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Study Shows Terror Among Gay College Students
by Beth Shapiro
365Gay.com Newscenter
New York Bureau
May 6, 2003
6: 57 p.m. ET/+5GMT/-3PT
(New York City) A major study of American colleges and universities shows that the country's halls of higher learning are filled with fear for LGBT students.
The survey is the largest-ever of the climate on U.S. college campuses toward gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students, faculty and staff. It shows that half of the LGBT students hide their sexual orientation to avoid intimidation, that nearly half the gay students polled see their campuses as homophobic, and that more than one third of them have experienced harassment over the past year.
The study, called Campus Climate for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender People: A National Perspective was released today in New York by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute.
Almost 1700 students, faculty, administrators and staff in 14 colleges and universities throughout the country were surveyed for the report.
"It is extremely alarming that, in 2003, people on college campuses continue to experience anti-GLBT harassment," said National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Executive Director Lorri L. Jean.
"Higher learning institutions should be at the forefront of educating people about the damage of homophobic and transphobic acts. Because most of the fourteen universities surveyed provide visible support through pro-GLBT policies and resources, we can only imagine the extent of homophobia on college campuses across the country."
What is even more shocking is the disclosure that most of the students interviewed were at schools which have written non discrimination policies.
"Many GLBT campus members find that they must hide significant parts of their identity, thereby isolating themselves socially or emotionally," said Dr. Susan R. Rankin, a Senior Diversity Planning Analyst at the Pennsylvania State University and the lead researcher/author of Campus Climate.
The report calls on universities and colleges to include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in their nondiscrimination policies, integrate GLBT concerns into university publications and provide a clear, safe, visible means of reporting acts of intolerance. It also says that extending employee spousal benefits to domestic partners would help end discrimination among faculty.
©365Gay.com Ltd® 2003