Staff Editorial: GLBT issues ignored too often at St. Joe's

You can't always see diversity.

As a college campus that struggles with a certain degree of homogeneity, Saint Joseph's University has committed itself to dealing with the issues that affect the more visible minorities on campus-racism, sexism, xenophobia, etc.

A significant percentage of St. Joe's students belong to an invisible minority, however, and are often overlooked when it comes to university efforts to eradicate discrimination. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons (GLBT) at St. Joe's aren't a clearly distinguishable group. Perhaps that's why it's been so easy for so many students and administrators to ignore the hostility that's often shown toward the GLBT community. Out of sight, out of mind tends to lead to little action.

In recent months, students at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., attempted to create an organization on campus that provided a safe space for GLBT students. By their own account, these students met with resistance from administrators and board members who claimed that there were already structures and resources in place at the college that addressed GLBT issues. Students countered that gay bashing and homophobia were prevalent concerns for GLBT students at Catholic University, and that the administration was ineffective in dealing with these incidents and issues. The students eventually created a group that did not include any direct references to homosexuality in its name: CUAllies.

Catholic University's struggle to define the role of a private college in regulating or promoting an accepting atmosphere for diversity on campus is a familiar one at St. Joe's. Despite the efforts of many students and faculty, homophobia and discrimination against GLBT students and faculty remains a serious and often unaddressed issue at Saint Joseph's University.

While Unity Week and the periodic guest speaker succeed in addressing GLBT and diversity issues, the university struggles in keeping these issues at the forefront during the rest of the academic year. Though many student leaders have gone through diversity training during the spring and summer, many students on campus are not aware of the issues surrounding the gay community at St. Joe's. When it comes to homosexuality, the overall atmosphere on campus is extremely negative.

St. Joe's own Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) used to be called Students for Openness Tolerance and Pride (STOP). The university was slow to approve a name change for the student group, though the group was finally able to change its name officially last year.

A similar story played out for Rainbow Week, the predecessor to Unity Week. When controversy started about Saint Joseph's, a Catholic university, hosting an event that featured GLBT issues, St. Joe's administrators changed the name to "Unity Week."

St. Joe's needs to bring GLBT issues to the forefront of campus consciousness. Though guest speakers are effective ways to bring new perspectives to the university, they often only reach an already interested target group. To reach every student and make them aware of the issues that are often associated with being GLBT at this university, more extensive education programs should be implemented, both in and out of the classroom.

Freshman orientation provides a good opportunity for St. Joe's to show the incoming class that our campus values aim to be inclusive, rather than judgmental. Creating engaging, interactive presentations that provide opportunities for administrators, faculty, and students to discuss difficult issues is one way to raise awareness on campus. Including GLBT issues in General Education Program curriculum would also allow conversations to reach everyone on campus, rather than the individuals already involved.

While the name of a particular organization or campus event may not seem consequential, it is. By not allowing explicit references to homosexuality or the GLBT community, Catholic University (and St. Joe's) is excluding a substantial portion of the population from equality and recognition. The censorship of group events and titles is just another way to reinforce intolerant structures at place within society.

The acknowledgment by St. Joe's of the Gay Straight Alliance after years of being denied equal expression, is a step in the right direction. But it's only the first of many steps needed for the university to become a truly welcoming community.

The Hawk Staff