Now is your time. Your anxious to move on. You have been waiting a lifetime for the next momentous step. There are so many questions:
What do you want to be?
Do you move far away?
Where do you live?
Who does your laundry?
Where will you get the money?
The time is here. You are leaving high school and looking for the right match of a college/university.
But, what your looking for is not quite as clear -- rather it is quite queer. You want to find the perfect campus match that offers services surrounding lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues. Things like queer studies classes, gay student groups, local gay hang-outs, gay support resources, gay supportive policies, or even a drag show. These are sadly not typically topics that come up on your official tour of campus… unless you ask!?
Finding a college or university that supports LGBT students can be exceedingly difficult--even for a potential student who has been openly gay in high school. Closeted students even have a greater issue due to the fact that they are often fearful of asking such questions or being identified as LGBT.
Nevertheless, more colleges and universities are coming forward to create safer learning environments and are finding innovative ways to extend a rainbow welcome for LGBT students. The choice for college can be quite queer if you know how to look and what questions to ask.
The following are key factors to determining the inclusiveness of a college or university to LGBT issues. Use these key factors and suggested questions to help determine the queer choice for you.
1. LGBT Policy Inclusion
Quite simply, if the college or university does not have policies that prohibit discrimination toward LGBT students, then leave quickly. Such lack of inclusion in policy is your first warning sign.
Questions to ask:
Does your campus include sexual orientation in the written non-discrimination policy statement?
Does your campus include sexual orientation in written statements about diversity and multiculturalism?
Does your campus include gender identity/expression in the written non-discrimination policy statement?
Does your campus include gender identity/expression in written statements about diversity and multiculturalism?
Does your campus provide domestic partner benefits for LGBT employees with same-sex partners and, or their families?
2. LGBT Support & Institutional Commitment
A big opportunity to gain major points on your gaydar scale to the perfect queer campus will be the level of LGBT support and institutional commitment. You have to look a listen closely and ask more involved questions to find out truly how where the campus falls. Do they get an A+ grade or a solid F grade?
Questions to ask:
Does your campus have a Safe Zone program or Safe Space program (e.g. an ongoing network of visible people on campus who identify openly as allies for LGBT people and concerns)?
Does your campus have a professional staff person who is employed to increase campus awareness of LGBT concerns/issues as part of his/her job description?
Does your campus have a LGBT concerns office or an LGBT student resource center (e.g. an institutionally funded space specifically for LGBT education and support services)? If No, does your campus have another office or resource center that deals actively with LGBT issues and concerns (e.g. Women’s Center, Multicultural Center)?
Does your senior administration actively demonstrate inclusive use of the words -- lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender -- when discussing community, multicultural and, or diversity issues on campus?
3. LGBT Student Life
Are the next four to five years of your life going to be fabulous or a slow, tedious bore? Well, answers to questions on LGBT student life and what the campus to offer is essential to a high gay point average.
Questions to ask:
Does your campus sponsor regular, on-going campus-wide activities and events to increase awareness of LGBT issues/concerns on campus?
Does your campus have regular, on-going social events specifically for LGBT students?
Does your campus have a college/university-recognized LGBT campus student organization for all LGBT students and allies?
Does your campus have any student organizations that primarily serve the social and, or recreational needs of LGBT students (e.g. Gay social fraternity, Lesbian Volleyball Recreational Club, Gay Coed Lacrosse Club, etc)?
Does your campus have any student organizations that primarily serve the needs of under-represented and, or multicultural LGBT populations (e.g. LGBT Latinos/Latinas, International LGBT students, LGBT Students with Disabilities, etc)?
Does your campus have any student organizations that primarily serve the religious/spiritual needs of LGBT students (e.g. Unity Fellowship for Students, Gays for Christ, LGBT Muslims, etc)?
4. LGBT Academic Life
Let’s focus on the main reason for attending college or university. LGBT inclusion even extends to the classroom. A campus that truly supports LGBT issues will hopefully give honest answers to these challenging questions of the queer academia.
Questions to ask:
Does your campus have out LGBT faculty members?
Does your campus have a LGBT-specific studies academic degree program? If No, does your campus have LGBT-specific courses offered through various academic programs?
Does your campus integrate LGBT issues into existing courses when appropriate?
Does your campus include LGBT issues inew faculty/staff orientation programs and on-going training opportunities?
Does your campus have an extensive collection of LGBT-related holdings in the campus library?
5. LGBT Housing
Many times financially it is advantageous to live on campus. Often times. It is even required of new students on campus. As an LGBT student, you must know the facts, your housing options and the ability to be who you are.
Questions to ask:
Does your campus provide LGBT theme housing options or LGBT specific living learning communities in campus housing?
Does your campus allow for students with same-sex partners to reside together in campus housing?
Does your campus provide housing options that are sensitive to the needs of transgender students?
Does your campus provide training sessions for housing employees on LGBT issues and concerns?
6. LGBT Campus Safety
It is seldom considered as an issue until something happens and by then it is too late. You should consider up-front the level of safety for LGBT students and whether the campus has clear procedures and services to address LGBT safety concerns.
Questions to ask:
Does your campus public safety officers do LGBT outreach efforts and meet with LGBT student leaders/organization?
Does your campus have a clear procedure for reporting LGBT-related bias incidents and hate crimes?
Does your campus have a bias incident and hate crime reporting system for LGBT concerns?
Does your campus provide training sessions for public safety officers on LGBT issues and concerns and anti-LGBT violence?
7. LGBT Counseling & Health
Be wise. Don’t put yourself into a campus community that does not have the necessary services to support your health emotionally, physically and mentally. You must have the options for help when dilemmas arise that you may uniquely face as an LGBT student. These are questions often overlooked or never confronted head on.
Questions to ask:
Does your campus have support groups for LGBT individuals in the process of coming out and for other LGBT issues/concerns?
Does your campus have individual student counseling that is sensitive to LGBT issues/concerns?
Does your campus provide training for campus health care professionals to increase their sensitivity to the special health needs of LGBT individuals?
Does your campus actively distribute condoms and LGBT inclusive safer sex information on HIV/STD area services and resources?
8. LGBT Recruitment & Retention Efforts
LGBT students are becoming an increasing population for colleges and universities to seek in increasing enrollment numbers. Some institutions attend LGBT-themed college admission fairs and have specific LGBT programs to increase retention.
Questions to ask:
Does your campus participate in a LGBT Admission Fair designed for outreach to incoming LGBT high school students?
Does your campus have any scholarships specifically targeting LGBT students and heterosexual students who are supportive of LGBT equality?
Does your campus include LGBT issues in new student orientation programs?
Does your campus have a Lavender Graduation, Rainbow Graduation (e.g. a special commemoration for LGBT students and allies) upon completion of degree(s)?
Does your campus have a LGBT Mentoring program to welcome and assist LGBT students in transitioning to academic life and other involvement on campus?
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