SAME-SEX ROMANTIC BEHAVIOR BANNED AT BYU

Brigham Young University in Utah said Wednesday that “same-sex romantic behavior” is not allowed on campus, even under recent changes to its strict code of conduct that dropped a section banning any behavior that reflected “homosexual feelings.”

The university owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints posted a letter online, saying it intended to clarify misinterpretation about the change to what is known as the “honor code.” A college administrator wrote that the recent revision doesn’t change the “moral standards” of the church or the faith’s opposition to same-sex marriage.

The change made public in mid-february gave hope to LGBTQ students and their allies who felt the since-deleted section created an unfair double standard not imposed on heterosexual couples. Some gay and lesbian students thought they could now hold hands and kiss on campus, though BYU officials said questions would be dealt with “on a case-by-case basis.”

Wednesday’s letter doesn’t provide details about what romantic behaviors are and aren’t allowed, but it seems to shut the door on the notion that gay and lesbian couples will be allowed to be more open on campus.

“Same-sex romantic behavior cannot lead to eternal marriage and is therefore not compatible with the principles included in the honor code,” wrote Paul V. Johnson, commissioner of the church education system.

When asked follow-up questions about what it meant, BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins referred The Associated Press to a Q&A posted Wednesday written by Kevin Utt, director of the honor code office. In a section about whether same-sex couples can hold hands and kiss, it refers to an aforementioned line from Johnson and says, “Any same-sex romantic behavior is a violation of the principles of the honor code.”