<p>I was merely wondering why Yale has a reputation for being the "Gay Ivy". I was curious as to if this is generally true, or if this is simply what I've been told by envious applicants. I'm not a homosexual, but I do come from a generally very Christian area, and personally have a strong faith that is opposed to homosexuality (but I'm not anti-gay if that makes any sense). So simply put, I'd like to simply brace myself for any culture shock I might experience should I get in.</p>
<p>As a disclaimer, should this turn into a political/religious/moral debate, I will terminate this thread immediately. THAT IS NOT THE POINT OF THIS THREAD.</p>
<p>This is the kind of thing a campus visit will clear up. Wait until you have gotten accepted and, during the month you have to decide, take a weekend to drive up there and check out the culture yourself. Whether or not there are homosexuals at Yale, I am positive your alarm clock will not be the gay pride parade marching through your dorm room.</p>
<p>I wasn’t expecting that at all. I asked basically because I’d already visited before. I didn’t notice anything (save my interviewer was gay), but I thought perhaps because I visited in the summer that this was an anomaly. </p>
<p>I really do appreciate your comment. Thank you</p>
<p>The only way it might become a culture shock is if you try to turn homosexuals straight. So long as you are accepting of them (despite your views on the morality of it) then they will probably not harass you. Remember, this is Yale, an ivy league college with an admissions rate of 7-9%. They pick the cream of the crop, the people who are intelligent, friendly, and willing to explore new ideas.</p>
<p>That’s an interesting article, and the comments that come after it are even more interesting, because they are almost like a series of time-lapse photos on how attitudes (on average) have changed.</p>
<p>There was a thread in the Athletic Recruits forum not too long ago about an interview with Rick Levin, president of Yale since 1993, in which he acknowledged significantly lowering the percentage of athletic recruits in each class. Now that article posted by Opensecret indicates Yale’s been the gay Ivy since 1987, but the decision to actively limit the number of athletes might have at least reinforced that image (how many openly gay male athletes do you know anyways?).</p>
<p>Honestly, you should be fine. Yes, Ivy Leagues (and most other colleges) are fairly liberal, but apart from a few relatively rare circumstances they’re not going to exclude you socially or try to “punish” you for being more conservative than they are unless you go around picking fights. While you won’t be able to sequester yourself completely from racial minorities (or other races in general!), gay people, etc. they’re not going to follow you around or anything like that.</p>
<p>Honestly speaking wrightm, you need to wake up to the fact that even your Christian community is filled with homosexuals, you just don’t know about it. As for Yale, you are obviously not going to see male latex wearing police officers walking down the quad playing “hide and seek” if that’s what you’re talking about in terms being “shocked” as you put it. It really all depends on what group of people you decide to hang out with in the school…</p>