Well, there is no central authority in Islam, so there isn't any central reform possible. But, actually, many relatively progressive Muslims exist who reject many or most of Islam's traditional sexism and homophobia. When I lived in Detroit, which has a large Muslim population, my friend circle included several Muslims of that description.

I keep in a touch with one of them, a pharmacist from Beirut originally, and she was just as appalled by what went on at this university as I was.

One fascinating thing she wrote to me the other day is that when she was in college in Lebanon, she studied about the artist who painted the image, and she viewed the image in class. Nobody objected, even though more than half her classmates were fellow Muslims.

I wish I'd had that conversation with her before writing the article. I would have included a quote or two.