<p>I was wondering how accepting Earlham College is of gay students?
Also, more specifically, is there a gay community there?
I know there is a low number student body, but if I attend school there, will I be the only gay student at Earlham?</p>
<p>I refer you to Earlham’s web site to see official position and some examples of campus activities. See [Earlham College Multicultural Affairs](<a href=“http://www.earlham.edu/~sas/diversity/”>http://www.earlham.edu/~sas/diversity/</a>).</p>
<p>Of course there is the official position and then the real life of the campus. Like most multicultural communities there is a range of opinion and attitude. But I believe it is fair to say that the Earlham community is one of the most accepting communities. The community both officially and informally celebrates diversity. Diversity of all types is welcome and differences in life style are celebrated.</p>
<p>You certainly won’t be the only gay student on campus.</p>
<p>In the spirit of full disclosure I am a retired member of the Earlham faculty and an Earlham graduate. I am heterosexual.</p>
<p>duckie21, i noticed from your post history that we’re applying to quite a few of the same schools (not meaning to creep on you, sorry!) and a very large part of criteria during the college search was that the schools were liberal-leaning and accepting of diverse people (whether sexual orientation, religious, etc.) I’ve never visited but I know from my college counselor and parents that it is a very open minded campus.</p>
<p>My daughter is a student at Earlham and, though she is not gay, it seems clear from her attitude and comments that gay students are very much accepted as part of the campus community. Earlham has an active LGBTQ group and last year sold t-shirts as a fund raiser that said “straight but not narrow” for straight students to wear in support of their LGBTQ friends. I believe that you will find a supportive community of open minded students at Earlham. My daughter loves Earlham and has especially enjoyed the diversity of the student body, which includes many international students and folks from all over the US.</p>
<p>duckie, Earlham values diversity, and lives up to its reputation of being accepting. </p>
<p>My daughter grew up in California and had several gay friends in HS, so it’s not a big deal to her. But she has an acquaintance at Earlham who grew up in the South; this girl says that for the first time in her life, she feels that it’s OK to be gay. For sure you won’t be the only gay student there; in fact, the attitude of many straight students will be, “You’re gay? So?”</p>
<p>Earlham is the most gay-friendly school I visited, except perhaps Oberlin.</p>