Founder speaks to students Wednesday night
In honor of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer History Month, Shane Windmeyer, executive director and founder of Campus Pride, spoke with USC students, faculty and staff about the importance of diversity on college campuses.
Campus Pride, an organization dedicated to alleviating prejudice, bigotry and hate at colleges and universities, has reached out to campuses all over the nation to raise awareness of life on campus for LGBTQ students, both socially and personally.
“We really value anyone willing to come out in the South and talk about LGBTQ issues,” Windmeyer said.
As students began to settle into their seats, Windmeyer presented a slide with seven young students and told the audience that they were all members of the LGBTQ community who took their lives.
“One of the last and ultimate choices that you can take is your life,” Windmeyer said.
Tyler Clementi, a Rutgers University student, was included in the presentation; he jumped off the George Washington Bridge in New York in 2010 after his roommate outed him online. It was the same year that Campus Pride issued a report about the harassment that LGBTQ students faced.
“I show this because in 2010, we weren’t talking about harassment of the LGBTQ community,” Windmeyer said. “It took that media report for national news headlines to begin talking about this, to really focus on this, [and] that’s the sad state of affairs of how here in America, we tend to do things.”
Windmeyer then switched things up with a LGBTQ history themed game titled: “What’s your Gay Point Average?”
The object of the game was for straight students to come up and face the audience and to answer questions about LGBTQ awareness.
Students were asked questions ranging from the colors of the gay pride flag to the shape of the official LGBTQ symbol.
“Our straight allies need to be more aware of what our history is,” Windmeyer said.
Windmeyer also talked about men and women who played roles in important parts of history who tend to be overshadowed. One man mentioned was Bayard Rustin, who served as Martin Luther King Jr.’s “right-hand man” and planned the first March on Washington.
“We don’t hear about people like that,” Windmeyer said. “I do this program to show that queer people have a history.”
Campus Pride publishes the Campus Pride Index, which measures the policy, program and process of being open about LGBTQ awareness on college campuses. USC currently has a three-star rating for LGBTQ friendliness and safety.
“As a college, you have come out.” Windmeyer said. “Three stars is not bad for South Carolina.”
Kayla Lisenby, coordinator of LGBTQ programs, stressed the importance of students’ talking and thinking about these issues after the event ended.
“It’s more than just saying that you support something, it’s about doing,” Windmeyer said. “Be creative; don’t do what others have done already.”