The time for change has come.
The recent repeat failure of the Student Senate to pass a bill that adds an LGBT special interest seat is a sad indication of the unpreparedness of the SMU student body to accept LGBT students. This lack of support is precisely why the LGBT students need to have a representative in the Student Senate.
One of the main concerns that senators held regarding the bill was the fact that LGBT students could not be precisely counted like racial minority students. The Student Constitution states that minority seats must represent less than 15 percent of the student body. Unlike the counting of racial minorities, it is difficult to tally sexual orientation. It is true that there is no way to count LGBT students before voting, but this special issue requires special legislation. Can anyone dispute that there are LGBT students at SMU?
But the legislation included a clause that would allow students to register as LGBT through the registrar’s office. Only these self-identified LGBT students would be able to vote and run for the seat.
In the event that 15 percent or more of the student body identified as LGBT for two consecutive years, there would no longer be a need for a special interest senator, and the seat would be removed.
A minority seat is needed because LGBT discrimination is so prominent. Stories of young adults harming themselves because of their sexuality are constantly in the news. “Coming out” is a difficult and sensitive process, which is why the Women’s Center offers Allies training to help students and faculty relate to LGBT challenges.
Just this week, a student working in an SMU library attempted to recheck some books from Hamon Library for me. When the computer would not let him because we were in a different library, he casually remarked that, “We don’t like those fruity Meadows books here.” I grant that the student was trying to be friendly and making a casual joke. I took no personal offense, but constant exposure to such remarks makes life difficult for gay people, especially closeted LGBT students.
Given this kind of public reaction on SMU’s campus, how can we expect LGBT students to be comfortable talking to just another representative on the Student Senate, as suggested by some opponents of the bill? Special interest groups require special representatives, which is why we have African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic-American and International representatives currently sitting on the Senate. It is notable that these senators, who certainly understand the challenges of overcoming diversity as minorities, all voted for the recent legislation to pass an LGBT seat if they were present for the vote.
Beyond the unfulfilled need for an LGBT special interest seat, this legislation would have been an important step for SMU’s public image. SMU has been ranked 14th as one of the nation’s most homophobic schools. This is not a distinction that helps us in any way. By embracing an LGBT senator, our school would have taken an important step in dispelling the myth that SMU is unwelcoming to gay students. After similar legislation to create an LGBT seat failed last year, gay-rights groups and the Dallas Morning News reported on SMU’s apparent lack of understanding for gay students.
This absence of support for LGBT students has gone on for too long. It is time for the student body to collectively accept LGBT students, and show their support by simply giving LGBT students the representative that they need.
Paul Kroeger is a sophomore music performance major in voice major. He can be reached for comments or questions at [email protected].
