Butler University Joins Fight Against Indiana's Gay-Marriage Ban

Butler University president James M. Danko announced today that the school will stand in opposition of House Joint Resolution 6 (HJR-6), commonly called Indiana’s gay-marriage amendment. Butler has joined Freedom Indiana, a coalition that proclaims its bipartisan favor and, to that end, includes the likes of business and organizational leaders across a spectrum of industries and backgrounds.

“Butler University is an institution where all people are welcome and valued, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, religion, or ethnicity, a culture of acceptance and inclusivity that is as old as the University itself,” said Butler President James M. Danko.

This statement from Danko comes on the heels of the Butler Faculty Senate voting unanimously to oppose HJR-6, the measure that would alter the state’s constitution to read, “Only marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Indiana.”
 
In taking a public stance on this hot-button topic, Butler joins a group of higher-education institutions that have denounced the proposed amendment. Indiana University, Ball State University, Wabash College, DePauw University, Hanover College, and Christian Theology Seminary are among those whose leaders have publically expressed their opposition officially.
 
The reasoning from Danko and Butler for this opposition is in accord with the other institutions—including business leaders Indy Chamber, Eli Lilly and Co., Cummins Inc., and IM‘s parent company, Emmis Communications—that have done the same. “Continuing to attract diverse and talented students, faculty, and staff to Butler is of the utmost importance as we seek to provide an education that prepares our students to succeed in a multicultural workforce and global society,” Danko said.

With a growing array of businesses, colleages, universities, and more voicing disdain for a statewide gay-marriage ban, the proposal may be losing traction.