Support LGBT rights

LGBT community gains support at BU
By Martha Harris
In The Declaration of Independence, all people, regardless of gender, status ETC. have a right to equality and the pursuit of happiness. However, until recently, one group at this University was not able to enjoy this right or feel happiness during its academic career.
The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) commission and office were created by English professor Dr. Julie Vandivere because she felt there was a need for institutional support.
“Lots of other universities have support for the LGBT community,” Vandivere said. “It is important to have this because students are a vulnerable group who have been harassed by roommates, disowned by parents and lost funding for school.”
“This is an important group for us because there was a hole that needed to be filled,” Senior Tara Jordan said. “We needed a group where we didn’t feel like outcasts and hated.”
This institutional support began with adding sexual orientation to the discrimination policy.
“It was there before, but it was taken out,” Vandivere said. “However, President Jessica Kozloff and Dr. James Mackin felt it was needed, so they added it again.”
Now, the policy states: “BU is committed to equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regard to race, religion, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or veteran status.
The Commission is a group of faculty and staff who want to reach out to different parts of the university to see how they can make it easier for LGBT students. Although most of the 60 members are straight, they are working together for the same cause of orientation and identity. There is also the LGBT office where students in the group can work.
“We all need to work together because faculty, staff and students have been subjected to prejudice,” senior Lena Brobyn-Navarro said. “Prior to this group, religion, race, gender and ethnicity were covered, but people should learn about discrimination against LGBT people because it isn’t right.”
Because of this prejudice and discrimination, they have started an educational program called “the safe zone project.” Faculty and staff go to a seven-hour training program where they receive a placard to put on their door to say they are firmly against any kind of prejudice. Additionally, there will also be peer training for students and CAs. Other programs already implemented include Gender and Diversity Living and Learning Community, where a group of students who believe in social justice for all take classes and work together to bring change to the campus and community.
“It’s nice to have a place to go to talk to someone about a paper I want to write or to just talk about personal things in general,” sophomore Katie Eubank said.
In addition to educational programs, the LGBT community also hosts social events. Chris Pureka, who kicked off her tour Oct. 10, was the first of many performers and speakers the group wants to have here. Yesterday, they held the first annual LGBT reception, where they served cake and other light refreshments, in Columbia Residence Hall.
According to Vandivere, LGBT people are an important group who should be recognized for their presence, and they are willing to talk to people to accomplish this.
“At first, we encountered a bit of wariness because some people weren’t compliant and didn’t have an interest,” Vandivere said. “We will be in all parts of the university to freely answer questions that professors and students have about LGBT issues and issues on campus. This population has stepped to the fore, and we are here to change policies and thoughts about prejudice and discrimination of all kinds.”

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