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Ruthie Robertson, a 22-year-old professor at Brigham Young University-Idaho, faced an unfortunate event. One’s entrance to the work world isn’t always the brightest spot in one’s life.
The Mormon-affiliated university recently fired the professor from her job after she refused to take down a Facebook post detailing her support for the LGBT community.
Robertson wrote her controversial post on her social media page on June 5 in honor of Pride Week.
In addition to her aid to the vulnerable yet growing community, she also expressed her distaste for the strict and segregated practices of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she is currently a member.
‘In honor of LGBT Pride Month, I thought I would reveal some things in the name of authenticity.
This organization has openly and forcefully opposed same-sex relationships and legalized same-sex marriage. They pushed members in California to fight against Prop 8, and had a policy claiming that same-sex relationships were a sin and discouraged individuals from participating in them,’ the post read.
She admitted to feeling out of ‘place’ as a member of the church for several years.
‘I kind of felt like the rug was pulled out from under me,’ she said in an interview with The Washington Post.
Although her Facebook post was in private mode, meaning only her friends could have seen it, one of her followers came across this “distasteful” post and reported it to her employer during the day. Robertson told KUTV the university has officially canceled her fall and winter semesters, while she was able to complete the remainder of summer courses.
The story doesn’t stop here. Robertson made sure to tell the world that she will not be hindered from her layoff. Robertson said she would not choose to sacrifice her personal beliefs for the sake of her job, adding she would continue to support her gay friends just as she would her straight.
‘I will never support the phrase ‘love the sinner, hate the sin because that ‘sin’ is part of who that person is. Homosexuality and transgenderism are not sins; if God made us, and those are part of who we are.. then God created that as well,’ she added.
No matter what happened in her life, she remains adamant to her beliefs.
‘I will always and forever stand up for the equality of the LGBT community. Sexuality and gender are not binary, they are on a spectrum and that’s how we were made.’
