Question about college LGBTQ issues

21 March, 2008 - 4:19am — wild-blue-yonder

How does your college deal with LGBTQ issues? I’d like to know because I’m at a fairly conservative school that (I feel) handles these things pretty badly, and I’m curious to hear about success stories or horror stories that you might have.

Are there gay pride weeks? Days of silence? GSA-type organizations? Particular incidents worth sharing? Are you happy with the way your school treats these things, or do you have complaints?

Just curious…

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Discussion Forum

21 March, 2008 - 5:09am — milee13

My school...well, it's sort

My school...well, it's sort of like a big gay lesbo fest year round.
So, I don't know how normal to conservative schools handle these things, sorry.

Personally, though, that was one of the things that I looked into during the application process, I didn't want to end up in an environment where I wouldn't be supported or feel comfortable being out.

21 March, 2008 - 3:40pm — 1stTeeka

my colledge

the colledge i plan to go to has a club i forget the name they chose, for lgbt students and they do a pride walk and stuff. When i visited there i asked and the guide had njo idea if they had one, then there was a giant bil board for it in there library lol

**Far from a saint, not quite a sinner**

22 March, 2008 - 12:36am — underdarkness

lol

Oh, the irony.

- One Nation, Under Darkness, with liberty and justice for white, heterosexual, rich, Christian men

21 March, 2008 - 4:02pm — jeff

Hmm...

When I hear GSAs and Days of Silence, that sounds more like high school stuff. Most colleges have gay student groups or somesuch, but short of that, you can always find support off-campus, since it is usually more roll-your-own than high school.

The big question is whether the environment there is intentional. Check their website and what they say to prospective students, or check your handbook about non-discrimination policies and stuff, most liberal/progressive schools will have some inclusive language there. If so, then you at least know the school, despite not creating a nurturing environment, is at least looking in the right direction.

Is the school located somewhere where you can tap into the local gay community? Or, poke around Facebook find some other gay students, assuming you're out on your Facebook, and introduce yourself, see what they think. Start a group yourself, doesn't even need to be formal, just a "Every Saturday morning at 11, we meet at the coffeeshop and grab the table in the back." Post a Facebook group, see who else shows up, word spreads.

Be the change you want to see and all that kinda stuff.

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26 March, 2008 - 6:01am — Naimah

yo Jeff, did you get that

yo Jeff, did you get that job at SFSU that you applied for??
~~~~~~~~~~~
Naimah!!!!!!

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26 March, 2008 - 10:52pm — jeff

Nope...

Probably one of the many jobs I didn't get for being overqualified. No one seems to like the idea that I'm applying for a job because I don't want to work hard?! My viewpoint is they're getting me at a discount rate. Oh well... heh.. doing a contract for a tech company now, instead.

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"Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there." -- Josh Billings.

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22 March, 2008 - 12:43am — underdarkness

Good 'ol UT

My college seems pretty much in the middle. There's a GSA-like group, but it's hated by students and faculty. The school has legislation against discrimination, but I was fired from working at a coffee shop on campus because a guy I had a debate with my supervisor about gay marriage that ended with her telling me, "I know what the Bible says about fags and I agree with it!"

So legally, the school is pro-gay. Personally, most people don't seem to be. It's hard to tell sometimes.

The important thing is simply finding friends who are okay with you, because it's the students that matter when it comes to gay issues, not the college itself. Though, a liberal college always helps.

- One Nation, Under Darkness, with liberty and justice for white, heterosexual, rich, Christian men

24 March, 2008 - 5:01am — the mouse that ...

My school

Is crawling with lesbians. It's kinda homosexist, in fact, which is, I have been discovering, maybe not better than heterosexism. So that's the student body. Lesbianism rules. Anything else is betrayal.

The administration tries to pretend everyone is straight. It notes when alums say that they didn't like the gay atmosphere; they sacked the trans counselor a few years ago; all queer groups but the queers of color group has died out and the administration hasn't tried to replace them; the drag ball was cancelled; if you look gay, you can't be a tour guide.

So, all in all, it's a pretty good dating pool, but not the most enlightened student body or administration.

No one has a right to sit down and feel hopeless; there is too much work to do.--Dorothy Day

26 March, 2008 - 3:06am — I bleed audio

err...no

Eh my school tries but theres just not alot of student involvement. We have a SAGE group (Straights and gays for equality) but theres not many members. I went to a couple meetings and literally the first time I went the only members there were myself and one girl. We don't do the day of silence and we don't have a pride week. But the gay community up at my college is pretty tight without having a very active club. All the gay guys and lesbians know each other and we have a couple trans people on campus including one of my friends Tess who consistantly kicks my ass at Tekken.

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26 March, 2008 - 3:57pm — electricity

Day of Silence is April

Day of Silence is April 25th, and I'm sure colleges are involved, that's where they started. You could organize something, maybe. I'm not sure how, but I just brought it up with the GSA at my school [highschool, though]. Maybe you could spark a GSA too.

29 March, 2008 - 9:12pm — thoughtgoddess

The university I'll be

The university I'll be attending in the fall has a support kinda group for LGBTQ students/staff, a Centre for Sexual Minority Studies & Services, a social networking group for LGBTQ students that I think just recently popped up, and a focus group set up to consider issues relating to sex, gender and sexual differences in culture and education.
I think they're doing a Day of Silence event with speakers and such, but for some reason I believe they're doing it early this year. *shrugs*

29 March, 2008 - 9:43pm — jeff

Err...

A day of silence... with speakers. The mind reels...

---

"Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there." -- Josh Billings.

Add me on MySpace!

29 March, 2008 - 9:52pm — thoughtgoddess

The speakers are planned for

The speakers are planned for the breaking the silence event at the end. Looking back at that comment, it certainly didn't quite come across propperly. :)

2 April, 2008 - 12:45am — Ashe Wednesday

As far as I've noticed, we

As far as I've noticed, we have a GSA on campus and it's pretty active. There are meetings every week and extra things every so often. My campus is pretty open-minded on LGBTQ things so it's nice.

20 April, 2008 - 5:38am — darkhuntingtiger

Well I dual-attend a local

Well I dual-attend a local community college and Clemson University so I can do band at Clemson. I hope to fully transfer there eventually.

Since the community college has almost NO campus life, I'll talk about Clemson. They have a GSA and all...which does things for National Coming Out Day. And that's about it. I guess it's about as much as you can expect here though.

21 April, 2008 - 4:21pm — Ginger