GAY NEWS
Texas University Announces Advent of Gay Dorm, Then Retracts Offer
By L. K. Regan
Published Apr 14, 2009
Published Apr 14, 2009
Last week, Texas Christian University announced that it would be offering special themed housing for gay students. This week, in a whiplash-turnaround, the university said that that plan was off the table for the foreseeable future. What happened? And should colleges offer special housing for LGBT students anyway?
Texas Christian University (TCU) is located in Fort Worth Texas, and has a student body of roughly 7,500 undergraduates. Currently these students are welcome to sort themselves into so-called "learning communities," or themed housing. That means that TCU offers a Green House for ecologically-concerned students, and a Language and International Living House for foreign language practice. Last Wednesday, campus administrators announced that beginning in fall of 2009, a new on-campus living community would be beginning, called "DiversCity Q", and entailing grouped housing on campus for self-selected LGBT students and the straight students who support them. The University also announced new themed housing for students concerned with patriotism, Christianity, artistic creativity, and marine biology. In short, not only the gays would be getting new homes.
TCU sophomore Shelly Newkirk had initiated the program for on-campus gay-themed housing, and had eight students prepared to live in the designated apartments. "Well I've been trying to create a safe space on campus for the queer community," she said in a radio interview. "We're not creating just like a bubble for ourselves, but creating a space where we can have open dialogue and students can be comfortable." TCU spokeswoman Lisa Albert put the new housing in a broad perspective, saying the University's intention is that students "are able to live with and near other students who have similar interests." Still, the addition of LGBT housing would make TCU the first campus in North Texas with such a program. While burying the announcement in the midst of a list that included Christian-themed housing may have been intended to quiet a media storm, the University had no such luck.
On Monday, TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini announced that the LGBT living center was off the table—along with the other new themed housing for fall and potentially every other type of themed housing at the university. "TCU will not launch any new living learning communities at this time," the Chancellor said. "Instead we will assess whether the concept of housing residential students based on themes supports the academic mission of the institution as well as our objective to provide a total university experience." While the Chancellor reiterated that TCU, "will maintain its long-standing commitment to the inclusiveness of all people," the loss of the living center dealt a serious blow to gay activists on campus.
Many American colleges and universities have backed away from exactly the fight that the Chancellor at TCU found himself facing. Typically, however, campuses have handled the question through a less obvious method, by instituting gender-neutral housing. Nearly 30 U.S. colleges and universities offer a version of gender-neutral housing, including Connecticut College, Wesleyan University, Swarthmore College, Brown University, Stanford University, Dartmouth College, Cornell University and Columbia University. This type of housing allows students to live together irrespective of gender. It thus indirectly benefits LGBT students by allowing them to live together as couples or letting them self-select a gender identity. It does not, however, place those students in separate "gay-themed" housing, either by choice or coercion. For the TCU students, the gender-neutral option may have to be a next step, now that a designated gay living area is off the table.
What do you think? Should Texas Christian University have gone through with gay-themed housing? Is gender-neutral housing the same thing? Take our poll!
Texas Christian University (TCU) is located in Fort Worth Texas, and has a student body of roughly 7,500 undergraduates. Currently these students are welcome to sort themselves into so-called "learning communities," or themed housing. That means that TCU offers a Green House for ecologically-concerned students, and a Language and International Living House for foreign language practice. Last Wednesday, campus administrators announced that beginning in fall of 2009, a new on-campus living community would be beginning, called "DiversCity Q", and entailing grouped housing on campus for self-selected LGBT students and the straight students who support them. The University also announced new themed housing for students concerned with patriotism, Christianity, artistic creativity, and marine biology. In short, not only the gays would be getting new homes.
TCU sophomore Shelly Newkirk had initiated the program for on-campus gay-themed housing, and had eight students prepared to live in the designated apartments. "Well I've been trying to create a safe space on campus for the queer community," she said in a radio interview. "We're not creating just like a bubble for ourselves, but creating a space where we can have open dialogue and students can be comfortable." TCU spokeswoman Lisa Albert put the new housing in a broad perspective, saying the University's intention is that students "are able to live with and near other students who have similar interests." Still, the addition of LGBT housing would make TCU the first campus in North Texas with such a program. While burying the announcement in the midst of a list that included Christian-themed housing may have been intended to quiet a media storm, the University had no such luck.
On Monday, TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini announced that the LGBT living center was off the table—along with the other new themed housing for fall and potentially every other type of themed housing at the university. "TCU will not launch any new living learning communities at this time," the Chancellor said. "Instead we will assess whether the concept of housing residential students based on themes supports the academic mission of the institution as well as our objective to provide a total university experience." While the Chancellor reiterated that TCU, "will maintain its long-standing commitment to the inclusiveness of all people," the loss of the living center dealt a serious blow to gay activists on campus.
Many American colleges and universities have backed away from exactly the fight that the Chancellor at TCU found himself facing. Typically, however, campuses have handled the question through a less obvious method, by instituting gender-neutral housing. Nearly 30 U.S. colleges and universities offer a version of gender-neutral housing, including Connecticut College, Wesleyan University, Swarthmore College, Brown University, Stanford University, Dartmouth College, Cornell University and Columbia University. This type of housing allows students to live together irrespective of gender. It thus indirectly benefits LGBT students by allowing them to live together as couples or letting them self-select a gender identity. It does not, however, place those students in separate "gay-themed" housing, either by choice or coercion. For the TCU students, the gender-neutral option may have to be a next step, now that a designated gay living area is off the table.
What do you think? Should Texas Christian University have gone through with gay-themed housing? Is gender-neutral housing the same thing? Take our poll!
Matty_22 wrote:
What is Gay themed? if by disco balls and rainbow flags hanging around the place is what they mean, I'd hate it! wouldn't that further push the divide between gay and straight?, for years gays and lesbians have been campaigning that we're normal and completely acceptable, so what gives us the right to have 'different' housing?
May 02 1:41 PM
Sedative wrote:
Although, I have to agree it does certainly sound FUN! LOL
Apr 17 11:43 AM
Sedative wrote:
I too think segregation only serves to further homophobia. It does little to banish preconceptions about us and the house itself could become a very visible target for homophobes.
Apr 17 11:36 AM
LikeThe_Inferno wrote:
As a law student currently enrolled in a Constitutional law class, I just have a sense that segregation is wrong, period. How can we ask for separatist considerations, but then demand equal marriage rights? The two are closely related in my opinion-- either we're a part of this society, or we're not. I understand that college is a time of, for many recently out or closeted young adults, expirementation and discovering one's self, and that concerns of safety/tolerance of others arise. However, the answer is not segregation-- the answer is advocacy.
Apr 16 5:57 AM
FightOn86 wrote:
My school has the rainbow floor, just like it has the drug and alcohol free floor (ends up being the hardest partying floor) and the film floor, etc. For people that want that type of living arrangement it is great and know people who have loved it. I personally was glad to live in the frat house over that floor, but that is just my personality. But I feel it is a great option for those that choose to do so.
Apr 15 11:49 PM
klinci3 wrote:
I go to Union College in Schenectady New York and Last year I started a LGBT themed house called Iris House. It has worked great at my school and currently houses 4 LGBT students and 4 heterosexual students who support our efforts. The house has become very well known over the course of the year and will be full again next year.
I think its a great idea and has really contributed to the visibility of the LGBT community on my campus so long as it doesn't become exclusive to just LGBT students.
Apr 15 8:21 PM
du_jock wrote:
From my personal experience in athletics and the research I have conducted I would suggest the best strategy is what is already in place. Integration. Full integration helps dismantle stereotypes and preconceptions and supports tolerance and inclusion.
Apr 15 4:05 PM
dfrourke wrote:
This is not a new concept by any means...I have worked in University Housing for 17 years and the concept of theme housing for specific sub-populations of the residential community has been discussed up and back about whether these types of communities:
1. Create a "gay ghetto" where homophobia is concentrated
2. Whether specializing the community dilutes the diversity among the general residential population for one of the most profound college relationships [your roommate].
We have thought about doing this at my current institution [SF State University] where the lgbt population is quite visible, however, there also becomes a business decision when you can't fill up a floor with all lgbt or allies. Does forcing someone to live on the floor achieve the goal? Would they detract from the experience the lgbt students want?
I personally think it's a neat idea and am surprised a Christian university even considered [albeit for 5 minutes]...
- David
Apr 15 6:26 AM
twentysixpoint2 wrote:
I found this part the most interesting: "Instead we will assess whether the concept of housing residential students based on themes supports the academic mission of the institution as well as our objective to provide a total university experience."
A similar, Catch-22 argument is made whenever racial minorities point out the need for coming together and creating/having a safe space: by talking about race you're being racist. Here, the argument is by wanting to live with other gays, you're not being inclusive. I don't think there's something inherently wrong with oppressed minorities wanting to be with people who best understand them. Unfortunately, it's too easy to use "like-mindedness" and "shared cultural experiences" as a reason to split off. I am not sure which is better. It's a tough call, but I think it should be permitted unless there is evidence that the experience of clumping like students together cuts them off from other or they are not mixing.
Apr 15 4:58 AM