NEWS
APRIL 6, 2011 • THE RAM • PAGE 5
LGBTQ Students Seek Support From Fordham LGBTQ, FROM PAGE 1
Report, which includes six proposals USG and the University could possibly implement to show acceptance of all students. Proposals include a collective “sign-on” to a mission statement, updating the Credit Abuse Resistance Education brochure, and a campus-wide flyer campaign, among others. “This is a step forward than what has been done in years past,” Kugel said. “I wanted to consolidate the information into a report to pass onto my predecessor.” According to Adam Remiszewski, GSB ’11 and the vice president of Student Life, the report could be passed by USG as soon as April 7. Mike Strom, FCRH ’11, is a member of PRIDE who identifies himself as queer. Although he says Fordham is the place where he has come into his identity as a queer person, he still feels as if he does not belong. “It’s the action and inaction of those who officially speak for Fordham — specifically upper level administrators in student affairs — that have made me feel this way, along with the student body,” Strom said. “This past year [in the news], there’s been an epidemic of LGBTQ violence and a number of students, myself, included, have repeatedly talked about the fact we don’t feel entirely safe or welcome at Fordham. Despite this, we still feel like we come under intense scrutiny and are treated as a constant liability when it is pretty clear that what’s called for is speaking out against this, is taking a stance.” Jeff Lockhart, FCRH ’13, identifies himself as gay and queer. He said that lack of safety stems from a silence that permeates campus. “There are some spaces and subjects [where LGBTQ] students don’t feel comfortable expressing themselves, thoughts or feelings,” he said in an email. “Being silent is a product of a poor campus culture, and being silent is the cause of pain for too many.” Kugel said that based on her experience as president, she has noticed the steps taken this year have been primarily student-led. “From what I hear from students, is that student leaders are doing
enough, but they’d really like to see more from administration,” Kugel said. “I was personally very upset that a student came to talk to a group of administration and a handful won’t even say anything back in response.” Kugel said she was referring to the November Student Life Committee meeting. According to the minutes for that meeting, Sofia Bautista-Pertuz, assistant dean of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, was the only administrator to comment on the record. Christopher Rodgers, dean of students at Rose Hill, said he did not comment on the record during that meeting because he sees those meetings as “a gathering of various constituencies from around campus to discuss issues. It was quite helpful to me and to others to simply listen,” he said. Rodgers shared his concern in a private conversation. “In the weeks since the SLC meetings, members of the Student Affairs staff have worked with these students and student leaders to generate ideas and programs and also to help everyone learn more about the array of programs and services we have in place,” he said. According to dean Rodgers, all residence assistants and directors, orientation leaders and peer educators at Fordham University receive diversity training that involves issues regarding race, religion and sexual identity. The University also offers a reception for LGBT freshmen and allies at orientation each fall. In addition to this training, each semester the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) offers an LGBT and Ally Network of Support program. According to the school’s Web site, the program is open to all members of Fordham “who would like to demonstrate their active commitment to creating a campus environment that is open and welcoming to all LGBT students and their allies, in keeping with the Jesuit tenet of cura Personalis and the principle that all persons should be treated with dignity and respect which is explicit in Catholic teaching.” This semester’s program will be held April 6 and 13. Each session is
DAVID BERGELAND/MCT
A student signs a memorial in honor of Tyler Clementi after he committed suicided because of harassment over his sexuality.
KEVIN R. WEXLER /MCT
Students at Rutgers University hold a vigil after a student committed suicide due to bullying over his sexual orientation.
five hours long, and all members of Fordham’s community are allowed to attend. Ed Cahill, associate professor of English at Fordham and the faculty advisor of PRIDE, said he’s pleased with the progress made at Fordham, but more could be done. “The administration is to be commended for their part in bringing [various programs] into being. But at the best universities today, these are standard. So I’d like to see Fordham continue working to create an environment in which LGBTQ students feel not merely tolerated, but full accepted and appreciated. We’re not quite there yet.” One USG vice president, who identifies as bisexual and wished to remain anonymous for this article, said that the perception that LGBTQ students are treated unfairly is “pretty accurate,” but the student says the LGBTQ community is not an isolated target. “I think the disparity in treatment has less to do with targeted discrimination against LGBTQ and more to do with OSL&CD’s new leadership trying to be cautious with potentially sensitive issues,” he said. “[Assistant] Dean [of student affairs, Alanna] Nolan has been leading the way with various improvements to OSL&CD operation. When dealing with such personal things it’s best to exercise caution.” The main suggestion brought forward by students at the SLC meetings is the possible implementation of an anonymous bias reporting system through which students could report incidents through security. Strom said a system like this is necessary. “There needs to be a non-punitive way of telling these stories and getting this stuff out there, and that needs to be coupled with consciousness raising,” he said. Some student leaders and administrators expressed apprehension to a system based on anonymity. Jake Braithwaite, FCRH ’11, president of Residence Halls Association, said more discussion is needed. “I think there are a wide variety of under- or unreported incidents on campus, but this feels a bit like a ‘catch-all’ system to me, where a more nuanced approach could prove more fruitful.”
Rodgers had similar sentiments. “Anonymous reporting can attract false, reports, be used for pranks or simply leave staff with no way to effectively reason — much less care for the students who may be affected,” he said. The Community Initiative Report drafted by USG also suggests more discussion about a bias incident reporting system. According to John Carroll, assistant vice president of Safety and Security, there was only one major reported bias incident in 2010 regarding members of the women’s softball team and some female students. In 2011, there has been one aggravated harassment incident, but he did not specify if that involved issues of sexual orientation or iden-
his sophomore year in which a student approached him at an off-campus party and told him, “boys don’t dance with boys at this house.” On the other hand, many students said they have had positive experiences at Fordham, as well. Kathryn Reddy, FCRH ’14, said her experience as a freshman at Fordham has been overall, extremely positive. “I’ve had no problems with roommates at all,” she said. “Most people are interested in asking questions.” Reddy also said academically, she has had positive conversations. She cited one exchange with the senior dean whom she said recommended some books to her on incorporating sexuality into religion. “I didn’t say I was gay, but my brother is gay and he’s getting mar-
“There’s an overwhelming feeling in the LGBT community that we do not fit into Fordham’s mission statement.” AMANDA VODOLA, FCRH ’11
tity. Many students interviewed for this article cited incidents in which they say they had been harassed on and off campus because of their identity. One gay student, who did not wish to be identified, said people he did not know have called him a faggot once or twice as he has walked past them on campus. The student also stated that he had a negative experience coming out to his friends sophomore year. He said their reaction was so negative that he said he had to move out of his dorm room and find new living arrangements. “I didn’t feel accepted at Fordham after that experience,” he said. “I had a really hard time dealing with the fact that people were going to basically hate me on principle for the rest of my life and that I was going to have to deal with legitimate discrimination which I hadn’t had to deal with before.” Lockhart recalled a time when a student harassed him because he was wearing a powder blue shirt with rainbows and unicorns on it, while Strom spoke of one incident
ried,” Reddy said. Another female student who identifies herself as a lesbian, but wished to remain anonymous because she is not entirely out to her family and friends, said her Christian Life Communities group at Fordham helped her as she worked to reconcile her faith and sexuality. “My group made it very clear to me that they would love me and support me in my struggle,” she said. Kugel says a disparity of acceptance exists between academics and student affairs that can complicate the issue even further. “I think it’s demonstrated with the Vagina Monologues, [where] academics supported it, Student Affairs didn’t,” she said. She says, progress has been made, however. “I think student government has done a pretty good job in addressing [these concerns],” Kugel said. We’ve done exactly what students ask. It’s difficult when you are dealing with something that’s not tangible. It’s a feeling…it’s campus wide, so figuring out how to change a climate of a campus is a difficult thing to do.”