THE TUFTS DAILY
16
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Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Dear Members of the Tufts Community, Two weeks ago, devastating news came out regarding Rutgers’ freshman Tyler Clementi taking his life after an incident which has been described as cyber-bullying, an invasion of privacy, and public humiliation. The news of Tyler’s death spread quickly, as did information about an alarming number of other youth who had also recently taken their lives for similar reasons. Sadly, this is not a ‘new phenomenon’ to many of us, but rather a reality. The truth had once again been exposed: as long as we live in a world where “gay” is used as a way to tear someone down, such results are sadly not surprising. To put it simply, this makes me SAD and MAD. I, along with many others, want to see change, and we want to see it now. This will not happen until we all begin making conscious efforts towards making the world a safer place for LGBT people. As the LGBT Center Director, one of the questions people keep asking me is “where do we even start?” Here is best answer I can come up with: on our very own campus. What the LGBT community needs more than anything is the support of more Allies. An Ally is someone who stands up for the LGBT community for no reason other than the simple fact that it is the right thing to do. An Ally works towards putting an end to expressions like “that’s so gay” or jokes where someone’s sexuality or gender expression is the punch line. An Ally is proud to wear a rainbow pin or fly a rainbow flag to show support, and doesn’t care what others may assume if they do so. Tomorrow is the annual National Coming Out Day Rally at Tufts (10/13, 12-1:15pm, Campus Center Lower Patio). However you identify, I encourage you to join us and show your support. Finally, if you are a person who is struggling because of your own identity, be it your sexuality, gender identity/expression, or something else, I ask that you please reach out for support. There are so many wonderful resources at Tufts, such as Queer Peers (www.tuftsqueerpeers.com), Ears for Peers (http://ase.tufts.edu/earsforpeers/), the Counseling Center (617-627-3360) and the Tufts LGBT Center (226 College Ave, 617-627-3770). It can be a huge help to speak with someone you trust who might identify as LGBT or an Ally. If you have a need, please let us help. As Gandhi said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” In solidarity, ~Tom Bourdon, Director, Tufts LGBT Center, 226 College Avenue, tom.bourdon@tufts.edu
Tufts Coming Out Day Celebration Wednesday, October 13th, 12 - 1:15 p.m., Lower Campus Center Patio Join QSA and the LGBT Center in Celebrating National Coming Out Day with a Rally on the Lower Campus Center Patio. Allies are especially encouraged to attend! For more information contact the LGBT Center at x73770, lgbt@tufts.edu, or check out our website: http://ase.tufts.edu/lgbt
Out and Proud! We are students, professors, administrators, and staff, and we are just a few of the intelligent, creative, and supportive lesbian, gay, bisexual, same gender loving, queer, or transgender individuals who are part of the diverse Tufts community. We invite you to join us in celebrating National Coming Out Day. Alon Agai, Junior Matthew Alander, Undergraduate Admissions Jon Arditti, student Michael Baenen, Office of the President James Baleja, Biochemistry, School of Medicine Hanna Bao, semi-celebrity/Tufts Senior Sheryl Barnes, UIT Academic Technology Ben Baum, Undergraduate Admissions Jean-Claude Berthelot, graduate student, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy Kara Bilotta, University Information Technology Matt Bird, bisexual geek first-year Zachary Bordonaro, Religion Major Tom Bourdon, Director, LGBT Center Michelle Bowdler, Senior Director, Health & Wellness Aliandro Brathwaite, Freshman, Civil Engineering Major Patrick Bressette, Chemical and Biological Engineering Sarah Briggs, Student Aaron Brown, Graduate Student, Mathematics Hector Brown, Fletcher Student Tom Calahan, Senior Jeff Carbone, Admissions, The Fletcher School A. Joseph Castellana, School of Dental Medicine Allister Chang, Tufts-in-Oxford Lee Coffin, Dean of Admissions and Enrollment Management Pat Cordeiro, Athletics Thom Cox, Tisch Library Caleb Davis, Department Administrator, Philosophy Mary Davis, Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning Laura Doane, Undergraduate Education Michael Downing, English Department Lee Edelman, Fletcher Professor of English Literature and Chair, Department of English Emily Edwards-Bourdrez, student Kendrick Terrell Evans, Bi student Steven Fenton, Boards of Overseers Douglas Ferraro, staff Speed Franklin, Eagle Scout Extraordinaire Susan Fuller-DeAmato, Community Relations Brian Ganson, Senior Fellow, CEME, The Fletcher School Steph Gauchel, Women’s Center Director Professor Calvin "Chip" Gidney, Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development Lincoln Giesel, student Lenny Goldstein, Tufts Hillel Joe Golia, Campus Life Dave Valdes Greenwood, English Branden Grimmett, Office of Career Services, The Fletcher School Stephanie Gunst, graduate student, musicology Belle Haggett, Queer Sophomore Biology/Music major Kris Hameister, student Kerrie Harthan, Protestant Chaplain, Tufts Chaplaincy Aaron Hartman, Graduate Assistant, LGBT Center Ryan Heman Gabrielle Hernández, Tufts junior Ben Hescott, Faculty, Computer Science Michael Hitchner, gay student Simon Katz, School of Arts and Sciences, 2011 Julia Keller, Communications Manager Heather Klish, Systems Librarian, University Library Technology Services Alexander LeBlanc, Bisexual Junior Emily S Lin, graduate student Joseph Litvak, Faculty, Department of English Cleuton Carlos Lopes, student Quentin Lott, Gay Sophomore Matthew Lucerto, Budget and Fiscal Coordinator , Campus Life Financial Office Wesley Luna-Smith, Queer Freshman James Mackenzie, Queer Senior Jumbo Kris Manjapra, Faculty, History, member of the queer of color community Chris Mason, Student / Queer Mobilizer Justin McCallum, Sophomore and Proud Michael McLaughlin, Music Department Phillip McMullen, Fletcher School Neil Miller, Lecturer, English Department Jordan Mulder-Crouser, Graduate Student in Computer Science George Murphy, Freshman. Human. Gay. Matthew Nelson, 3rd year Ph.D., English Department Clinton Oxford, Junior Andrew Padgett, Gay Sophomore/English Major Marisel Perez, Associate Dean of Students Gabe Prussin, Class of 2011 C. Daniel Redmond, Ph.D. Candidate, English Michael Rogan, Music Librarian, Lilly Music Library K Salwen, Queer and Ally Emma Sass, Biology major, 2013 Laurence Senelick, Fletcher Professor of Drama and Oratory, FRAC Distinguished Scholar Ben Serrano, Class of 2013, gay Christina Sharpe, Associate Professor of English & Director, American Studies Gina Siesing, University Information Technology Andrew Sprague, Sophomore Cindy Stewart, Experimental College Sascha Andrew Strand, '14 Philosophy Jonathan Strong, English Department Nandini Talwar, Counseling and Mental Health Service Devyn H. Taylor, bisexual, african american sophomore Nino Testa, English Department Elaine Theodore, Health Education and Prevention Coordinator Andrew Warburton, English department Ryan Willison, gay student Tabias Wilson, Gay Sophomore, American Studies Major, Fierce Keiko Zoll, Program Coordinator, Residential Life