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THE CAMPUS
CLIMATE FOR GLBT STUDENTS AND THEIR STRAIGHT ALLIES
Rainbow Alliance asked its members to complete a twelve question
campus climate survey about their experience as a GLBT student
or straight ally at the University. We had fifteen
respondents ranging from Freshman through Seniors.
We hope that this will provide a glimpse into the life of a GLBT
students or straight ally and help parents and new students be
better prepared for their experienc at SLU.
When entering
as a freshman what were your feelings on being GLBT at SLU?
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Sophomore
"I actually emailed SLU before I applied to make sure
there was a GLBT group on campus. I was assured
there was. I was comforted to know that they were
there." |
Freshman
"Originally I thought being at college I could finally
come out but sadly it reminded me too much of my Jesuit
high school. I had pretended to be straight and
still do, thinking I would win people over and then come
out. I feel I missed my chance. Now I'm back
where I started, and still afraid." |
Sophomore
"I transferred from another university this year. It
was a shock coming here where it seems like GLBT issues
are never discussed. At my other school if you're
gay, so what?" |
Junior
"I wasn't too worried about being gay at SLU. I
thought that since it was college people would not care,
be more liberal and open to different things. My
high school was almost completely white, majority
catholic, all the same. Because it was more diverse
here i was excited to see whom i would meet." |
What are your experiences on being GLBT in the residence
halls/apartments?
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Sophomore
"I consider myself a straight ally, and I am not alone in
the dorms." |
Junior
"While i was in Walsh there weren't many problems
regarding my sexuality. my roommate was a little
apprehensive at first. there were a couple of times
that i wished our campus was more understanding.
Once when I had a poster pn my door about a pride vigil
that was going on, someone wrote homophobic remarks on it.
This year we had alphabet magnets on our elevator and
someone spelt out the 'F' word. People will do
little homophobic things but nothing to your face." |
Freshman
"It seems like most of the people on my floor are very
conservative so i was a little nervous at first. One
day one of my floor mates came and asked me if i was
involved with Rainbow Alliance and then came to a meeting
with me That made me feel really good, like maybe I
wasn't the only supportive straight person." |
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Sophomore
"My roommate and I don't really get along. His face
book profile says, "God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and
Steve." His little brother actually had the audacity to
make anti-gay comments to my face" |
What are your experiences on being GLBT in the classroom?
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Junior
"I never had any trouble in the classroom with being a
lesbian. Even when we were talking about
homosexuality in Christian morality people were respectful
and kind." |
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Senior
"For the most part, they have been positive. I think that
may be because I am a part of the school of social work
and they are quite culturally competent. I currently have
one class in another department which has been very
negative for me. In fact, I left one class crying
already this semester. The professor and the students are
quite ignorant and close-minded on GLBT issues. The
professor even said the "F" word. It is challenging for me
because I find myself standing up for my community often
but receiving negative reactions, looks, comments and
criticism." |
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Freshman
"We really don't bring up the issue in the classroom and I
always assume that people are more tolerant then they
really are." |
Junior
"I admit, I've never felt comfortable enough to openly
discuss my own sexuality in the classroom." |
Have you ever experienced any anti-GLBT attitudes on SLU's
campus?
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Freshman
"Not really. most of my friends know who I hang out with
and are fine with it and will go hang out with us as well.
I surround myself with accepting people." |
Junior
"Of course. Once when I was tabling with a friend last
year for rainbow, someone came by and started to
talk to us about how we were sinners. He brought up
points from the Bible, told us how we were only a little
bit better than atheists, etc, etc. It was
frustrating, but my friend handled it very well. The
person was very respectful yet very strict in his ways.
You cant change every ones mind. As long as you listen to
each other things can end peacefully." |
Freshman
"Hearing the words fag, gay and homo being used in a
derogatory or humorous manner has become routine for
students." |
Junior
"Yes. Anti gay slurs are considered perfectly
acceptable and then I tell people that I am a straight
ally in Rainbow Alliance people often look disgusted and
ask me why." |
As a GLBT person where do you find support on campus?
Freshman
"There are a lot more people here that support GLBT
equality then I thought there would be. Some are
just more active about it then others." |
Junior
"I just found professors that were open and would listen.
You just need to find one teacher, one person that you can
trust on campus, who can help you with the bureaucracy of
the university and support for your way of life." |
Junior
" I find a lot of support from the Rainbow Alliance where
I go regularly." |
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Freshman
"There are only a few people who actually know my
sexuality. So this has been my first time support" |
What are your feelings regarding GLBT support from your peers?
From student government? From other student groups?
Sophomore
"I kind of feel like Rainbow Alliance is just "allowed" to
be on campus and not fully embraced by the powers-that-be
in the same way other groups supporting minorities are."
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Junior
"I feel nothing but support from other student groups.
Its the individual students that make Rainbow members feel
alienated. Even still, I would say most students are
neutral about Rainbow." |
Freshman
"There are friends of mine who would not understand and
others who support me fully. I think it is sad that
this campus does not make more of an effort to make people
aware of others." |
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Junior
"I don't feel that GLBT people get support from our
student government or from other student groups. It
seems as though the student government is only worried
about hoe they are viewed by the outside world.
Peers, you have to find your group. You have to
surround yourself with people who understand they way you
live and support you or else life will feel very lonely
here." |
How does SLU's Catholic Jesuit
identity affect being GLBT on campus?
Junior
"I think during my first two years it helped me a great
deal - but with the more conservative backlash within both
the church and US political/ideological sphere things are
getting a little uncomfortable." |
Sophomore
"I feel that the unconditional love and acceptance is a
HUGE part of the Jesuit mission that is WAY too often
overlooked." |
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Freshman
"Honestly, to me, it doesn't matter at all. When I came to
SLU I literally sat down and thought to myself "Hey, I'm
gay. So be it. They're not gonna change that, nor is
anybody else, so they can accept me or they can choose to
hate me for it. If they choose to hate me for it, it's
their loss. If they accept me, they'll find that I tend to
be very supportive in response. Either way, I'm going to
college there, and they can't kick me out just for being
gay... I hope." |
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Freshman
"It doesn't seem like it affects students on a day to day
basis so much, but Rainbow has to fight so much to be able
to do anything. It shouldn't be that difficult for
Rainbow when some of the other groups have it so much
easier to get things approved and without as much effort
as Rainbow." |
Does the SLU campus climate empower GLBT students and enhance
SLU's commitment to diversity?
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Freshman
"Not really. The school doesn't seem at all
interested in GLBT anything and that means the students
aren't as empowered as they could be." |
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Senior
"No,
SLU does not empower GLBT students. I fee like it is quite
the opposite. It hard being GLBT as SLU. I wish SLU was
more open to the differences of others whether that be
class, race, sexual orientation, ethnic backgrounds,
religion, level of ability, gender identity and others. I
do not see any evidence of SLU's so called "commitment to
diversity"." |
Freshman
"Commitment to diversity? No!" |
Junior
"No. SLU doesn't support diversity more then being
politically correct." |
How receptive is the SLU campus community to improving the
campus climate for GLBT students?
Junior
"I'm not sure its that receptive at all. I get the
feeling they'd rather we just didn't exist or didn't have
sexuality at all." |
Freshman
"From what I've seen, not very." |
Freshman
"You know, honestly, I see a little room for improvement
in some areas but for the most part I feel the climate is
great. Of course, I;ve only been here for one
semester, but even so, this campus is much improved from
the climate I found in high school." |
Sophomore
"I feel like the students are much more supportive than
the administration." |
What programmatic changes will help SLU fulfill its commitment
to diversity on campus?
Junior
"They need to have more diversity training. They
need to make diversity visible on campus. they have
to show how it is not acceptable to be close-minded.
That Jesuits aren't against those who are different, that
they are about education and acceptance." |
Senior
"ANNUAL mandatory diversity training which includes GLBT
issues. Harsher disciplinary actions when students,
faculty staff or administration discriminate." |
Freshman
"Allow Rainbow to do more of the things that it
wants/needs to do. Allow certain movies to be shown
and the likes." |
Sophomore
"I wish Rainbow was allowed to be more active with its
programming, that we didn't always face road blocks every
time we wanted to put something on." |
What did you wish you knew then that you know now in regard to
being GLBT at SLU?
Freshman
"Honestly, when I entered SLU I was nervous, but as soon
as I heard Father Biondi's opening speech to the freshman
at the point when he said "At SLU you will learn to accept
people of other races, genders, incomes, and sexual
orientations" or something along that line, I knew that I
was going to love SLU, and thus far, I have." |
Senior
"I
wish I knew how unnecessarily difficult it would be to be
gay at a Jesuit institution. Honestly, I think I would
have chosen another university." |
Junior
"I wish I knew how quiet the GLBT life on campus is. I was
so excited to meet more people like me. I know there are
people out there, but with our society they are all quiet,
in the closet, and not going to come out until we
accept them for who they are, and let them know that they
are accepted and loved as much and just as everyone else." |
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How do you think your college experience would be different if
you went to a different school?
Junior
"If I had gone to a more open-minded school, I feel like I
would not have as much trouble accepting who I was, and
who I want to be" |
Freshman
"It depends on the school. A non denominational,
liberal college weould be a place where being openly GLBT
is accepted. i would feel more comfortable being
myself and more willing to come out." |
Freshman
"I think it would be the same. Everywhere there
would be ignorance, it's up to me to change it." |
Freshman
"The city of St. Louis tends to be accepting of GLBT
people. I'm happy that I came here and I think that
things would have been really different had I gone
anywhere else. |
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