ND lawsuit an affront to gender equity

More on the students’ opposition to Notre Dame’s lawsuit:

If the University can provide access to medications that treat erectile dysfunction without question, because it trusts that men will use it wisely, why not treat women likewise when it comes to contraceptives? The University’s policies do not treat men and women as equally capable and trustworthy moral agents, and the University is going to court to defend that disparity.

While it is not clear to us that compliance with the mandate would violate Catholic conscience, it is clear that gender inequity is wrong both legally and morally. ‘Dignitatis Humanae,’ the Vatican’s 1965 declaration of religious freedom, says: “[G]overnment is to see to it that equality of citizens before the law, which is itself an element of the common good, is never violated, whether openly or covertly, for religious reasons. Nor is there to be discrimination among citizens.”

Truly living out the University’s mission and Catholic identity requires creating more equitable University policies and a more family-friendly environment.

From here, and more here.

We seek a frank, open discussion about why complying with the mandate is contrary to its conscience, and why filing a lawsuit against the federal government is a suitable means of furthering the university’s moral mission.