Is Gonzaga a Good Choice For Gay Son?

[Anonymous]

I have a son who is gay, but he's very athletic and wants to play football and loves Gonzaga's athletic culture. I am worried that an all boys' Catholic school might be a homophobic environment. He does not like the "progressive" schools popular on this sub because he has a heavy sports focus and those schools do not. Can anyone give advice?

[Anonymous]

Bullis is a secular school with a sports emphasis. St. John's is Catholic, but at least it's coed. Why Gonzaga?

[Anonymous]

Doesn’t seem like a great fit but maybe others with first hand experience can weigh in. I think SJC has an LGBTQ Alliance - does Gonzaga?

[Anonymous]

Definitely not Flint Hill.

[Anonymous]

A friend, who is gay and out at school, teaches there and loves it.

[Anonymous]

Jesuits are known to be open and tolerant and the staff and teachers are accepting. Most of the students follow these teachings but there is a chunk of very conservative families, including some political VIPs, who are pro traditional families and anti-gay rights. Why they send their kids to a Jesuit school, I’ll never understand!

[Anonymous]

This smells of a troll post. But I'll bite. Gonzaga is very tolerant of students who are out, however, the football culture may not be the right fit for him. Typically those kids are doing drama and other artistic pursuits for their ECs. The WCAC schools are typically stronger for football, but I honestly don't know any schools where he would be comfortable in that environment. Maybe I am wrong!

[Anonymous]

I think the football environment may pose more of a problem than the overall Gonzaga environment.

[Anonymous]

My son at Gonzaga has had fabulous teachers (male and female) that are openly gay and married. Jesuits are as liberal as Catholics can be. Also, there is a club for not straight boys, but not sure what it is called. However, playing football is probably the place where a gay kid would feel the least accepted. I feel like this would be true at most high schools, but probably worse at an all boys school. I would focus on co-ed schools if it were my son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the football environment may pose more of a problem than the overall Gonzaga environment.

Agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a son who is gay, but he's very athletic and wants to play football and loves Gonzaga's athletic culture. I am worried that an all boys' Catholic school might be a homophobic environment. He does not like the "progressive" schools popular on this sub because he has a heavy sports focus and those schools do not. Can anyone give advice?

My DD is at Visi and does plays at Gonzaga. She said quite a few gay kids who seem happy and comfortable, have lots of friends, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This smells of a troll post. But I'll bite. Gonzaga is very tolerant of students who are out, however, the football culture may not be the right fit for him. Typically those kids are doing drama and other artistic pursuits for their ECs. The WCAC schools are typically stronger for football, but I honestly don't know any schools where he would be comfortable in that environment. Maybe I am wrong!

Did you just say that gay kids should do theater and not sports? That kind of stereotyping can also be harmful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This smells of a troll post. But I'll bite. Gonzaga is very tolerant of students who are out, however, the football culture may not be the right fit for him. Typically those kids are doing drama and other artistic pursuits for their ECs. The WCAC schools are typically stronger for football, but I honestly don't know any schools where he would be comfortable in that environment. Maybe I am wrong!

Did you just say that gay kids should do theater and not sports? That kind of stereotyping can also be harmful.

There is no "should" in the PP's post. You added that concept.

[Anonymous]

I would not send my gay son to Gonzaga, especially into the hyper masculine football team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This smells of a troll post. But I'll bite. Gonzaga is very tolerant of students who are out, however, the football culture may not be the right fit for him. Typically those kids are doing drama and other artistic pursuits for their ECs. The WCAC schools are typically stronger for football, but I honestly don't know any schools where he would be comfortable in that environment. Maybe I am wrong!

Did you just say that gay kids should do theater and not sports? That kind of stereotyping can also be harmful.

The most charitable interpretation would be that the theater and arts communities at Gonzaga are more accepting of gay students than the football team/community. Which is reflective of society at large.