<p>So, I was wondering... </p>
<p>How is the gay population at Columbia? I realize it's New York, but I was just wondering.</p>
<p>I was just talking about this to a couple of friends of mine (who happen to be gay) the other night. There is certainly a large gay population here but the gay movement, so to speak, isn't a force like it is at NYU. But if you're gay, you're not at all going to feel uncomfortable on campus.</p>
<p>Yeah. I mean, I understand that Columbia would definitely not be anti-gay. However, I realize it won't be like NYU either. I was just wondering like, how in general it is. Are the gay students less political than at NYU? </p>
<p>Do gay students normally hang out with other non gay students? Do lesbian and gay students get along together? How does the GSA function? Etc.</p>
<p>As a gay student at Columbia, I guess I have as good a perspective on this as any. The environment here, such as I've found it, has been nothing less than totally accepting, and I've never felt that my sexual orientation made a difference in how I interacted with other people here. I'm by no means an activist, and I'm not involved in any LGBT-related groups, but the people I know who are involved in them are friendly enough. With regard to gay students, Columbia really takes all kinds: you can be a hyper-involved activist, or you can just exist and not make your sexuality an issue. The range of options is refreshing.</p>
<p>"Are the gay students less political than at NYU?"</p>
<p>don't know how they are in NYU, but at columbia there's a fair bit of campaigning for gay marriage and such. None of it is in your face though. there are also many different homosexual and queer organizations, and different groups do different things.</p>
<p>" Do gay students normally hang out with other non gay students? Do lesbian and gay students get along together?"</p>
<ul>
<li>gay students are not treated any differently, i'm sure prejudice exists but it doesn't show, they're completely integrated. Why wouldn't gay and lesbian students get along? i personally have a hard time figuring out who's gay and who isn't (unless it's conspicuous), and their sexual orientation makes no difference in conversation or friendship, so i don't really bother thinking about it.</li>
</ul>
<p>Thanks guys. I guess my questions do sound a bit ridiculous...</p>
<p>But where I go to school, the gay population is incredibly accepted. HOWEVER, all the gay people hang out together. Same with all the African Americans students. You know, the whole stupid clique? I mean, it's not like people aren't friendly, but it's still very cliquey and divided. </p>
<p>There's also some tension between gay students and lesbian ones. I mean, it's a completely different culture put into the same umbrella term. I was just wondering. </p>
<p>From what has been said, it seems like it's pretty diverse. Most of the gay people are here and white and somewhat theater-y. So it'll be interesting to meet all the colors of the rainbow!! I was never worried about Columbia not being accepting, I was just wondering if it'd be the same at Columbia as it is here.</p>
<p>A college guide for LGBT students was recently published. I have no idea how accurate it is, but it might be a good resource if you're trying to compare several colleges.</p>
<p>" Most of the gay people are here and white and somewhat theater-y"</p>
<p>i expected something like this when i came to columbia, but i was rather surprized to see the absense of a mould, very little correlation between sexual orientation and interest, i've met several gay engineers, gay students into pure science, math, stats, education, poly sci, econ, lit etc - on average no special inclination to a certain field or to the fine arts/theatre, i even met a few gay republicans - this i hadn't come across before.</p>
<p>You're kidding. Everything you needed to know was in my post.</p>
<p>1) "gay movement not like NYU": GSA is nowhere near as activist as it is at NYU</p>
<p>2) Did I not mention I was talking to some friends of mine who happened to be gay? Translation: I'm straight and have gay friends. Obviously there's not segregation/clique-ishness happening here.</p>
<p>I'm not kidding. </p>
<p>Just because you have a gay friend doesn't mean there aren't cliques. People have all sorts of "friends" and still hang out with people that are the same. And like I said, everyone who's gay here has straight friends, they just all hang together. The force in Columbia could be less active because there aren't as many gay people in Columbia as there are in New York University. </p>
<p>Telling me it's big is nice and all, but it isn't awfully descriptive. I realize I won't be able to get a feel for it unless I'm there. I guess this thread sounds stupid then. I was just curious is all, you don't have to get all mean about it.</p>