Though I’ve chosen not to be as public about it as I was last time, many of you know that I will no longer be attending Brigham Young University-Idaho after this semester ends.
“But didn’t you already leave once before and then decide to go back?”
Yes. And it doesn’t make any sense to me either.
When I tell people that I’m leaving, they always want to know why. As much as I wish I could just lay it all on them and really tell them why, I just say that it’s not the right fit for me and that I need to be with my family right now.
Here is what I wish I could say.
1. This week here at BYU-Idaho, a students twitter post went viral after her teacher issued a zero on her project. The art project, which involved taking photographs, was rejected by her professor because of the model’s bare shoulders. Here is one of her photos.
The feedback the professor gave her said, “Did not meet criteria for assignment and I have no idea what to do with these (photos). They’re artistic but …” They’re artistic but what? Collarbones are too risqué? Shoulders have some sort of sexual connotation? You can’t appreciate the beauty of a body in art? In my opinion, if you think a woman’s shoulders are inappropriate, the real problem is you. #sorrynotsorry
2. I have a friend here at BYU-Idaho, who for the sake of this article, we will call Heather. Heather is too afraid to go talk to anyone about being the victim of sexual assault because she might get kicked out. How, you might ask? Because if she tells her bishop that she was willing to do things up to a certain point with this boy, but she didn’t want to go “all the way,” then the bishop will say that she shouldn't have been doing other things in the first place. She will be sent home. So instead, Heather keeps her mouth shut and pretends like nothing ever happened. Quite frankly, I don’t blame her.
3. For my homework a few weeks ago, I was assigned to read a talk called “Mothers Who Know” by Julie B. Beck. Now I do have very liberal and feminist views (another of the many reasons I don’t fit in at all), which probably contribute to the fact that I hated this talk. This talk taught me that “faithful daughters of God desire children.” It said that women should be nurturing, and then goes on to say “another word for nurturing is homemaking. Homemaking includes cooking, washing clothes and dishes, and keeping an orderly home. Home is where women have the most power and influence.” If what my homework is teaching me is that my sole purpose in life is to be a man's wife, to do his dishes and mop his floors and raise his children, then why the hell am I here working my butt off for an education? Why am I planning for my future in the workplace and why am I trying to make myself amount to anything? But most offensive, in my opinion, is that in order to be faithful, a woman must desire children. Personally, I can’t wait to have kids so this poses no problem for me, however, I know so many righteous, faithful women of the church who don’t want children. Now, they might have a few kids, to fulfill what they’ve been taught is right, but they never had a yearning to have children. Not every female wants children, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t love God.
Anyways, I could go on and on explaining why I’m not comfortable attending BYU-Idaho, but I have rambled long enough and will spare you from that. I am thankful for the opportunity to be here and for what I’ve been able to learn, but my time is up. Peace out, Idaho.
