Post Classifieds
New dorming options a step in the right direction
By Jennifer Waters
On August 17, 2012
In light of rising awareness about bullying, many campaigns, including the National
Student Genderblind Campaign, have emerged in an attempt to put an end to the
harassment.
Thanks to the work of this group, the University at Buffalo is working to organize
gender-neutral dorm rooms for the fall semester. Geneseo has also implemented
this dorming strategy recently.
Gender-neutral dorms allow guys and girls to live together regardless of gender,
sexual orientation, or relationship status.
The purpose of gender-neutral dorms is to provide safer living options on campus
for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender/Transsexual students, and I believe it
will accomplish this task.
Not only will students be more open to dorming and taking advantage of all that
option has to offer, they won't have to worry about being harassed or abused by the
other students living with them.
After the suicide of Tyler Clementi in 2010, a student at Rutgers who was harassed
by his roommate for being gay, colleges have begun to face the issues LGBT students
are having with traditional dorm situations. Now they are creating solutions.
Thankfully, the few dozen or so colleges and universities that have agreed to update
their dorm settings are doing their part to put an end to bullying and ease the minds
of students who identify themselves as being part of the LGBT community. It's time
for the rest to do the same.
I understand that it is ultimately up to the college and that there are negative
arguments that can be made about gender-neutral dorms.
Since Buffalo State claims to be a campus that is welcoming and friendly to students
of every sexual orientation and background, I think it's only fair to ask them to
prove it to the students.
Although this decision would not affect me personally, I think it would benefit those
students who may be facing problems.
I can say from the years I lived in the dorms that students already have ways
of making this happen on their own, and it's not for safety reasons. Lazy RAs,
disorganized records and poorly monitored entrances make it easy for students to
essentially live with whomever they choose while on campus.
Since not all dorms would be converted to gender-neutral policies, there would only
be a limited number of spaces available to students.
The schools claim they do not ask if there is a romantic relationship between the
people applying so unfortunately there is no guarantee the spaces will be used for
their intended function.
However, giving a student a sense of safety and peace of mind while in college is an
opportunity that should not be passed by.
The college administration showed their support for the LGBT students at Buffalo
State back in October and I commend them for doing so. Now it's time to go one step
further.
Jennifer Waters can be reached by email at waters.record@live.com.
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