From petitions for gender-neutral bathrooms to safe zones, LGBTQ issues have been a growing topic on WKU’s campus.

The Student Government Association’s Tuesday meeting concentrated on these issues.

One bill, Bill 5-14-F, Funding for “Bridegroom” LGBTQ Program, sparked the most debate in the meeting.

The bill originally allocated $750 from legislative discretionary funds to aid in the costs of an event that includes a screening of the movie, “Bridegroom,” a documentary about Shane Bitney Crone, whose partner, Tom Bridegroom, died before they could get married. His partner’s family didn’t want him to attend the funeral. 

The screening will be followed by a question-and-answer session with Crone. 

The bill was amended to allocate $250.

The event will be held in Downing Student Union on Oct. 27 from 7 to 9 p.m. The department of gender and women’s studies and the Campus Activities Board are co-sponsors of the event, along with SGA. 

William Berry, a CAB representative who wrote the bill, said CAB is trying to provide a little bit more programming for the LGBTQ community.

Senator Zach Jones said allocating funds to this program could create controversial issues across campus. 

“We are, by finance, supporting an event that pushes a political coalition,” Jones said.

Resolution 1-14-F, Resolution to Designate the Student Government Association Office as a Safe Space, also passed. 

The resolution originally designated the SGA office as an LGBTQ safe place. 

Several senators said the SGA office shouldn’t stop at making it an LGBTQ safe place, but should make it a safe place for all students, regardless of sexual orientation.

This means that SGA would not discriminate against anyone in their office. 

Chief of Staff Seth Church said, “Why does it have to be called LGBTQ safe place? Why can’t it just be a safe place? The point is this shouldn’t be an issue about the political correctness of LGBTQ rights. That’s not what this is. This is us being inclusive and welcoming to the students we claim to represent.” 

Other SGA members, such as Academic Affairs Committee Chair Joshua Knight, agreed.

“I don’t think any student can come up with a good reason for why we shouldn’t make the SGA office a safe place,” he said.