When University of Wisconsin junior John Powers first began college three years ago, it was more than just an academic change he was pursuing.
“I was not ‘out’ in high school, so when I got to Madison, I knew I just needed to do it,” Powers said of his decision to go public with his homosexuality. “In high school there is so much pressure to conform. Like Homecoming, for example, it’s all set up to be boy-girl, with the Homecoming Queen and the Homecoming King. You’re just constantly affronted by it.”
Studies have shown that high school can be a tough place for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, and according to Gay-Straight Alliance sponsor Barbara Blinick, LGBT youth are three times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers.
“Visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and issues is essential for emotional health and survival of LGBT youth,” Blinick said.
According to an April 2003 report published by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute surveying college students nationwide, 43 percent of respondents rated their overall campus climate as homophobic. The study, titled “Campus Climate for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender People: A National Perspective,” was run by Dr. Susan R. Rankin, a senior diversity planning analyst at Pennsylvania State University.
“Many LGBT campus members find that they must hide significant parts of their identity, thereby isolating themselves socially or emotionally,” Rankin said. “We hope this report will assist educators, activists, student leaders and elected officials in making universities safer and more accepting of LGBT people.”
For Powers, the resources available to UW students were a critical part of his decision to come out.
“University Housing is really great; there are two LGBT liaisons available to help students come out. Since you can talk to the liaisons through e-mail and on the phone, it’s easy to stay anonymous while you are still deciding what to do,” Powers said.
Upon entering UW as a freshman, Powers contacted the University Housing liaisons available at the time and asked them if they would talk to him about some of the things he was thinking and feeling.
“LGBT resources are nonexistent in many high schools, which is ridiculous,” Powers said. “It’s high school. It’s not like people aren’t sexual.”
Powers said he knew he was gay in high school, but he did not feel comfortable coming out at his school because there were only 2,000 students, and of those 2,000, only one was publicly “out.”
While universities are known to be somewhat better environments for LGBT students, the NGLTF’s study reports that 51 percent of LGBT college students conceal their sexual orientation or gender identity to avoid intimidation.
“While there have been significant improvements over the past decade, clearly harassment and biases are still major concerns for LGBT students,” said Dr. Sean Cahill, NGLTF Policy Institute director. ”
“I definitely still feel pressure now,” Powers said. “But I generally feel very safe on campus.”
Powers currently works at UW’s LGBT Campus Center as an office manager. When asked how he got involved with the student organization, Powers said, “After I came out, I knew I wanted to get involved.”
