Orr, who graduated with a level in psychology, instructed the Salt Lake Tribune in an interview that she knew she needed to “protest” her time on the college after feeling like she needed to cover for thus a few years. She defined to the outlet that she apprehensive about being disciplined and even expelled from the college if anybody discovered about her same-sex relationship whereas she was a pupil.
And in response to Orr, it wasn’t simply social norms amongst her friends—the problem got here up in her precise lessons. For instance, Orr instructed the outlet she was as soon as assigned a paper on why it’s God’s “plan” that marriage must be between a person and a girl. Orr stated she finally refused to jot down it and bought a decrease grade due to her resolution.
With the assistance of her sisters, Hope and Rachel Orr, the graduate defined she determined to include rainbow imagery into her commencement robe however felt she needed to be a bit “sneaky” to drag it off with out the administration catching on earlier than she walked throughout the stage. Ultimately, her sister stitched the rainbow colours inside her conventional commencement robe, to not be revealed till she was on stage.
In an extra video shared on TikTok, Orr stated she really acquired her diploma in January. She stated she’s undecided if the varsity can revoke it based mostly on what she did on the ceremony. In an interview with Good Morning America, she stated she has not but heard from the varsity about it both means.
Orr has shared that she nonetheless identifies with the church and that the entire cause she initially attended the varsity was due to her spiritual beliefs and the cheaper tuition choices there for church members. However she doesn’t really feel that her religion and sexuality are inherently at odds with each other, and desires to see extra acceptance and inclusivity for spiritual LGBTQ+ individuals on the college.
And Orr is definitely not alone on this expertise. As she shared in an Instagram post, for instance, she recalled that whereas transferring by the group after the ceremony, one other graduate thanked her for doing what she did she stated her girlfriend noticed her on reside TV and was happy with her.
You possibly can catch a quick interview with Orr by way of native outlet FOX 13 beneath.