Toledo, Ohio, May 8, 2008 / 01:01 am
An administrator at the University of Toledo has been placed on paid administrative leave after writing a column in a local paper that argued against including homosexuals as “civil rights victims” and characterized homosexuality as a lifestyle choice.
Crystal Dixon, associate vice president of human resources at the state-run University of Toledo, wrote a column for the Toledo Free Press in response to an April 4 column by the paper’s Editor-in-Chief Michael S. Miller. Miller argued that Ohio is behind in “gay rights” and also criticized the University of Toledo’s lack of health care benefits for some domestic partnerships.
Dixon, who did not identify herself as a university administrator, argued in an April 18 column that those “choosing the homosexual lifestyle” should not be considered “civil rights victims.” She said that while she cannot change her identity as a black woman, “thousands of homosexuals make a life decision to leave the gay lifestyle.” Dixon referenced prominent individuals who had renounced their behavior, sometimes because of “a realization that their choice of same-sex practices wreaked havoc in their psychological and physical lives.”
She also referenced the high median education and income levels of gays and lesbians, contrasting them to the low median income of the non-college educated black male.
According to Dixon, statements about inequality in benefits coverage are misleading because the University of Toledo’s health benefit plans differ for all employees across its two campuses. She elaborated by saying the university is “working diligently” to address the issue for all employees, “not just one segment.”
Dixon closed her column with two references to the Bible. She said that God had created humankind male and female “with an inalienable right to choose.” Saying there are consequences for our choices, Dixon said it is “base human nature to revolt and become indignant” when the world or God Himself disagrees with our choices.
The second scriptural verse Dixon used was to make the point that Jesus Christ “loves the sinner but hates the sin.” She concluded her letter by saying, “daily, Jesus Christ is radically transforming the lives of both straight and gay folks and bringing them into a life of wholeness.”
On Friday Lloyd Jacobs, President of the University of Toledo, published his own column in the Toledo Free Press, saying he felt the need to publicly “repudiate” Dixon’s comments. He said her comments “do not accord with the values of the University of Toledo” and noted his own support for a “Safe Places” program for homosexual students and faculty at the school.
According to InsideHigherEd.com, a spokesman for the university confirmed Dixon was placed on paid leave because of the column. The spokesman said there may be further action following a meeting between Dixon and President Jacobs.