Is Gonzaga a Good Choice For Gay Son?

[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 son, a Gonzaga graduate, had a couple friends at Gonzaga who were gay and very much accepted at the school. No issues, no bullying. One of the boys played my son's sport and it was never an issue. Why should it be? I would very very disappointed with my son if he was adverse to anyone who had different interests/views than he and I really do believe the Gonzaga community is accepting to all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

Agree.

As someone that played football, unfortunately, I'd agree. Saying that I'd argue that coming in the door "open" would be more of an issue. Once he is established and was part of the team and the brotherhood, he could come out.

I'm not saying its right but that's probably the correct path.

I would generally say this about any football team not exclusive to Gonzaga.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wants to play football? This has to be one of the more obvious troll posts I’ve seen in a while.

What does sexuality have to do with the sport you would want to play or be good at? What an antiquated view.

True. My son had a friend on his rugby team who was gay. No one cared. No one spoke to others about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gay dad here. Would have no hesitation with Gonzanga. Send my own kid to a different boys school and there are gay students there. It's a very different world than the 1990s. I'm jealous of your kid being a teen today.

Gay men come in all types and beliefs and attitudes and character. Some are stereotypical qu33r with existential angst and believes the whole world is against them, others are laid back conservatives who know they are just one among many different types of people on this planet. The biggest annoyance I find with modern LGBTQ+ is that they act as if they have a lock on what gays must be like and must do and must believe in.

If your kid is athletic and easygoing, he will be totally fine at Gonzaga. I'd even go as far as to say that sending a normal gay child to a super lgbtq friendly progressive school may be a bit of a disservice. Insular bubbles reinforces beliefs in unhealthy ways in the name of kindness and affirmation. Gonzaga will not do that. In short, if your kid feels at home with the vibes at Gonzaga, he will be fine. And there are gay faculty who can be mentors if he needs to connect with a gay adult, which IMHO is important.

Can you explain what you mean here?

So it has been answered above but want to provide my thoughts in general not specific to a LGBTQ+ as it relates to all kinds of issues. One of the biggest anathema's with respect to social media is the fact you get stuck on feed back loops based on the algorithms of what you watch/click on. If you lean right, you are going to get mostly right leaning stories, same the other way. This tends to feed into your view as being the only correct view out there and that an opposing view is wrong. It wasn't like this in the past when you generally received your information via a hard copy of newspaper, news cast or neighbor where you had no ability to self filter the news that would then create a system that would continue that self-filtering without your knowledge. It prevents your ability to learn about opposing views and more importantly not understand the nuance in many issues that aren't as black/white as social media algorithms make it to appear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Look elsewhere. We prefer you not be here. Not consistent with Catholic virtues.

You are fake Christian, a hypocrite. My son - a straight white male - had 3 good friends at Gonzaga who were gay and no one cared. 2 played a sport. You do know Jesus accepted everyone, so you should, too. It's none of your business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is a Jesuit high school in downtown DC. It is not going to be super conservative. There is a lot of anti-Catholic bias on here— most everyday Catholics skew pretty liberal.

We’re a liberal Catholic Gonzaga family and I agree with this. There are some conservative Catholics at Gonzaga but they’re in the minority. We’ve found the school to be a very welcoming place. I also agree that there is a lot of anti-Catholic bias on this thread and others about GZ and I suspect it comes from people who do not have much knowledge of or experience with the Jesuits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just no

Sure there are “tolerant” people and groups who are “accepting”.

But you don’t want your child to avoid spaces and hear the ugly trope “love the sinner not the sin”.

You want them to be celebrated as an important part of the community.

GZ hasn’t gotten there yet even with the pockets of liberal true Catholics who are very visible.

Not true. Really disappointing to read this. My son has a close friend in his math track who is gay. Totally accepted, social butterfly and everyone loved him as a friend. Another gay boy played on his sport team. At one point, this boy did make a pass at my son and my son told him he's straight but would be a friend. Nothing to report happened again. This shouldn't be an issue because Jesuits are amazing!! But then again, I've brought up son to not judge and accept ppl for who they are. Love is love.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Look elsewhere. We prefer you not be here. Not consistent with Catholic virtues.

Speak for yourself. Your response is not consistent with the pastoral approach that the Jesuits advance.

+1.

Signed,

Liberal, Catholic, Gonzaga parent who is not a bigot

There are lots of us at Gonzaga.

I'm with you! My experience at the school didn't align with the posters who are hypocrites, just the opposite. What Gonzaga doesn't support is bullying. A couple yrs ago, 3 Lacrosse players were expelled in early Spring for an incident. I've never witnessed any adverse behavoir to anyone gay.

[Anonymous]

I think you are going to find a mixed bag. There are definitely some very conservative families who go there and maybe they aren’t outwardly hostile but don’t count on 100% acceptance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you are going to find a mixed bag. There are definitely some very conservative families who go there and maybe they aren’t outwardly hostile but don’t count on 100% acceptance.

not really. judgmental non-accepting maga catholics go to the Heights

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Look elsewhere. We prefer you not be here. Not consistent with Catholic virtues.

This 100% troll post is not consistent with Catholic values.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Look elsewhere. We prefer you not be here. Not consistent with Catholic virtues.

You are fake Christian, a hypocrite. My son - a straight white male - had 3 good friends at Gonzaga who were gay and no one cared. 2 played a sport. You do know Jesus accepted everyone, so you should, too. It's none of your business.

This is true of most Catholic schools in the area too. Lots of out gay kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is a Jesuit high school in downtown DC. It is not going to be super conservative. There is a lot of anti-Catholic bias on here— most everyday Catholics skew pretty liberal.

We’re a liberal Catholic Gonzaga family and I agree with this. There are some conservative Catholics at Gonzaga but they’re in the minority. We’ve found the school to be a very welcoming place. I also agree that there is a lot of anti-Catholic bias on this thread and others about GZ and I suspect it comes from people who do not have much knowledge of or experience with the Jesuits.

Gonzaga student body is far more conservative than you are giving them credit for. Faculty is very liberal. Having said that, I don’t think it would be a big deal but just remember one thing: teenagers make fun of each other for everything. Especially boys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is a Jesuit high school in downtown DC. It is not going to be super conservative. There is a lot of anti-Catholic bias on here— most everyday Catholics skew pretty liberal.

We’re a liberal Catholic Gonzaga family and I agree with this. There are some conservative Catholics at Gonzaga but they’re in the minority. We’ve found the school to be a very welcoming place. I also agree that there is a lot of anti-Catholic bias on this thread and others about GZ and I suspect it comes from people who do not have much knowledge of or experience with the Jesuits.

Gonzaga student body is far more conservative than you are giving them credit for. Faculty is very liberal. Having said that, I don’t think it would be a big deal but just remember one thing: teenagers make fun of each other for everything. Especially boys.

*^^I have no idea what I'm talking about but this is what my mind tells me*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gay dad here. Would have no hesitation with Gonzanga. Send my own kid to a different boys school and there are gay students there. It's a very different world than the 1990s. I'm jealous of your kid being a teen today.

Gay men come in all types and beliefs and attitudes and character. Some are stereotypical qu33r with existential angst and believes the whole world is against them, others are laid back conservatives who know they are just one among many different types of people on this planet. The biggest annoyance I find with modern LGBTQ+ is that they act as if they have a lock on what gays must be like and must do and must believe in.

If your kid is athletic and easygoing, he will be totally fine at Gonzaga. I'd even go as far as to say that sending a normal gay child to a super lgbtq friendly progressive school may be a bit of a disservice. Insular bubbles reinforces beliefs in unhealthy ways in the name of kindness and affirmation. Gonzaga will not do that. In short, if your kid feels at home with the vibes at Gonzaga, he will be fine. And there are gay faculty who can be mentors if he needs to connect with a gay adult, which IMHO is important.

Can you explain what you mean here?

The 80’s gay men don’t like the pride part of the gay community. They like the put your head down, act straight, deal with the bigotry and play a sport to pass.