Campus Pride Executive Director Shane Windmeyer spoke at the College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C., on Monday. The city's paper, The Post and Courier, this morning published a phenomenal write-up on his visit and the school's continuing efforts to ensure LGBT safety and inclusion...

CofC working to make campus safer for gay students

by Diane Knich, [email protected], Tuesday, April 10, 2012

People perceive college campuses as being safe places for gay students, said Shane Windmeyer, an expert on sexual orientation issues.

But that perception isn’t based on research, and it often isn’t correct.

Windmeyer spoke about “The Impact of Hate” at the College of Charleston on Monday as part of the Office of Institutional Diversity’s Signature Speaker Series.

The college recently completed a draft of a strategic plan to increase campus diversity, said John Bello-Ogunu, chief diversity officer. The final plan will include ways to make the College of Charleston a more respectful, inclusive and safer place for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, he said.

Windmeyer said that according to a recent survey, 25 percent of lesbian, gay and bisexual students reported they had encountered harassment on their college campuses. And 40 percent of transgender students reported such harassment.

“Every campus wants to be called gay-friendly,” Windmeyer said. “But most haven’t looked at institutionalizing safety and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.” It takes more than allowing a Gay Straight Alliance group to meet on campus or holding a “drag” show, he said.

Read the full write-up at the newspaper's website...

One of the many ways we support student leaders is through our various leadership workshops, conferences and seminars, including our recent Campus Pride and Human Rights Campaign Carolinas Young Adult Leadership Summit in Charlotte and our upcoming Camp Pride 2012 Summer Leadership Program. Both are phenomenal annual programs for LGBT and ally students.

But the work we do isn't possible without the generous support of the many people, organizations and businesses that pull together to help Campus Pride achieve its mission in supporting and developing LGBT and ally student leaders and safer, more inclusive college and university campuses.

Campus Pride sends a big, hearty Carolina thank you to the Charleston, S.C.-based Alliance for Full Acceptance and to the Charlotte-based Scorpio nightclub. Both have supported our work in tremendous ways -- AFFA provides grants so that students in the Carolinas and Georgia can attend our Camp Pride for free, and Scorpio's recent fundraiser for us the weekend of our Carolinas Young Adult Leadership Summit supports our efforts here in our hometown.

Thank you AFFA. Thank you Scorpio. Your generosity is appreciated!