Hi as a queer applicant I’d like to know anyone’s experience positive or negative with LGBTQ+ issues and schools. For example, I’ve heard bad things about Pepperdine being accepting. While I understand they’ll be accepting people anywhere I’m just curious about people’s experiences. Thanks!
Heavily religious schools of a religion that is often interpreted as anti LGBTQ+ may be the obvious ones to check carefully.
However, at any school, there may be varying proportions of accepting and hostile students.
Private religiously affiliated schools aren’t going to be as pro-LGBT as a secular school. So if you’re worried, I would avoid private religiously affiliated schools (Yeshiva, Pepperdine, Zaytuna College, etc.).
Also, to label these schools with the term “homophobic” isn’t very civil. One can disagree with gay marriage based on sincere religious beliefs. That does not make one a “homophobe”
Something to look out for is either a LGBT resource center (not many schools I know have these but some do) or some sort of LGBT student club/resources available on campus. If it has that then you’re probably good to go. Most campuses lean fairly left leaning.
People of typical college student age tend to lean more left on social issues (including LGBTQ+ acceptance) than the general adult population. However, while students at a college that draws most students from a less LGBTQ+ accepting area may be more accepting than the general population there, they may not be all that LGBTQ+ accepting compared to other colleges.
This. Queer students are fine at the vast majority of colleges.
I’d worry a lot more about the size of a college’s dating pool, especially if you’re considering small rural LACs, than how queer-friendly it is.
For example, say you have a typical LAC of about 1700 students, of which roughly 680 are male and 1020 are female (many schools are increasingly about 60%/40% women/men). Estimating that 15% of undergrads are L/G/B - a generous percentage - that’s about 100 gay/bi men and 150 lesbian/bi women. You then have to take into account that many of these aren’t out, are already dating people, etc…which can as much as halve these numbers. Dating pools can get depressingly small pretty quickly!
As stated before, most religious colleges will be more homophobic than secular schools. Schools like BYU/Liberty/BJU and ones along the lines of those will be no-gos for LGBT applicants (as I am).
From personal experiences, I’ve seen top LACs are generally pretty good when it comes to LGBT acceptance.
Check out the LGBTQ clubs and resources on the school’s website. See if they have any kind of rainbow housing or if their dorms offer gender neutral floors. USC for example, is one of the top 25 LGBTQ school’s in the country, it has an active community, clubs and a fantastic LGBTQ Resource center, and specific scholarship opportunities for the LGBTQ students. You could check out their website (or give them a call to discuss anything) and the organizations under it, then use it as a basis to compare it to what other schools offer. Also, fyi under Gender Studies, they also offer an LGBTQ minor.
There are also lots of sites online providing LGBTQ friendly schools, so you can use those to create a list based on other things you like as well - location, size and programs, etc. Not all religious schools are an issue, although Pepperdine would not be the best choice that is for sure. The Jesuit schools would be fine and certainly at many schools acceptance has come a long way, but the community may not be so big and organzations may be lacking. I think you want to see if they have an active community and formal support organizations in place like USC does, and determine if that is important to you.
One site you should check out is Campus Pride. They have a lot of LGBTQ information and news about various colleges and universities throughout the country. I believe the site also rates colleges for LGBT students.
It’s difficult to answer your question without knowing the selectivity of the colleges you’re interested in. I know that Brown, Grinnell, Swarthmore and Bryn Mawr are all LGBTQ friendly and that you’d likely feel warmly welcomed on those campuses. I agree with the others—most LACs that are not religious are likely to be a good bet. Of course, many LACs were founded by religious groups but are no longer affiliated—those should be fine as well. Good luck with your search!
You were also asking about teaching programs in CA, right? You might want to give Humboldt State a close look. Both the University and the surrounding community are very LGBTQ+ friendly, so you would feel welcome both on and off campus. (A lot of schools are liberal/accepting where the surrounding communities are not-so-much.) http://www2.humboldt.edu/education/
This. Reading posts on Real Talk Princeton about LGBTQ+ issues and one of the main complaints is the lack of a dating pool due to the isolation of Princeton. To expand the pool they have to travel to NYC or Philly which isn’t that convenient. I guess it shouldn’t be the main issue but it’s definitely something to consider.
DS’s bf goes to Hamilton and jokes about how he’s been on a date with every gay or bi man at Hamilton - both guys! This is, of course, an exaggeration, but the point still stands. If you’re not interested in hookup culture or NEEDING to find mr/mrs right in college, you’ll be fine with a small rural college.
In general, you are more likely to have more homophobic people at colleges with a high percentage of students from red states - most of which are in red states. There are, of course, many, many exceptions to this. S3 is at Duke which he loves and has had no problem whatsoever. And there are some colleges like Pepperdine which are located in blue states and have a lot of students from blue states which you may want to avoid.
Most colleges will be absolutely fine so I wouldn’t build your list starting with schools that are known to be LGBT friendly, but just build your list and just check if any of them are known for having homophobic students.
Huh? I hate to get political but…huh? Being against same-sex marriage is denying LGBT equal rights which is showing prejudice towards them.
Also note, LGBT students may want to avoid some colleges because they have a high percentage of homophobic, whereas LGBT students should definitely avoid some schools coughLiberty, BYUcough because the schools themselves have homophobic policies.
Avoid whole states while considering a college?
Red states , blue states… But I hate to get political?
@YaleMomOf7 , re: Liberty, you’re right of course but this was a pretty interesting read: https://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/04/being-gay-at-jerry-falwells-university/274578/
While writing off entire states out of hand may be extreme, taking policy trends within a state into account isn’t, IMHO. For example, if I were a gay student heading to college and hoping to work off-campus, would I consider which states are rolling back employment protections for LGBT workers? I’m gonna say yes, I would.
I hear what you are saying but break it down.
So if you go to UT and want a waitress job in Austin you think it would be a problem? University of Georgia and same job in Athens. UNC and Durham UMich and Ann Arbor Columbus or Cincinnati in Ohio? Wisconsin Wyoming or Idaho. Bowdoin or Colby all well outside of Portland in Maine? UNH near Portsmouth. Or muhlenberg or any of the penn schools not directly in philadelphia
I think most schools have accepting communities around them for the most part. Perhaps Utah which is so predominantly Mormon. But I don’t know their beliefs. Other than that its school by school.
I hear what you are saying as well… but there’s also the aspect of, “Why live in a state where my rights are called into question, on a legislative level, if I don’t have to?” I can understand people feeling that way. We can present both sides of it, but it’s up to the individual to decide what works for them.
^^^^^ :)>-
From personal experience and/or second-hand info from professors and students, avoid University of Arkansas, Missouri State, Kansas State (KU is ok), basically the entire state of Utah. Religious schools wouldn’t be your best bet. Definitely NOT Pepperdine. My feeling is that you would be fine at many of those schools but “fine” is about it.
Wash U in StL has a good scene apparently. I hear good things about U of Rochester specifically. Obviously a lot of the east coast schools are suitable. Philadelphia in general has a vibrant LGBT community, so Penn, Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, etc all good.
Also, and I’ve posted this before, but when you look at the campus LGBT+ centers, notice what tone they have. Is it “we can help you with your problems” or “look at all these awesome activities!” or both?
Grinnell & Carleton are great schools and very LGBT friendly