Focus on the Family Brings National Attention to the Center for Abstinence and Chastity

Today, Focus on the Family did a short radio piece spotlighting Anscombe's push for a Center for Abstinence and Chastity at Princeton. The story was broadcast to over 700 radio stations across the country and discusses President Shirley Tilghman's denial of students' request for a Center. The segment focuses on the idea that President Tilghman's letter (which can be found under the Campaign for the Center tab, along with our response), claims that the LGBT Center supports abstinent students.

I think it is important to note that the LGBT Center has, in fact, brought in a speaker before who spoke of his positive experience remaining abstinent for a period of time. What the Center has explicitly rejected is the idea of bringing in a speaker who takes the position that the conjugal conception of marriage must be preserved and that same-sex attracted students should live chaste lives. This, according to LGBT Center Director Debbie Bazarsky, would be counter to the mission of the LGBT Center.

The Focus on the Family radio piece does a good job of pointing out that LGBT events such as Tristan Taormino's Beyond Monogamy and Queer Sexualities create an environment that is hardly welcoming to chaste students generally or chaste same-sex attracted students in particular.

As Princeton continues to ignore the needs of chaste and abstinent students, national organizations are beginning to take notice. If administrators hoped that their quick refusal to endorse a Center would make this issue go away, the Focus on the Family radio segment should make them reconsider that approach.

You can listen to the radio segment here.