http://ntdailydatabase.com/?p=2214

For now, UNT’s Homecoming Court will retain its traditional heterosexual structure as a result of last night’s Student Senate meeting.  The senate voted against a bill to amend the Student Government Association’s bylaws to allow same-sex couples to run for positions on the Homecoming Court.

School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management senator Christopher Passafiume, author of the bill, answered questions about the legislation and promoted it during the discussion. “All I’m asking for is the acknowledgement of all types of couples,” he said.

The bill generated considerable controversy among students, parents and alumni. After the bill was introduced last week, the SGA office received numerous phone calls and e-mails from people threatening to withdraw their support and their students, SGA president Dakota Carter said…Five senators voted for the bill, 10 voted against it and eight abstained.

Newly appointed College of Music senator Jason Howeth voted against the bill for a couple of different reasons, he said. “I felt as if we would lose too much alumni,” he said. “I voted ‘no’ because I don’t see the current setup as hindering anyone’s ability to run as Homecoming King or Queen and I felt there would be too much disruptive discord within the university to pass this bill.”

I recently moved back to Texas. I grew up in Illinois and had moved to Austin for a brief stint before going back to Illinois. Recently I moved back to Texas, Dallas this time.

I know Texas isn't known for being the most tolerant place.  My boyfriend goes to UNT, and I had applied for last semester but didn't make the deadline since my previous school didn't release my transcripts in time. Now I'm not so sure I want to get in next semester.

The student senate voted down a bill to allow same-sex couples to run for homecoming court. The votes were 10 against, 5 for, and 8 abstaining. 

I see two problems with this (personal objections to having a homecoming king and queen not counting in my objections). One being that they have couples run together versus having people run seperately for the positions. My high school and previous college had people run seperately, and at SIU I knew at least one gay man who ran for king.I don't think SIU would have had a problem with a trans man or woman running for king or queen respectively.

 I don't know how popular having people run seperately is or how having couples run is, but the latter leaves a lot more room for discrimination. Not only for same-sex couples, but couples who may go to different schools, and singles.

My second objection is that there were so many abstain votes. One third of them abstained from voting on a pretty important topic. One of the objections was that they would lose some Alumni support if they allowed the couples to run. This is already starting to backfire as LGBT Alumni are pulling out memberships. It's going to backfire more as students turn away from UNT because of it's discriminatory practices. This is a very important bill for the future of the school, which will have effects far down the road. So why would so many leave their voice unheard.