In today’s Voice news section, I wrote about how the homophobic crimes and sexual crimes against students at Georgetown has begun to affect—and possibly damage—how outsiders view Georgetown.

One particularly big affect of these crimes is that Walter Schubert, shown right, who is son and brother to three Georgetown graduates and a national figure in LGBT rights movements, is demanding a meeting with President DeGioia to share ideas he has to make Georgetown safer for marginalized students. So far, he has sent two letters to try to secure that meeting:

Dear Dr. DeGioia:

It is the intention of this letter to convey to you my deep concern at what appears to be continuing harassment of, and in some cases violent physical assault of LGBT students at Georgetown University. Despite recent positive actions by the University, it is my strong belief that the current policies and procedures intended to safeguard LGBT students on and immediately off campus remain woefully ineffective.

It may seem odd to you that I am writing this letter, as I am not a graduate of Georgetown University. However, as the son of a John Carroll Award recipient—Walter B. Schubert (1965 C’51)—the brother of two graduates of the School of Nursing: Patricia Schubert (‘84) and Margaret Schubert Sullivan (‘80), and a friend to countless Hoyas, I feel a sense of loyalty to my community, to my father, and sisters that I must speak up, as I can no longer ignore these heinous acts. Homophobia is a national problem, but as evidenced by recent events, it appears that homophobia is also a serious problem that requires urgent and revitalized attention at Georgetown University.

In speaking with Erik Smulson, your Chief of Staff, a few weeks ago, I was informed the three most recent incidents of harassment and physical assault occurring the last week of October, which put two gay students in the hospital, happened “off campus.” I have great difficulty accepting what appears to be an “off campus” defense. Many students live “off-campus” in the immediate vicinity of campus boundaries, and I don’t believe that absolves the University from responsibility to protect GU Students. It is simply irresponsible for such a prestigious, Jesuit institution to ‘ho hum’ such hateful acts that occur only inches from its front gates.

Read the rest of this entry »

Joseph Graumann (SFS ‘11), left, and Carlos Leon (COL ‘10)

In this week’s issue, the Voice spoke with co-Presidents of GU Pride Joseph Graumann (SFS ‘11) and Carlos Leon (COL ‘10) about their organization, the recent hate crimes on campus and the challenges facing the LGBTQ community.  This is the extended transcript of our interview with them.

The Voice: How did you get involved in GU Pride?

Joseph: Well, I came out on campus during the Out for Change campaign. It was a lot of the issues at the time and the struggle that went on for recognition of the LGBTQ community really made me look inside myself, and, I mean as corny as it sounds, my so-called “brothers and sisters” are off fighting the good fight and I am not even secure enough to tell my friends.

Ever since then, I realized that there is work to be done. And my good friend Ellen, who was already involved with the Out for Change campaign, Ellen Greer, she really encouraged me to be involved in the community and I started out as historian, when there was an opening in the beginning of my sophomore year [2008] and then sophomore year, December, they had elections for co-chair and I ran and got elected.

The Voice: What is one thing you wish to change about GU Pride?

Joseph: I would like to see GU Pride become a more welcoming and open place for people who are in the process of coming out or who feel like they are unable to find a safe place with other aspects of the community that administers to LGBTQ people.

The Voice: The best thing about GU Pride?

Joseph: What I like about GU Pride is that although not everybody who is affiliated with the organization shows up to everything, we have a pretty good sense of comradery and we’ve developed a very good sense of community on campus, which is really important, given the nature of our identities, it’s really hard to do that, it’s hard to forge a cohesive and diverse, both racially [and] socio-economically, group on campus.

Read the rest of this entry »

In a recent interview with WTOP, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Cathy Lanier speculated that the of recent hate crimes in Georgetown may have been motivated by the ongoing debate over same-sex marriage.

Lanier, who recently told WTOP that MPD is classifying the assaults as hate crimes, was asked on WTOP’s Ask the Chief Program whether it was possible that the issue of same-sex marriage could have sparked the attack.  She responded:

“Whenever there’s an issue that’s getting a lot of attention, there may be something that’s sparking these assaults. Certainly that’s something we are looking at.”

WTOP notes that there have been 31 hate crimes based on sexual orientation in D.C. during 2009.

Lanier said MPD has put an investigator on the case, and that the Gay Liaison Unit is assisting with the investigation.  She was also asked whether it’s possible that the two assaults are related, and responded that “we don’t have anything to connect the two incidents as of right now.”

Subbaraman in the LGBTQ Center

LGBTQ Center Director Sivagami Subbaraman told the Voice that yesterday’s incident—which was described in the campus-wide email as “a written slur posted on the door of the LGBTQ Resource Center”—involved a note addressed to her personally that was taped to center’s door.

Subbaraman did not reveal the exact wording of the note, but said it was directed at her personally, not the wider gay community.

“I have no idea whether this is because of the recent hate crimes or not, but whatever it is, I just want to say that I’m not afraid of their fear,” Subbaraman said. “They are afraid of me, but I’m not afraid of their fear.”

Subbaraman said she was pleased with the University’s inclusion of her in the response to the crimes through every step of the process, including drafting the emails that went out to students after each incident.

Now, she said, the power to fight homophobia lies with the campus community. Subbaraman encourages students of all orientations to use the LGBTQ Center as a safe space, but also as an informational resource for those who are unfamiliar or disagree with homosexuality.

“We have to put out a call to say, ‘Look, we can talk this out,’” Subbaraman said. “We have made so much progress since the Center was opened. I’m nervous that this is going to set us back.”

Full text of the e-mail Subbaran sent to members of GU Pride Monday afternoon after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Cathy Lanier spoke to WTOP about the recent anti-gay incidents on and around campus and said she believes the incidents qualify as hate crimes.

Contrary to what MPD Lieutenant John Hedgecock, who covers Georgetown and Burleith, told the Advisory Neighborhood Commission yesterday, Lanier says MPD will be pursing the cases.

Lanier told WTOP:

“These assaults, on or off campus are a serious concern for us. We will do everything in our power to bring those responsible to justice. We have aggressive laws in the District to prosecute hate crimes to the fullest extent of the law, and we intend to use them.”

According to WTOP, MPD is encouraging anyone with information about the incidents to come forward.

A couple hundred students gathered in Red Square Monday evening holding candles to speak out against the recent anti-gay violence.

Representatives of student groups from GU Pride to the Georgetown branch of the NAACP spoke at the vigil, as well as Georgetown faculty, staff, and administrators. Chris Farris and Todd Metrokin, Co-Chairs of the D.C. group Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence, and Sergeant Carlos Mejia from MPD’s Gay and Lesbian Liason Unit also made an appearance.

“We are here today in solidarity with the victims of these crimes,” Co-President of GU Pride Joseph Graumann (SFS ‘11) said. “But solidarity is more than sympathy. It’s more than just standing by. It’s about action.”

Students at the vigil advocated a range of responses to improve student safety and address what they perceive as a campus culture that tolerates homophobia. Among the suggestions were a student community watch program and higher pay for DPS officers, as well as individual precautions like programming the DPS number into cell phones and reporting crimes when they occur.

Read the rest of this entry »

A campus-wide e-mail was just sent out regarding the recent bias-related assaults and announced that today there was another anti-gay hate crime: a slur was written on the door of the LGBTQ Center.

According to the e-mail:

As a Catholic and Jesuit university, we are committed to fostering a community that is welcoming to all and values understanding, tolerance, inclusion and respect.  Over the past week, we have seen several incidents take place on or near campus that are especially troubling because they have targeted members of our community with homophobic language and disrespect. Two incidents were off campus assaults and today a written slur was posted on the door of the LGBTQ Resource Center. These acts are unacceptable. We take these incidents and the safety of our campus community very seriously and are taking steps to address the needs of our students at this time.

The e-mail, sent from Vice President of Student Affairs Todd Olson, Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Equity Rosemary Kilkenny and Vice President for Mission and Ministry Philip L. Boroughs, strongly condemns the attacks and says that the University has been working with the Metropolitan Police Department on the cases.

Full e-mail after the jump…

Read the rest of this entry »

About 70 students met in Red Square this afternoon for a flash protest against the recent anti-gay hate crimes.

The rally was organized by Carter Lavin (SFS ‘10), a supporter of LGBTQ rights but not a member of GU Pride.  Lavin said he was so upset upon hearing about the most recent incident, the assault that occurred at 36th and N Streets early this morning, that he couldn’t focus on his work and decided to organize a protest.

Lavin spread the word by texting 40 to 50 of his friends, many of whom spread the word on Twitter.

“I hope people start caring, start noticing,” Lavin says.  “[I think the protest is important] so we can say students reacted.”

Joseph Graumann (SFS ‘11), Co-Chair of GU Pride said he was “dismayed” by the recent hate crimes but was glad that the LGBTQ community at Georgetown has such strong allies and was “amazed that someone took it upon themselves” to plan the protest.

Graumann said that the campus climate has improved significantly since the 2007 hate crimes that prompted the creation of the LGBTQ Center, but work still needs to be done to “raise awareness that hate is a problem on campus.”

“When LGBTQ students are targeted it’s scary,” Graumann said.

According to Graumann, GU Pride is planning to hold a community event later this week.

During the rally, students made a circle around Red Square and shouted chants “Hate crimes are ridiculous / My Georgetown is better than this!” and “Georgetown students are under attack / What do we do? Stand up, fight back!”

Update 9:30 p.m. There will be a vigil tomorrow night in Red Square at 8:30 p.m. For more information, check out the Facebook event.

Photos by Helen Burton

Early this morning a student was assaulted at 36th and N Streets by an unknown male after being asked repeatedly “Are you a homo?” according to a DPS Public Safety Alert.

According to the PSA:

On November 1, 2009 at approximately 1:32 a.m., witnesses reported to DPS that a student walking in the area of 36th & N Streets, NW was assaulted by an unknown male. Immediately prior to the assault, the suspect asked the victim several times, “Are you a homo?” The suspect fled the scene after physically assaulting the victim.

DPS and GERMS responded to the scene. GERMS transported the victim to Georgetown University Hospital for treatment of the injuries sustained in the assault. DPS gathered information from witnesses and notified MPD. The investigation is ongoing.

According to the PSA, the suspect is described as “a white male with red and white face paint, wearing a black leather jacket.”

This is the second reported bias-related assault this week.  Another student was assaulted on Canal Road on Tuesday because she was wearing a pro-gay rights t-shirt.

While Georgetown is currently tackling the issue of gender neutral bathrooms, Syracuse and Princeton are taking it a step further by beginning to offer gender-neutral housing.

Both universities decided that next fall, they will allow students to room with someone of the opposite sex.  The policies were changed with LGBT students in mind, but will also help other students who want to live with their friends of different genders.

Syracuse will offer seventy-four two-bedroom suites for students that don’t feel comfortable entering the housing lottery with roommates of the same gender. They will also be giving training for potential mixed gender pairings for conflicts that are nonexistent with same gender housing.

Princeton will be allowing Spelman Hall, a residence hall featuring apartment-style suites, to offer gender-neutral housing.