These graduates protested their university’s anti-LGBTQ+ policy by handing rainbow flags to its president

Oonagh Keating. Updated January 22nd, 2024

In the spirit of Pride Month, students at the private Christian Seattle Pacific University have been making their feelings known over the school’s ban on hiring LGBTQ+ staff.

A clip of one of their forms of protest has gone wildly viral. Watch what they did.

@engaygetheculture We’ve also been sleeping outside his office for 19 days in a gay sit-in but he usually doesn’t say hi to us. #pride #pridemonth #lgbtq #gay #graduation #fyp #seattle #changethepolicy #hiregayprofs ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey

Their actions didn’t stop there, however – some have been sleeping outside the office of the man in the TikTok, interim president Pete Menjares.

They shared footage of the graduation ceremony on their Twitter account, @SPUisGay.

We hope that you’ll always remember us, Pete. And we also hope that you’ll change the policy so that we don’t have to sleep outside your office anymore.
Sincerely,
The Class of 2022 pic.twitter.com/8hrBHeMCTd

— engaygetheculture (@SPUisGay) June 13, 2022

Here are just a few of the positive reactions we saw.

Please give him one for me.#LoveIsLove https://t.co/4KgM1R8gvA pic.twitter.com/2qVN8m3mZf

— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) June 15, 2022

Oh, well played, graduates! 👏🏻🏳️‍🌈 These young folks give me hope for the future. 💕 pic.twitter.com/MbrummNZjY

— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) June 15, 2022

Students at Seattle Pacific University protest their school's anti-LGBTQ+ president by handing him Pride flags at graduation. I love every second of this.pic.twitter.com/cmDluZBnsb

— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) June 14, 2022

These younger generations have zero chill…. and I'm here for it… LMAAAAOOOOO https://t.co/a0XsC2jB30

— Nicole Childers (@NicoleChilders) June 16, 2022

Outstanding. https://t.co/h95zkvv9rS

— Troy Westwood (@TroyWestwood) June 15, 2022

I love this cool, meaningful protest. https://t.co/m3RWNvbqyc

— Craig Deeley 🇪🇺🏳️‍🌈 🇺🇦 (@craiguito) June 16, 2022

We can’t argue with the students’ conclusion.

If @MarkHamill says to change the employment policy, then you have to change the employment policy @ board of trustees https://t.co/qDAUpdhupC

— engaygetheculture (@SPUisGay) June 15, 2022

via Gfycat

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Source @SPUisGay Image Screengrab