Big 12 Reportedly Urged by LGBT Advocacy Groups to Not Select BYU for Expansion

Big 12 expansion has been a notable topic of discussion during the college football offseason, but a coalition of national LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) advocacy groups reportedly wants the conference to avoid choosing the BYU Cougars as a candidate, per Stewart Mandel of Fox Sports:

"

On Monday, Athlete Ally, a non-profit that conducts LGBT awareness campaigns for sports leagues, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, sent a letter to Big 12 administrators detailing what they believe are discriminatory policies by BYU, a religious institution owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

"

"LGBT players, coaches and fans are always welcome to the BYU campus," BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe responded Tuesday. "Everyone should be treated with respect, dignity and love."

The letter—which was co-signed by 23 additional advocacy groups—was specifically addressed to Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, but others were expected to be copied, including the 10 presidents and athletic directors of the conference's schools, per Mandel.

Mandel wrote that BYU students adhere to an honor code that includes the following section: "Homosexual behavior is inappropriate and violates the honor code. Homosexual behavior includes not only sexual relations between members of the same sex, but all forms of physical intimacy that give expression to homosexual feelings."

Mandel specified that any gay BYU athlete or coach would need to practice chastity to follow that portion of the honor code, lest they risk suspension or dismissal.

The advocacy groups' letter stressed that BYU discriminates against the LGBT community and doesn't provide any protections.

Talk of Big 12 expansion to either 12 or 14 teams escalated when the conference announced it authorized Bowlsby to contact potential candidates in July, per Mandel. BYU is one possibility, but Mandel listed Cincinnati, Colorado State, Connecticut, Houston, Memphis, Central Florida and South Florida as others.

Any expansion candidate would require votes of approval from at least eight of the conference presidents, which makes it all the more relevant that the letter is expected to be copied to the school presidents as well as Bowlsby.

BYU has been a member of the West Coast Conference since 2011, however, the WCC does not sponsor football. From a football standpoint, the hypothetical Big 12 move makes some sense, considering the Cougars have been to 11 consecutive bowl games and are coming off a 9-4 season that saw them ranked as highly as No. 19 in the Associated Press Top 25.

However, there is more to consider than success on the gridiron, as this letter's concerns over BYU's treatment of the LGBT community addressed.