

In May, some 400 gay, lesbian and supportive alumni of the Christian school signed onto an open letter, which OneWheaton organized, addressed to the student body urging them to resist "feeling alienated, ashamed and afraid" despite the campus's reputation as not being particularly open when it comes to LGBT issues. The letter was issued in response to the school sponsoring a speaker who encouraged those who "experience same-sex attraction" to choose a life of celibacy instead.

The Chicago Tribune reports that, in response to the ranking, the college issued the following statement: "Our goal is to follow God's truth, including what the Bible says about sexual ethics. … While some may interpret this stance as hostility to the LGBTQ community, our aim is to stand respectfully and graciously for biblical truth."