Australian Catholic University (ACU) has ordered the removal of rainbow flags across campus.
According to Sydney Morning Heraldan email was sent out in February, during Sydney WorldPride celebrations, asking library staff not to publicly display any rainbow flags or stickers.
The email read, “It is not considered to be appropriate at ACU. If you have any such material on display in your library could you please remove it from the public area.”
‘Should Have Been Promoting Messages of Celebration’
In response to this, the LGBTIQ+ societies of ACU sent an open letter to ACU vice-chancellor Zlatko Skrbis.
“When you and your representatives should have been promoting messages of celebration, you have decided to ban pride imagery and instead send a message that LGBTIQ+ people are not welcome at your university.”
The letter continued, “The directive sent to staff under your watch is, therefore, a direct affront to ACU’s mission to act in truth and love in the pursuit of knowledge, the dignity of the human person, and the common good.”
An ACU spokesperson responded with the university’s flag policy.
“The university has a policy for the flying of flags, which recognises the national, state, Aboriginal, Torres Strait, ACU and Vatican flags for display in public space on ACU campuses.”
The spokesperson continued, “Staff are free to display other flags at their offices or workstations if that is their personal decision. There is no directive or policy that denies displaying flags or other symbols, rainbow or otherwise, in personal spaces across the university.”
‘Time To Rainbow Up’
Expressing scepticism, Australian-American history professor at Australian Catholic University Noah Riseman tweeted, “The University is hiding behind its flags policy, but we know that is rubbish.
“The edict to remove rainbow imagery came after an external stakeholder complained. The flags policy is about flying official flags on campus flagpoles. It says nothing about other flags on display nor does it preclude other flags like rainbow flags”
The edict to remove rainbow imagery came after an external stakeholder complained. The flags policy is about flying official flags on campus flagpoles. It says nothing about other flags on display nor does it preclude other flags like rainbow flags (https://t.co/Ufy5HEb23S). 3/8
— Noah Riseman (@NoahRiseman) March 15, 2023
Riseman called on students and colleagues to protest by displaying as much rainbow as possible.
Riseman wrote, “I know our staff & students are better than this. We will not let senior executives’ prejudice silence #LGBTIQ+ students, staff & our allies. We will continue to be out & proud. And guess what? You’re going to see a lot more rainbows as we exercise our intellectual freedom.”
To colleagues and students: it’s time to rainbow up! Some places you can buy rainbow gear:https://t.co/ZSpGx1WIlKhttps://t.co/MtlCz9oscEhttps://t.co/oTNSFzUH2jhttps://t.co/UK1F0cCo7lhttps://t.co/8SbYtRCnLJhttps://t.co/nwDzbKdcKnhttps://t.co/h5KggQNfXK
8/8— Noah Riseman (@NoahRiseman) March 15, 2023
In a subsequent tweet, he added, “To colleagues and students: it’s time to rainbow up!”
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