LGTB Pride Month: Search for College with Pride
Wednesday, June 10th, 2009
President Barack Obama has declared June “LGTB Pride Month”, and in honor of that, we’ll be doing a series of blogs on the LGTB experience with the search for college.
Please take our facebook poll to tell us what LGTB scene is like on your campus!
(19/06/09) Obama extends benefits to same-sex partners, sort of
In groundbreaking news, Obama has set in action the inclusion of same-sex partner benefits for federal-government employees, including the Foreign Service. This news comes as a mixed blessing. Health insurance and life insurance are not covered in these provisions. Also, one large group of government employees are not covered by this initiative: the army. Little has been done to repeal the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy of the armed forces, which basically bars LGTB from the military.
The issue of LGTB partner benefits extends beyond the federal government, and into universities. In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, William McGurn scrutinizes Harvard University’s anti-ROTC policy. Apparently, Harvard does not allow the ROTC on campus as it violates their anti-discrimination policies. Many school now include LGTB in their anti-discrimination policies, and because of DADT, the Army is barred from being involved in campus activities. Harvard has come upon some controversy, however, because despite refusing ROTC on campus, it still allows military recruiters. You see, the government mandates that the military be allowed to recruit on campus if the school wishes to receive federal funding. Only 15% of Harvard’s budget comes from federal funds, but this policy also extends towards student loans. If Harvard were to ban military recruitment, then its students would be denied Federal loans. It’s not a simple situation, and it’s hard to tell if Harvard is being hypocritical or looking out for its students.
As evidenced by the Harvard-ROTC kerfuffle, there is still a lot of contention about how the government treats its LGTB employees. Obama’s baby steps into LGTB rights are a start, but it’s like trying to run a marathon with snowshoes (okay, I have now officially exhausted the foot-analogies).
(17/06/09) 6 Hang-ups for Getting Involved on Campus
by Shane Windmeyer, Executive Director/Founder of Campus Pride
You would think that finding a LGBT-friendly college is the most difficult challenge. But it’s not. Often times LGBT and ally students the first year in college have difficulties getting involved and staying involved as a leader. There are many pitfalls, so Campus Pride has provided these six hang-ups to getting involved on campus. For additional resources, please visit http://www.CampusPride.org
1. The Fit: Sometimes half the battle of involvement is finding something you believe in. Not every s
tudent group will have a mission or purpose that makes you want to be more involved - whether social, professional, or educational in nature. You may find interest in a range of groups like the LGBT or Ally student group, the Black Student Union, student government, intramurals or even a fraternity/sorority. Remember, it’s also about finding a place that you feel welcome - the right fit.
2. Pick & Choose Wisely: Realize that you are at college to get an education. Being involved as a leader can be a great way to exercise what you learn outside the classroom; however, it can also be a distraction and get in the way of your early morning classes. Pick and choose involvement that you have time for and that will be the most beneficial to your goal of getting a job. Remember why you are at college - its not to party six nights a week!
3. Over Doing It: Go figure. LGBT and ally college students are a rare commodity on most campuses still today. There are just not enough of us. This means that many times you are asked to join groups, committees, task forces, etc to “represent” your issues and concerns. Such an opportunity can be amazing and shows value from the campus in who you are. Nevertheless, make sure to not over-extend yourself your first two years at college. Figure out what time you need to go to your classes or possibly a job to offset your college costs. The last thing you want to start doing is not studying or skipping classes.
4. What’s in a Name?: Being a leader is not about a title or position. You can be involved on campus and be a leader without a fancy title. You can also have a title and be an awful leader. Keep that in mind. Often times we believe that in order to be a leader on campus we need to be in charge of something. In reality, a leader is someone who motivates and inspires others to action and change.
5. Dropping the Ball: Nothing is worse than someone who doesn’t follow through with involvement in a club or organization. Please make sure your not one of those people who volunteers to do something but then backs out or drops the ball. Sure, it’s okay to ask for help, but don’t wait till the day before or an hour before you were supposed to have something done. Bad, bad, bad.
6. Girls Just Want to Have Fun (Boys Too!): If you aren’t having fun and enjoying your time
, then why are you involved in that organization? Ask yourself this question often. Being involved should be a balance between you growing from the experience and also the organization benefiting from your involvement in some way. Ultimately, the enjoyment and fun is an essential ingredient for success.
Shane L. Windmeyer, M.S., Ed., is a leading author on gay campus issues, national leader in gay and lesbian civil rights and a champion for LGBT issues on college campuses. He is cofounder and executive director of Campus Pride, the only national organization for student leaders and campus organizations working to create a safer college environment for LGBT students. Released Fall 2006 by Alyson Books, Windmeyer is the author of The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students, the first-ever college guide profiling the “100 Best LGBT-Friendly Campuses.”
(12/06/09) LGTB Campus Resources to Check Out:
CampusPride- A great resource for anyone looking for an LGTB friendly campus. Conducts a yearly survey of colleges around the country, and rates them on how LGTB-friendly their campus policies are. Publishes the results in their “Campus Climate Index”.
Matthew Shephard Foundation-Great organization determined to erase hate and bigotry by advocating for inclusive hate-crime legislation. Founded after the brutal hate crime and murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student.
Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals-Organization for the leaders of LGTB college organization. Amazing directory of the contact info for the leaders of LGTB groups on college campuses nationwide. Use this info to scope out the LGTB scene before you go to college.
(12/06/09) Dear Babs:How can I protect my LGTB son in college?
Dear Babs,
My son is starting college in the fall, and I’m worried for his safety. My son is gay, and I’m concerned that there will be homophobia on campus. I’ve heard about gay-bashing and hazing, and I’m worried that he will have a hard time making friends or worse-be assaulted. He said he wants to join an LGTB rights group on campus, but I’m worried that will just invite others to single him out. Is there anything I can do to protect him?
-Protecting Papa
Dear Protecting Papa,
Of course you want to protect your son. Sending your kids off to college for the first time is stressful enough without having to worry about bigotry. However, you shouldn’t be concerned about a campus LGTB rights organization. By joining an LGTB club, he won’t be singling himself out for harassment-he’ll be protecting himself with a group of peers.
Strength is often found in numbers. By joining an LGTB rights group, your son will meet people who know what it’s like to have to deal with other people’s prejudice. He will find support and friendship. Prejudice is never brave-bullies are less likely to pick on someone with a strong support network. Joining an LGTB rights organization is actually possibly the best thing your son can do to protect himself.
One thing you can do is contact the school to see what kind of institutional support the campus offers. Make sure they include the words gay, lesbian, or transgendered in their anti-discrimination policy. See if they offer any LGTB leadership organizations so that your son can learn how to stand up for his rights on campus, even in the face of harassment.
Although there is bigotry, hatred, and violence on college campuses, there is also a wealth of support. Many schools now protect the rights of their LGTB students, rather than ignore them. College is the time that your son should be making friends, learning, and discovering who he is as an adult. You will never be able to shelter your son from all the hatred in the world, but you can show him that he doesn’t need to hide who he is and that he can stand up for his rights.
Good Luck!
-Babs
(10/06/09) Search for an LGTB Friendly Campus
President Barack Obama has declared June “LGTB Pride Month”, and in honor of that, we’ll be doing a series of blogs on the LGTB experience with the search for college.
Okay, sure, you say. But what does “LGTB friendly” really mean? And why is it important?
An LGTB-friendly campus is one whose policies about housing, safety, faculty benefits, health services, clubs, recruitment, and student life are all inclusive of those who are gay, lesbian, transgendered, or bisexual. This can be as basic as including the words gay/lesbian or transgendered in a school’s anti-discrimination policy, or as revolutionary as same-sex bathrooms (gasp!). If you’re wondering what the big deal is, the answer is simple: everybody has the right to a safe and supportive college experience. If you ‘re a LGTB or Ally teen applying to college, then finding a college that’s right for you means finding a campus that supports your rights as a student.
So what should you look out for? CampusPride, the only national non-profit representing LGTB college student leaders, has identified eight areas of college policy that affect the LGTB climate on campus. Their “Campus Climate Index” assesses schools on their commitment to being LGTB-positive based on these measures. They pay close intention to the inclusion of LGTB in college policies on discrimination, diversity, spousal benefits, health and social services, and on-campus groups. If you’re concerned about the LGTB climate of the colleges you’re applying to, check to see if they’ve been assessed on the “Campus Climate Index”. If they haven’t, try and do your own snooping. Email an admissions officer and ask if they have LGTB groups on campus, give benefits to same-sex partners, and include LGTB in their anti-discrimination policy. What’s most important is for you to find a college that provides a safe and supportive environment for you to learn.
Another important factor in finding an LGTB-friendly campus is finding one with an inclusive student body. Even a college with LGTB-friendly college administration may have incidences of hate or bigotry on campus. It’s important to find a college where the majority of students are friendly, open, and supportive of LGTB rights. If you are thinking of applying to a college, see if you can get the contact info of the president of the campuses’ LGTB student group. By talking to real students on campus, you’ll get a better idea of how LGTB-positive the college really feels.
