14 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, March 20, 1998
FRIDAYFOCUS
LesbiW gy, bisexual ad transgender
students have formed a strong, visible
and active presence on campus. The
University prides itself on its diversity,
accelticulturalsm, st
dsrna mion and hassment still occr.
How
suppo
the
'U,
corn
By Rachel Edehnan Daily Staff Reporter
The University has made many
efforts to provide a supportive and
inclusive environment for lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender students.
The first effort was made in 1971 with
the establishment of the University's
Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Affairs, which is the oldest
university office of its type in the coun-
try. It was originally called the Office of
Human Sexuality, with the objective of
combatting negative lesbian, gay and
bisexual stereotypes and prejudices.
"From my perspective, I've never seen
more support - both institutionally and
administratively - in the 10 years I've
been here at Michigan," said Ken
Blochowski, interim director of the
Office of LGBT Affairs. "The question
is - do students feel that or not?"
The office has undergone various
changes during its 26-year history. The first
co-coordinator of the office, Jim Toy, said
the overall climate surrounding the LGBT
community at the University has changed
greatly since the office was created.
"Overall, the University is much more
accepting and supportive than they were in
1971," said Toy, who is currently a repre-
sentative at the Office of Human Resources
and Affirmative Action. "I hope that cur-
rent students sense that support."
The Office of LGBT Affairs currently
offers various services for students, staff
and faculty, including a speaker's bureau,
discussion support groups and workshops.
The office has sponsored and organized
various events, speakers and conferences
featuring discussions of issues of impor-
tance to the LGBT community.
The office also is part of a "multicul-
tural portfolio" of offices within the
Division of Student Affairs, including
the Office of Multi-Ethiic Student
Affairs and the International Center.
There are a multitude of LGBT organi-
zations and groups on campus that provide
a social network and support for LGBT
students and community members.
Students also can find support at
University Counseling and
Psychological Services, which has a staff
trained specially to handle LGBT issues.
University Hospital's Comprehensive
Gender Program Services provides ser-
vices to transgender people.
Seminars and workshops on finding
LGBT-friendly workplaces are offered
through Career Planning and Placement,
and the Intergroup Relations program
offers a "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgen-
der-heterosexual" dialogue group.
"It's liberating and very exciting,"
Blochowski said. "The University of
Michigan is one of the best college cam-
puses in the country to engage in that
learning and discovery."
Although the Office of LGBT Affairs
offers programming and resources, many
students said that a lack of adequate
funding and a staff shortage makes pro-
gramming and assistance difficult.
"There's so much money in the
University," said LSA junior Neela
Ghoshal, who is bisexual. "So much of
it is going to ridiculous places."
Beth Harrison-Prado, a gay Social
Work and sociology graduate student,
said the University community needs to
be do more to make LGBT students feel
welcome on campus.
"It's not perfect, and discrimination
still exists, but this university does make
efforts to be welcoming to LGBT stu-
dents," Harrison-Prado said. "The
University does make some efforts, but
I'd like to see some more made."
Prado said the University should more
actively recruit openly LGBT professors,
take anti-discrimination incidents more
seriously, demonstrate firm stances on
issues such as domestic violence and
increase its support of hosting LGBT
speakers and special events.
Although the University has made var-
ious attempts to provide a supportive
atmosphere to students of all sexual ori-
entations, some students said the admin-
istration must make greater efforts to
support the LGBT community.
"I don't think that the administration
is particularly supportive of the ( Office
of LGBT Affairs)," said Stephen Rassi,
a Social Work student who is gay. "I
always had the impression that the
University is
University did this."
Although many LGBT students have
found the University and Ann Arbor to
be a relatively welcoming environment,
others have found it to be less progres-
sive and accepting.
"I found the University to be surpris-
ingly conservative," Rassi said.
Rassi said that as an undergraduate student
at the University, he encountered many peo-
ple had never met a gay person before.
Rassi said people on campus often are
guilty of heterosexism by assuming that
everyone on campus is heterosexual and
therefore making homophobic or insen-
sitive comments without realizing that
they are being offensive.
A slice of society
The experiences and reactions that open-
ly LGBT students have experienced are as
diverse and
a little embar-
rassed that they
support some-
thing like that."
As a summer
diversity facilitator f
the Office of N
Student Progr
Ghoshal said orientatii
grams did not allow
time to deal with
issues, and often facil
"supposed to not get t
'U' LGBT resources: varied as the
4 Next year, resident advisers will be cl m m u n i t y
required to take Psychology 404, itself Students
Ssaid they have
which deals with L.GBT issues received a wide spec-
or 8 The University Counseling and trum of reactions from
ew Psychological Services offers fellow classmates stu-
ams, support services, including dents and society in general
on pro- various discussion and - from support and accep-
enough support groups tance to apathy and hostility.
diversity a campus LSA sophomore Jen
itators were newsletter Trudell, who is a lesbian, said a
oo radical." lists LGBT large part of the University com-
events munity is unaware of issues facing
Laws and provisions"
During the past two decades, LGBT
students have struggled to gain equal treat-
ment and support from the University.
In 1993, a provision was included in
the bylaws of the University Board of
Regents prohibiting discrimination on
the basis of sexual orientation. But these
changes were made after 19 years of
struggle.
The regents approved the granting of
employment benefits to domestic part-
ners of University employees in 1994. In
the same year, family housing for same-
sex couples was approved.
Many LGBT students said the
University should make a greater effort to
recruit lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgen-
der staff and should create a gay and les-
bian studies program or department.
"The University needs to have an
atmosphere where (gay, lesbian and bisex-
ual) faculty feel welcomed," Rassi said.
Rassi said that while the additions to
the bylaws were important strides, "it
was only a few years ago that the
LGBT students.
"I think a lot of people are kind of apa-
thetic," Trudell said. "The community as
a whole isn't supportive of activist things."
LSA junior Benn Howard said Ann
Arbor has a more welcoming environment
than his hometown, Temperance, Mich.
"I think that most people don't realize
that we're here. It's a matter of igno-
rance," said Howard, who is gay. "The
fact that I was in a community where I
was able to see other gay people and
interact, it made it a lot easier."
When he goes home, he feels
"extremely uncomfortable. It's a whole
different world. The fact that I was in
a community where I was able to see
other gay people and interact - it
made it a lot easier."
At the University, Howard said he
encountered both positive and negative
responses.
"I tend to hang around people and go
places where I know homosexuality is
accepted," Howard said.
Some students said they are surprised by
the level of visibility and presence the
LGBT community has claimed on campus.
"I think it was very eye-opening, espe-
cially during Queer Visibility Week, that
there was such a presence," said LSA first-
year student PJ Shemtob. "As a heterosex-
ual student, I understand that it's-not a
choice - that students wouldn't choose-
that lifestyle if they didn't have to. That's
just who they are. They're human."
But, some students from small, con-
servative towns said Ann Arbor's open-
ness is quite a contrast to their home-
towns.
"It's a lot more liberal here than I'm used
to," said LSA first-year student Lindsay
Owens, who is from Bakersfield, Calif.
Students said that some people may
not he esnnnrtiv hecause thev are afraid
Above: Nursing senior
Kerri Johnson, interim
Director for the Office of
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
and Transgender Affairs
Ken Blochowski and RC
senior David Carter sit
together yesterday in the
LGBT office.
PAUL TALANIAN/Daily
Right: University
students Jill Gregory and
Barbara Duperron dance
together Saturday night
at the Women's Formal
dance in The Anderson
Room of the Michigan
Union. The event was
organized specifically for
women in the LGBT
community.
ADRIANA YUGOVICH/Daily
Discrimination
During the past year, the number of hate
crimes against the LGBT community and
its members rose sharply on college cam-
puses. A recent study by the Triangle
Foundation, a national gay rights group,
reported a 34-percent climb in hate crimes
on campuses nationwide.
"I've seen more incidents (of discrimina-
tion) this academic year than I've ever seen
since I've been here," Blochowski said.
In the past school year, there have been
various instances of visible discrimination.
Most notably, Diag boards advertising
National Coming Out Week were stolen
and a rainbow sticker, an LGBT symbol,
on Mason Hall was defaced. But there
have also been a number of less-publi-
cized, lower profile incidents, including
the defacing of residence hall doors, the
slashing of car tires, an assault on the Diag
and numerous incidents of verbal harass-
ment. The Office of LGBT Affairs is cur-
rently compiling statistics for this year.
Blochowski said that although LGBT
discrimination exists on campus, it is
important to realize that is one facet of
students' lives.
"Discrimination and harassment are a
part of our students' lives, but so is joy
and happiness and excitement and
pride," he said. "It's important for peo-
ple to not think that being lesbian, gay,
bisexual or transgender is about experi-
encing pain or harassment all of the time.
It's also about learning and growing and
fun."
Harrison-Prado said that while discrimi-
nation at the University is not as overt as at
other nlaces "it continues to be a nroblem."
An open environment
While many students are active and
open in the LGBT community, many gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender students
are closeted, Harrison Prado said.
"There are a lot of students like me who
are very open, but there are many others
who are closeted, who don't feel this is a
safe place," she said. "To someone who is
just beginning to question their sexual
identity, this is a very scary place."
For many students, college is an
opportunity to discover their identities.
"For many students, this is the first
time they have away from an environ-
ment that can punish or harm them, and
can learn about their sexual orienta-
tions," Blochowski said.
Harrison-Prado said there are areas in
which the University can improve, such as
ensuring that sufficient support systems exist.
"It's important that (students) ... be
aware of LGBT issues, and be support-
ive, safe places for students," Harrison-
Prado said.
Harrison-Prado said college environ-
ments generally" tend to foster open-
mindedness and a respect for diversity.
A Common Vision
The diversity and breadth of the
LGBT community is often ignored,
many students said.
"I don't think we realize the diversity
on this campus," said RC senior David
Carter, who is gay.
Carter said LGBT students of color
often face additional issues.
"I'm a gay person of color," Carter
said. "That Dositions me differently than
6
0
0
I
_..~~ -
I I