SMU’s reputation for having little to no diversity on campus is beyond annoying. Maybe SMU does have some work to do on being accepting and inclusive to all people. That doesn’t mean SMU can’t change or that it isn’t changing now.
So many people write off our school as elitist, racist, homophobic and spoiled. Yeah, that pretty much sums us up. Not. General statements like these damage our school’s unity and halt the air of hope for future improvement on these matters.
What good does denying the diversity that actually does exist on this campus do? It does us no good. It reinforces the SMU stereotype and it perpetuates the problem. The perceived lack of diversity might just be a blind eye that many people turn away from the diversity that is here on campus. There are a handful of diverse organizations that many students have never even heard of. However, just because you haven’t heard of them, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist or make a difference on campus.
To get you in the loop, I’m going to tell you about one of those often overlooked organizations, Spectrum, which I happen to be the co-president of. If you have never heard of this organization, keep reading, because you’re missing out.
To help you get a better idea of this student group, I’m going to answer some frequently asked questions about Spectrum. I hope you enjoy and learn a thing or two.
1. What is Spectrum? Is that like the rainbow?
Spectrum is SMU’s LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) organization on campus. The name Spectrum is used for a number of reasons. First of all, Spectrum is defined as a “broad range” of related objects, values, qualities, ideas, or activities. The name is meant to be inclusive of all people, whether they belong to the LGBT community or not. It’s also popular to refer to Spectrum as an LGBTQQA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and allies) organization. Secondly, Spectrum makes reference to the Pride Flag, also known as the Rainbow Flag.
2. Where do you meet? Can anyone go?
Spectrum meets in the Women’s Center, located on the third floor of Hughes-Trigg, Student Center every Thursday afternoon from 5:30 p.m. to around 6:30 p.m. Anyone is welcome to attend our meetings.
3. What does Spectrum do?
Our primary goal is to create an inclusive environment where all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, can speak openly about their concerns and help partake in the stand for equality among the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community. We also host events on campus that anyone can attend. You can visit people.smu.edu/spectrum to see a full list of our upcoming events for 2009.
4. Will people think I’m gay or lesbian just because I go to the meetings?
We have many straight allies that are active in the organization. There is no typical Spectrum member. You can expect to be accepted no matter how you identify yourself.
5. Why do LGBT people have organizations? There’s no straight organization?
LGBT organizations exist to protect the interests of a group that is often marginalized and oppressed. LGBT people are still beaten up, fired from their jobs, kicked out of their homes, and killed for being who they are.
6. Why should I join Spectrum?
It’s up to you whether you should join or not. It’s not for everyone, but we have something for everyone. The best way to gauge whether you would like to become a member is by sitting in on one of our meetings.
If you have any questions about Spectrum, please e-mail me or twitter me at twitter.com/bpax.
Brent Paxton is a junior politcal science and international relations double major. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].
