A former yoga and massage instructor at Boston University said he resigned last week in response to Chancellor John Silber’s elimination of a gay-straight alliance at BU Academy and his comments about female students.

Eric Lindemer, who taught massage and “power yoga” classes, said he resigned last Sunday night by leaving a message on his supervisor’s voice mail. While Lindemer said he believed Silber was anti-gay, he didn’t think Silber would eliminate a club aiding BU Academy’s youth.

“I knew he was a homophobe, but this to me was an attack against young people I felt was unacceptable,” Lindemer said.

However, Lindemer said it was not the first time he has considered resigning because of conflicts over sexual orientation.

“I considered resigning last year when the response to the non-discrimination policy came up,” Lindemer said. “But I figured I dealt with that every day.”

Lindemer said he could live with the fact that the administration refused to change the non-discrimination policy, but said in this instance, he needed to stand up for his “younger brothers and sisters.”

“[The elimination of the Gay-Straight Alliance at BU Academy], to me, I felt it was horrible for young people,” Lindemer said. “I felt I was doing it for them and not for me.”

According to Lindemer, he called Ramelle Adams, his supervisor, on Sept. 8 and left a message informing her of his decision to resign. Later, Adams said she didn’t necessarily agree with his rationale, but agreed with his right to express himself in any way he wished.

“I’m not about to walk off my job, because in this particular case, that wouldn’t be my decision,” Adams said. “I support his right to do it, rather than supporting his decision to do it. I would not have done the same thing.”

Adams said she later talked to him about the tactics he used in his resignation.

“I would have chosen to work and keep conversations going on the inside,” Adams said. “However, I wouldn’t question anybody’s right to make a decision of conscience.”

BU spokesman Colin Riley declined to comment on personnel situations.

Lindemer said a GSA is a helpful tool for high school age students who are feeling insecure about their sexuality.

“I find having [a gay-straight alliance] in high school helps to not have young people polarize into a sexual identity, but to see other students as people,” Lindemer said.

Gay-straight alliances help a student feel more comfortable with his or her environment and preach tolerance, Lindemer said.

“For one thing, a lot of teen suicides are related to isolation and fear and related to their sexual identity. After that, a young homosexual person grows up with a lot of homophobia in the general population. Just to have that level of anxiety and fear on a daily basis is very damaging.”

Lindemer said he tried multiple ways to get in contact with BU Academy Headmaster James Tracy, although he knew Tracy wouldn’t respond. However, Lindemer said he would take his support directly to the BU Academy students who had been affected by the cut of the group.

“I was able to talk to some students and I let them know I resigned because of them and if there was any way I could help them to let me know,” Lindemer said.

Lindemer said he also had a problem with Silber’s comments regarding women. According to a Boston Globe article on Sept. 8, Silber was quoted as saying, “You don’t want to spoil the character of women — or just the opposite, the character of men who find that they’re very attractive because there are two women looking for each man on the campus.”

The Globe also reported Silber as saying he would like the ratio of women to fall to 55 percent. Lindemer said he was taken aback by the statements.

“I feel that some sort of action is necessary,” Lindemer said. “Not just letters to the editor.”

Asked if he reconsidered his resignation at a later date, Lindemer said he didn’t regret it, but thought about the possibility of working from inside BU as Adams suggested he do.

“I feel that it’s important to protest and I’m glad I was willing to make a statement,” Lindemer said. “However, I hope that I can be just as effective in helping the students from outside of the school as I could have from inside.