QUEER BYU STUDENTS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP
Why do LGBTQ+ people go to BYU?
Queer students attend BYU for the same reasons many students do. For many raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, going to BYU is something they have imagined since childhood. For some it’s even a family expectation. For many students, an acceptance to BYU feels like an answer to prayers. And for all students, church-subsidized tuition is a huge financial incentive to attending BYU.Why do they stay?
Each queer student has a different reason for staying. For some, it’s because the academic rigor is highly reputable. Some feel it’s where God needs them right now.
And other students want to leave, but stay because the cost to transfer is prohibitive.
How The OUT Foundation helps
Our mission is to empower the LGBTQ+ students and alumni of BYU in achieving their intellectual, social, and professional potential.
Core to that mission is empowering students to make their own choices. Here’s how we do that:1. Scholarships for queer students who want to stay
Our Scholarship Fund has awarded $22,000 to support 22 queer students at BYU.2. Financial support for queer students who want to transfer
Our Transfer Fund has awarded $21,000 and helped 18 queer students transfer out of BYU.3. Therapy for both!
Being queer and religious is associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression. Because being both queer and religious are core to who LGBTQ+ BYU students are, we partner with queer-affirming Therapists in Utah County to help queer students thrive.How YOU can help
Most of our funding comes from small, consistent donations from LGBTQ+ alumni and allies like you. By becoming a monthly donor, YOU are supporting LGBTQ+ students with therapeutic and financial support so they can make the decisions that are best for them.- 10 donors at $15/month = 1 semester of therapy for a queer BYU student
- 100 donors at $15/month = 1 semester of tuition for a queer BYU student