the two sessions with a 10-minute talk wherein she welcomed the attendees and provided a basic overview of the situation. Benson then ceded the rest of the time to the audience, saying that she and the two members of the SUU Board of Trustees who joined her on stage (board chair Jodi Hart Wilson and vice-chair Eric Schmutz) were simply there to listen.

“As a leader of this community, I’m proud to see you gathered today,” Benson said during her opening remarks. “And I want you to know that I care about each and every one of you. I’m sorry a part of our T-Bird Nation are feeling disappointed, frustrated, angry or betrayed.”

“It’s said one way we show love and concern to another is by helping the other person feel seen, heard and understood, and by offering compassion, kindness and non-judgment,” Benson added. “That is my hope for us today, that we can listen empathetically and compassionately to one another, that we can be reminded of our common love for this place, and that we have an open honest and heartfelt safe exchange of thoughts and feelings and do so with kindness, civility and respect. We can disagree without being disagreeable.”

Immediately after Benson’s initial remarks, queues formed in the aisles behind each of three microphones set up for audience commenters. At almost any given time throughout the day, there were between 20-30 people lined up to speak, with the numbers dwindling to a handful only during the last half hour or so.

Southern Utah University President Mindy Benson and Board of Trustees members Eric Schmutz and Jodi Hart Wilson listen to commenters speak regarding the selection of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland as Southern Utah University’s Class of 2023 commencement speaker, Cedar City, Utah, March 20, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Commenters ranged in age from freshmen still in their late teens to current and former faculty members with many years of experience. A large majority of those who spoke were members or allies of the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, many indicated they were either former or current members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or that they at least had some connection to the church.

The first commenter was Kier Whitten, an SUU freshman who said she was both a member of the church and of the LGBTQ community.

“The decision to keep Elder Holland as a speaker will make countless students feel unwanted at their own graduation,” Whitten said. “I’m aware of this man’s accomplishments, but the negative impact on an already marginalized community will be detrimental.”

Whitten suggested that either of two compromises be made: that either Holland be replaced with another LDS leader of comparable accomplishments or that a second speaker who is from the LGBTQ community be added to the program.

“For LGBTQ students listening, you are more than enough,” Whitten concluded. “You are not a sinner or somehow unworthy for loving someone or wanting to be your true self. For students that are LDS members, this is not an attack on your religion. This is a plea to you and SUU as a whole, so that LGBTQ students feel welcome at their own graduation. Because all students, no matter who they identify as or what religion they identify with, should feel welcome and safe at their own graduation.”

Mary Foremaster, a non-traditional SUU student who said she’s experienced her share of racial discrimination as a descendant of Mexican immigrants, said he’s also been belittled because of her Christian and conservative beliefs.

“The trend I’ve witnessed from this so-called diversity group is to use manipulative language such as dangerous, hateful and harmful to describe anyone or anything that you don’t agree with,” she said. “This action is censorship and discrimination in full force. This group is literally robbing the university from creating a truly diverse place of knowledge, instruction and higher learning.”

Commenter Mary Foremaster speaks during a “listening session” regarding the selection of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland as Southern Utah University’s Class of 2023 commencement speaker, Cedar City, Utah, March 20, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Foremaster also cited Holland’s background, saying, “He’s a very prominent, globally respected scholar. He has a Ph.D. from Yale, has authored 16 books and was the president of a university. Millions of lives around the world have changed for the better by the speeches given by Dr. Holland.

“He’s come under great scrutiny for the so-called ‘musket fire’ speech. Anyone who listens to this talk with an open mind and heart will hear the love in his message. It has unfortunately been twisted into something vile and taken completely out of context.”

Foremaster concluded by saying, “Do not censor or discriminate by canceling Dr. Holland.”

Throughout the remainder of the day, commenter after commenter shared stories, opinions and personal experiences that conveyed a wide range of emotions, including anger, frustration, disappointment and sadness, along with positive feelings such as kindness, gratitude, support and love.

One woman who gave her name as Piper said she’s known many people who’ve been ostracized by their parents after coming out as gay.

“Many have been completely excluded from their home and kicked out on the streets,” she said. “One of them being my very, very close friend from high school, who after he was left homeless for months after coming out to his parents, who were following the teachings and words of Jeffrey R. Holland, trigger warning, he jumped in front of the SLC FrontRunner and killed himself because he did not think that he had any other place to go after being banished from his home.”

Piper cited a couple of examples of what she said exemplified Holland’s view about homosexuality, including the idea that “you can change if you just pray hard enough.”

“That is deadly in its own right,” she said.

“He has even said that being gay will not be, and I quote from an interview with PBS, ‘a post-mortality condition,’” she added. “He treats it as though once you die, you’ll stop being gay and everything will be fixed and correct, which can lead to even more suicidal ideation simply because they think death will be the only thing that can truly fix them and their identity.”

A commenter named Piper speaks during a “listening session” regarding the selection of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland as Southern Utah University’s Class of 2023 commencement speaker, Cedar City, Utah, March 20, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

“All I ask is that you realize that many of the students graduating here have been personally hurt by this man’s teachings by his rhetoric and views,” Piper said.

“This is an extremely distasteful choice of speaker and very out of touch from what I’ve come to realize this school initially stood for,” she added. “I’m very disappointed in how disrespectful it feels against me and people like me in my community.”

Other speakers spoke of similar struggles to find a safe space. Holland’s “musket fire” talk was parsed and dissected by multiple speakers on both sides of the argument. A few commenters even used the venue to “come out” and publicly announce for the first time that they are gay or bisexual.

Deena Marchal, president of SUU Pride Alliance, said, “Given the heightened anti-LGBTQ rhetoric in our current political climate, we question the prudence of Dr. Holland as commencement speaker. His presence and the publicity it is already garnering threats to increase the danger and risk of violence to the campus LGBTQIA+ community.”

Noting that earlier this semester, some faculty offices on campus had been vandalized with anti-LGBTQ graffiti, Marchal added, “We fear that naming Dr. Holland as commencement speaker serves as a tacit endorsement from the university that such violent and hateful speech against this community has a place here at SUU.”

Graduating senior Nathan Bracken voiced his support of Holland.

“If you do a little bit of research on Elder Holland, you’ll find a lot of examples where he’s expressed love and acceptance towards members of the LGBTQ community,” Bracken said. “And although he does not condone their behavior, that does not mean that he wishes harm on them or anyone.”

Bracken said the intent of Holland’s message was for “defending religious values.”

“Canceling a speaker over their religious beliefs sends a message that religion is not welcomed in SUU, a university which prides itself in diversity and tolerance,” Bracken added.

Another graduating senior said she felt betrayed by the school she fell in love with during a campus tour she made at age 16.

“Although we love SUU with all our hearts, SUU does not love us back,” she said. “The safe space we were promised, that we bought into emotionally, financially, physically, was only a lie.”

“You promised that we would be safe here. Act like it,” the student concluded.

Also speaking was Class of 2022 graduate Laurel Buxton, who was SUU’s student commencement speaker one year ago.

“It was a privilege and an honor to share my story in front of my entire graduating class and all who came to support us,” she said. “For the first time in SUU history. All the speakers were women. And to my knowledge, it was the first time in SUU history that one of our speakers was a queer woman, and I am honored to be that woman.”

Commenter Laurel Buxton is applauded following her remarks during a “listening session” regarding the selection of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland as Southern Utah University’s Class of 2023 commencement speaker, Cedar City, Utah, March 20, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Buxton became visibly emotional as she related her experience as she first learned last Thursday that Holland was to be the 2023 commencement speaker.

Buxton said that as she consoled and spoke to several students after hearing the news, “I realized I felt just as helpless, confused and shocked as they did.”

“So I did what anyone would do … I called my mom,” she said. “And then talking to her, I realized something. I could not tell my mom why I felt so helpless. And I could not tell her why I was crying. Because I’m not out to my family and my mom’s not an ally. And even speaking here today … this is the first time I’ve ever publicly said that I’m queer. And in doing so. I am running the risk of losing that relationship with my family.”

A pre-nursing student named Gabby spoke of how she was raped at age 16 by a man who she said was apparently trying to turn her straight.

“There’s a clear correlation between hateful rhetoric turning into violent crimes, especially when influenced by people in powerful positions,” she said. “I would bet my life the man who raped me came from a home where homophobic slander was just a normal conversation at the dinner table with his parents.”

“Allowing someone who called for the metaphorical eradication of the queer community to speak at such an honorable event is a disgusting decision and a slap in the face to any queer senior who has spent countless hours of time and money at this institution,” Gabby said.

Graduating senior Abby Gough expressed her disappointment, saying, “It saddens me that my graduation is no longer a time to celebrate myself and the work that I’ve done here for years and the money I’ve spent to get my education at Southern Utah University. Because no matter what happens on April 28, this is what people will be thinking about.”

A student named Ashton said he believed the effects of the decision would continue to be felt at SUU for years to come.

A commenter speaks during a “listening session” regarding the selection of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland as Southern Utah University’s Class of 2023 commencement speaker, Cedar City, Utah, March 20, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

“I want to ask that you choose to be on the right side of history, the side that protects your students and shows them they belong,” he said. “This is not about religion. This is about the safety of your student body. And today, as a queer student, I do not feel safe at SUU. And today, as a grad student, I do not feel proud to call myself a T-Bird.”

An SUU freshman named Nelson said even though he’s a member of the LDS Church, he sided with those calling for a change in the commencement speaker, due to the “divisiveness” of Holland’s words.

“Love for everybody reigns supreme,” he said. “I  don’t doubt that Elder Holland exemplifies this in his daily life. And it pains me to see that, you know, so many people are getting up here with the pain that they have experienced because of the speech that he gave. Clearly, you know, intentional or not, Elder Holland’s comments did not make the people feel love.”

The church, Nelson added, “is run by imperfect people and Elder Holland’s comments were part of that imperfection, I believe.”

Another student named Wade injected a bit of humor into the forum when he said he’d first heard the news from a fellow student that “Tom Holland” was going to be the commencement speaker.

“I thought wow, how did they get Spider-Man to speak at our graduation?” he said as the audience laughed. “That is so cool. And I came to find out later on that was not the case, unfortunately. I think a lot of us would rather have Spider-Man.”

In another moment that drew laughter, a junior dance major named Kimberly quipped, “For those who love hearing Holland talk, he speaks twice a year at conference.”

Senior Matthew Robinson, who’s studying English education and Spanish, said that as a member of the church, he has “grown up listening to Elder Holland and I respect him a lot, and I sustain him as an apostle of Jesus Christ.”

Nevertheless, Robinson said Holland’s “musket fire” speech was “tone deaf.”

“Regardless of what his intentions were, it caused a lot of problems,” he said.

“I just want you to know that I care. I have family and friends who are LGBTQ and this is partly why my stance is what it is,” he added. “I believe that with a different speaker we can more fully represent the students whom you have heard.”

A commenter speaks during a “listening session” regarding the selection of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland as Southern Utah University’s Class of 2023 commencement speaker, Cedar City, Utah, March 20, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

“I’m confident we can move forward, and by moving forward and by moving on, that doesn’t mean leaving SUU because you don’t feel safe. It means moving on and learning from this,” Robinson said. “And I stand with you as somebody who doesn’t know everything but who cares about you.”

A woman named Audrey spoke of the various struggles she experienced as an LDS youth who came out as gay during her early teens.

“The last time Jeffrey R. Holland spoke at a university, he said that the school needed to defend itself from the same-sex challenge,” she said. “And how did he say it? There’s a lot of metaphors he could have used for defense, he could have talked about a wall or a fortress, maybe a watchtower. He could have talked about a moat to keep us out or a barricade we couldn’t cross, which are all exclusionary and cruel, but at least they would have been nonviolent, but which did Elder Holland choose? Musket fire, he chose his metaphor — guns and bullets and death. And this is a man who gives speeches for a living so let’s show him at least enough respect to admit that he knows how to say what he means.”

Jacob, a 19-year-old nonbinary student, said, “This is the first year I’ve had people around me that are willing to fight tooth and nail to make sure that I am safe, happy and protected. And I want to be one of those people.”

Another commenter, who gave his name as Cloud, expressed his dissatisfaction with what he apparently saw as a foregone conclusion regarding the forum’s outcome.

“But since you’ve already decided that Holland is still going to come and still give a speech, since you decided not to listen to us, maybe you can use your eyes,” Cloud said, upon which he extended his middle finger and directed the gesture toward the trio of SUU officials on stage.

To which an unfazed Benson kindly replied, “Thank you for sharing your opinion.”

That moment was one of only a handful of lapses of decorum exhibited during the 8.5-hour listening session.

Later, another woman posed the question, “What would Jesus do?”

“Think of your Lord and Savior and how he would treat the so-called outcasts,” she said.

A graduating senior named Wesley summed up the dilemma faced by Benson thusly:

 You’ve got the majority of people with microphone time, representing allies of the LGBTQ+ community, wanting him not to speak. And then you’ve got a university in the state of Utah, where the majority of the people, probably, at commencement are members of the Latter-day Saint faith who would prefer to see him speak. So you’re in a lose-lose situation.

“I feel like, even though it’s clear that his musket stuff was metaphorical, it’s also clear that his stance is the way it is,” Wesley said. “And that when he has that stance, and he goes and stands up on the stand and speaks to people at commencement, they’re not going to want to listen to him. They’re not going to feel comfortable.”

Nevertheless, Wesley said the choice of commencement speaker “shouldn’t change what we do.”

“We should still go get our education,” he said. “We should still do what we believe in, regardless, and we shouldn’t attack each other. And we should trust Mindy Benson.”

Speaking toward the end of the evening was SUU student Kaleb Cox, who is a son of Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.

Cox said that as a lifelong member of the church and a recently returned missionary, he hasn’t always been supportive of the LGBTQ+ community.

“I was unaware and unfamiliar with them for a large portion of my life,” he said. “They were strangers to me. I didn’t know any gay or trans people, at least any who were around publicly. It was, ironically enough, my dad who made me realize the error of my ways, when he spoke at a vigil after the Pulse nightclub shooting. From that moment on, I began to meet and accept gay and trans people, both online and in person. I reevaluated my faith, which is still in flux right now. But I came to know a God that affirmed and approved my gay and trans friends. That is my conviction, as deep as any testimony.”

Kaleb Cox speaks during a “listening session” regarding the selection of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland as Southern Utah University’s Class of 2023 commencement speaker, Cedar City, Utah, March 20, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Cox said he didn’t share that information to give himself a pat on the back for being a good ally.

“In fact, the reason I’m standing in front of you today is because I feel like I haven’t said it enough in my life,” he said. “I’d say sorry all over the place.”

Cox also highlighted the power imbalance presented in the scenario.

“Mr. Holland is part of an incredibly powerful, wealthy and influential religious institution,” he said. “While the queer students at this university are just students – students who need to be heard, loved and, most importantly, allowed to feel safe and radically affirmed. Regardless of what the governor says or does, please know that there’s a Cox here at SUU who will try and help you to do those things.”

Several commenters had suggestions regarding potential alternative commencement speaker choices.

“As the speakers here at these listening sessions have proven, Mr. Holland is revered and the people who want him here for graduation, want him here for his religious accomplishments and not his academic ones,” said SUU student Brook Ober. “There are thousands of Ph.D. holders from Southern Utah, many of whom are invested in this university and would make a better option as a commencement speaker.”

A different commenter offered three possible options, namely former U.S. Senator Harry Reid, current Utah State Senate Majority Leader Evan Vickers and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson.

The idea of having a different Latter-day Saint leader speak, such as Holland’s fellow Quorum of the Twelve member Dieter F. Uchtdorf, was also mentioned more than once.

Southern Utah University President Mindy Benson and Board of Trustees vice chair Eric Schmutz visit with commenters after the 8.5-hour listening session, Cedar City, Utah, March 20, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

A few commenters offered specific suggestions for the selection process in future years such as having a pool of at least four nominees to start with and putting the matter to a student vote, along with being able to preview the speech in advance. Another suggestion was to make the decision earlier in the year, possibly by December, to give people more time to prepare.

Benson had already spoken of making improvements the process during her earlier remarks, saying:

At SUU, we prize the principle of free speech and the right of everyone to express their opinion, even if it is one we may disagree with. While our Board of Trustees are united in their desire to invite Dr. Holland, our quest for unity across the very diverse SUU community might suggest in the future, we examine and review the process for nominating prospective honorary degree recipients and commencement speakers for consideration by our Board of Trustees. We can be better and spend time reviewing our processes.

The petition calling for Holland’s removal as commencement speaker had over 16,600 signatures as of early Wednesday. Two separate petitions in favor of keeping him as the commencement speaker (here and here) had over 3,000 signatures combined as of Monday night and nearly 4,000 as of Wednesday morning.

Throughout Monday’s forum, several commenters thanked Benson and the other SUU officials for hosting the forum and being willing to hear their concerns.

Said one: “Whether you’re a member of the LGBTQ community, or a member of the church, or someone in between, like, all we want to do every day of our lives is be understood. And so, I think it’s a great thing that you’ve held this panel for people to voice what’s inside of them. Because at the end of the day, that’s what we need, right? … to be seen and heard and listened to.”

Wednesday morning, Equality Utah emailed Cedar City News a written statement weighing in on the issue.

“Certainly as an organization, we have no control over who a university invites to speak,” Troy Williams, Equality Utah’s executive director, wrote in the statement. “However, as a matter of course, Equality Utah rejects simply shutting down speech we disagree with, especially because we so fundamentally believe in the truth of our ideas. An ever-evolving democracy is better served when there is space to speak, to voice differing opinions, to make mistakes and to have robust debate, rather than drive unpopular messages underground where they risk becoming more rigid and entrenched.”

In this 2015 file photo, Elder L. Tom Perry, left, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shakes hands with Equality Utah executive director Troy Williams, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 4, 2015 | Associated Press photo by Rick Bowmer, File, St. George News

“The principles of freedom of expression allow us to live and speak freely,” Williams added. “We must accordingly extend the same courtesy to those with whom we disagree. We urge those members of our community who are concerned about Elder Holland’s past statements to use our freedom of speech to express why his words were hurtful to LGBTQ Utahns. This is an opportunity to hold his words up to sunlight.”

He also cautioned against using “the same tactics that have been used to silence and intimidate our community.”

“Also, as we recognize harmful rhetoric, let’s also acknowledge our progress,” he added, citing examples where the LGBTQ community and the church have been able to come together on certain issues.

“While we disagree with Elder Holland’s past statements, we have also historically been able to find common ground with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” Williams added. “Because of their willingness to engage our community, Utah has successfully passed LGBTQ and religious liberty nondiscrimination laws. The Church was instrumental in helping Utah ban LGBTQ conversion therapy for minors, and we are grateful for their willingness to support the Respect for Marriage Act, which now protects civil marriage for LGBTQ couples.”

“Whatever the University and students decide to do, our hope is to not silence Elder Holland, but rather to continue to engage in further dialogue with him, to share our lives, hopes, fears and joys,” Williams concluded. “And in so doing, perhaps we end the culture wars and create greater peace and understanding between LDS and LGBTQ Utahns.”

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