SU Needs to Better Support LGBTQ+ Students
Graphics by Anika Dua
As many of you guys know, October is LGBTQ+ Month at Syracuse University. This is a reminder that it is a good thing to be out, be loud, and be proud. However, for many, being out is not something they feel comfortable with. And, it is especially difficult when support seems to be lacking. Syracuse University prides itself on supporting LGBTQ+ students, but sometimes it feels like this support is nowhere to be found.
One example of this is the Watson Hall incident that occurred last year– hate messages were written in the bathroom. Students were made aware of the event, but no further updates were given. Were they able to locate the students committing this vandalism? Did they receive proper consequences? We never found out.
After this event, in an extremely painfully drawn-out statement, SU reiterated their commitment to make our campus a no hate community. But, no actions were publicly seen for queer students to feel safe. In addition, this event confirmed the idea that maybe our school won’t support students on their journey of coming out.
One student in the LGBTQ+ LLC agrees, “I can imagine if you’re isolated from other people and queer resources... it might be difficult to come out from that because if you do, where is the support system? There might not be one. You won’t know.”
SU prioritizes themself in being inclusive to all students on campus, including queer and gender non-conforming students as well. This support needs to expand not only for incoming students to the campus but for students that are already here.
There needs to be action instead of messages about what is accepted or not. In addition, students deserve to be swiftly updated about events that have happened on campus as many incidents, like Watson Hall’s, have just been forgotten and passed over.
Queer students on campus deserve these basic needs from SU. This will allow students who have not yet come out to see that they are in a space where they are consistently supported.
We, at Jerk, hope that one SU becomes a campus backed not only with inclusive messages but also by action.