Baylor University doesn't explicitly forbid gay sex anymore

Texas’ Baylor University has changed its sexual conduct policy to exclude specific, prohibited sexual acts, including homosexual ones, the Associated Press reported yesterday.

According to the AP, the forbidden acts included “adultery, fornication, incest, sexual abuse, harassment and assault,” in addition to homosexual acts. Now the Christian university’s policy focuses on what members of the Baylor community should be doing — which is not very much, unless you’re married:

“Baylor will be guided by the biblical understanding that human sexuality is a gift from God and that physical sexual intimacy is to be expressed in the context of marital fidelity.”

The change does not necessarily mean a warmer environment for gay Baylor students. The Associated Press notes that the change was agreed to in May, before gay marriage was legalized across the nation. A change has been in the works since 2013, and appears to have been finalized a number of days ago—the Waco Tribune published a story on the new policy early last week.

The university specified that “this policy will be interpreted by the University in a manner consistent with the Baptist Faith and Message of 1963,” which defines marriage as “the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.”

Still, gay rights activists are cautiously optimistic about the change. From the Texas Tribune:

“They have done a lot of incremental changes, which are all good,” said Carmen Saenz, chairwoman of a gay community group in Baylor’s hometown of Waco. “And I think this is just another step in the right direction.”

Another student activist, Adam Short, told the Tribune that he hopes the change will mean LGBTQ groups on campus could one day be recognized by Baylor: “If [the Sexual Identity Forum] has recognition, then it can advertise on campus and make everyone know that it is okay to be gay at Baylor.”