I am thinking of applying to Duke RD but I am a bit apprehensive given that it is in in a very conservative state that has gained notoriety for its anti-LGBT and minority actions and sentiments. Can anyone talk about the experience of minority and/or LGBT people at Duke?
Look ar recent presidential vote proportions for Durham. Far more liberal than most colleges towns of similar size. Google Durham Pride Parade, Beaver Queen Pageant. Google best place to be gay in the south.
Durham has a history of excellent race relations. Extremely popular AA mayor Bill Bell who won’t stop getting reelected until he retires this year. Equal proportion AA and white for years, growing hispanic community.
Duke’s campus and immediate surroundings are VERY liberal (and incredibly diverse). And 99% of your time will be on campus or in the Research Triangle. Durham County voted 80% for Clinton and 19% for Trump if that gives you any indication. That’s more overwhelming than California. Yes, the state as a whole skews more conservative (but by no means even close to the most conservative state…it is a swing state after all). Duke is very LGBT friendly and isn’t even subject to the laws of the state around those issues since it’s a private institution (Duke has gender neutral bathrooms…and isn’t breaking the law. Leadership at Duke has condemned that law). I wouldn’t worry about it. North Carolina politics have basically no impact on student life at Duke (not saying you shouldn’t get involved, just saying Duke might as well as be in New York and you wouldn’t notice a difference from a political perspective as it relates to your life).
I’m assuming you don’t live in NC. I do. I agree with bluedog in that NC isn’t an uber-conservative state. It got so much publicity this past election because of its being a swing state. At the risk of simply parroting, Durham is much more Democratic than most of NC.
As for how its “conservative surroundings affect minority . . . students,” here is a statement from the President and Provost saying that they are committed to enabling students to “pursue scholarship in an environment that supports them regardless of their background.” [Message from the President and Provost](Message from the President and Provost on Federal Immigration Restrictions (UPDATED) | Duke Today).
the worst transgression against students at duke university was carried out by a democratic prosecutor and supported by a large number of professors(who I assure you were all of the liberal persuasion… known as the gang of 88) as well as the administration. of course the premise was that rich white jocks raped a poor black women. it was a hoax, the students could have wound up in jail for life. the school paid out lots of money but none of the school involved faculty /staff was fired. (the prosecutor went to jail for 1 day).
I would be more concerned about progressives on a witch hunt at duke than conservatives. if duke had truly atoned for the duke lacrosse case and the sins of it’s faculty and staff…those professors and administrators would have been fired. did not happen.
@ivyoxbridge1
I’d say 99% of college’s are very liberal. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.
The majority of residents in NC recognize that HB2 was a bill to prevent a problem that didn’t exist. Unfortunately, NC is a poster child for gerrymandering (check Arnold Schwarzeneger’s vide out if you to see examples of gerrymandering in both Republican and Democratic states).
If you look at voting by county, you’ll see that Durham, Orange, and Wake counties all trend liberal, which typically correlates with opposition to HB2.
You’ll find much more opposition to LGBT rights and support of regulations such as HB2 in the more rural counties of NC. Duke - and Durham - are supportive of full inclusion.
@AimingTop50 Yes, I am being sarcastic. Thanks for picking up on that.
I am LGBTQIA+ and am seriously considering Duke. Frankly, I’m more concerned with the population of the school itself rather than the population of its surrounding areas. Not to hijack this thread, but does anyone have any info regarding the political inclinations of the students themselves?
@funkymonkey03 : As stated above, the political inclinations of Duke students is very liberal. Surveys showed that 76% of students voted for Clinton and 6% for Trump. That’s about as wide of a spread as you could possibly find anywhere…Although Duke does have a reputation for having at lease SOME semblance of a conservative community, unlike some other elite schools. I certainly knew Republicans and they were by and large nice people. 
(Most of the ones I knew were Republican for fiscal reasons and still tolerant on social issues – and nothing in your face). The political inclinations of the student body had no impact on my Duke career whatsoever though…Duke is very LGBTQ-friendly and has been for some time.
The annual NC Pride Parade runs through the east campus.