The Struggles of Not Being OUT and in College

I came across this blog (Thoughts of a College Boy) and thought it was worth noting because I think it defines the struggles many young adults go through in thier everyday life…when they still are not “OUT”.  Not only does it give the perspective of how difficult it can be to be closeted, but it represents a great characterization of what many young gay adults go through as they go off to college, then make that pilgrimage home for the holidays.

This is why equal rights are so important.  We can no longer afford to let people live in fear of being who they are.  For those of us who are out, many of us can remember how difficult it was to come out.  What we endured when doing so, and how painful aspects of the process was.

No one, and I mean no one should have to hide who they are, be ashamed, or find it difficult to be true to their person.

Again, equality, inclusion and building a true GLBT community HAVE to be our goals.

I am 19 yo college sophomore enrolled in the Industrial Engineering Program at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Though I am gay at heart, all but my 4 closest friends see me as the average straight American guy- I’m just a normal, hard-working boy who happens to be in a fraternity and loves to hang out with guys and girls alike. I hope to one day (soon) meet another guy who can understand the struggles I’ve been through as I’ve worked to keep my true self hidden from the world.

Well, it’s Christmas Eve right now and there are just a couple hours left until the clock strikes midnight (by the time I post this, it’ll be way after midnight though). And so, the question ensues: why am I writing this instead of spending time with my family right now? It’s not because I feel that the “magic” of the Christmas season, for some reason, has slowly faded over the years (which I do feel, BTW). It’s simply because my parents are downstairs socializing with some other adult friends that I don’t really know, and have no interest in getting to know. Christmas, to me, has just gotten to be a bit boring- I come home to spend almost 4 weeks with my family, and I’m bound to run out of things to do. Sure, I get to see my old friends, but they’re usually pretty busy, so the vast majority of the time is spent with me being with my parents and siblings. It’s great for a while, but then I just want to go back to college, to be with my new friends and my new pseudo-family made up of my five awesome roommates. (In writing all of this, I realize that it might sound like I’m depressed, but I swear I’m not.)

Proposed School for GLBT Students Expands Mission

From the Chicago Tribune:

Organizers behind a plan to develop Chicago’s first public high school catering to gay and lesbian students have changed the name and broadened the focus of the school to include all disenfranchised groups of students, according to officials.

The revised plan is expected to be voted on Wednesday by the Chicago Board of Education. It comes after religious leaders, some gay rights activists and Mayor Richard Daley expressed concerns that developing the proposed School for Social Justice’s Pride Campus would segregate gay youths. If the school is approved, it will be named the Social Justice Solidarity High School when it opens in 2010.

“While the school will be open to all students, its special mission will be to provide a haven where students can feel safe and valued for who they are,” reads the mission statement of the proposed school.

WSU Rally Supports GLBT Students

Hundreds of students from Washington State University gathered at noon yesterday (Tuesday) at the Glenn Terrell Mall to show support of gay students who were recently attacked. There have been three hate crimes this month alone including two assaults on campus and one on College Hill.

Most of the students wore red in a show of support and carried signs that said, “End Hate.”

Radio station KRPL reported that WSU President Elson Floyd canceled a business trip to return to campus for the rally. Students stopped him from speaking, saying this was the administration’s time to listen.

Chicago Plans for a LGBT High School

In an attempt to provide a safe environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning high school students, the Chicago public school system is considering opening a high school for LGBTQ students.  The school would be open to anyone wishing to attend and attendance would on a volunteer basis.

Over one third of Illinois students stated in a 2006 survey that sexual orientation and gender identity are the most common reasons for bullying and harassment in schools. 75 percent of the students surveyed said they heard anti-gay remarks from other students on a regular basis and more than 80 percnet have heard students make comments such as “that’s so gay” or “you’re gay.”

Although I appreciate the efforts of the Chicago Public School System to provide safe learning environments, I feel strongly it would be better if we didn’t have to separate our students. This reminds me of the days of segregation in the old south. Perhaps the Republicans are getting their way after all.

Read more at windycitymediagroup.com.

Sticks and Stones Break Bones and Words Do Hurt

For some students, September is accompanied by the excitement of returning to campus, No. 2 pencils and binders in hand; nervous about college algebra and pre-World War II American History. For a certain percent of the population, however, there is another reason to be nervous: being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

“The climate for LGBT students varies from campus to campus,” said Ben Cartwright, coordinator of San Diego State University’s (SDSU) Pride Resource Office (PRO). “But I think, in general, there continues to be a kind of anti-gay undertones. Studies have shown that across the board hate crimes in all areas have risen, but I think the main problem is the undertones of hate, the ‘that’s so gay’ comments that go unaddressed by faculty, staff, or allies.”

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