Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Short Response 10/7
When reading Laurel Gilbert's article You're Not The Type, I was really intrigued by her sexual transition and process. Her first lesbian experience happened when she was fifteen years old with her best friend Kris. The two girls shared a very deep relationship and later became "linked" to eachother by having sex with the same guy. Because they could not be together intimately they decided that this would be the best way to express their feelings for one another. In a bizarre way, Laurel experienced Kris and Kris' body through her first male lover. It is unfortunate that they could not express their true feelings for one another in a healthier more open way. Although they had planned to become old women together and sit on their porches, they found that one year later they would both be pregnant- Kris @ 18 and Laurel @16. Kris' life didn't equate to much, as she spent most of her time following her abusive deadbeat husband around the country. Laurel was able to earn her PH.D despite all odds and obstacles. I was intrigued by this story because it really made me sad to read that these two girls, who seemed to have such a deep and meaningful bond, couldn't be together in a more meaningful and lasting way. On a more personal note, I work at the Student Calling Center, in which we call alumni and hear their feedback. Most alumni usually tell funny stories about their time here. However, this alumni was quite displeased with the school. He was a homosexual and was constantly made fun of and was not accepted by the community. When reading Laurel's story I thought of his. It's very depressing to realize the different lives people could have if only they were accepted by society and their communities. I'm sure Laurel and Kris could have went down a different path together, instead of being separated by pregnancy. Similarly, I feel that if Colgate had more awareness and was more accepting of gay/ lesbian students than this alumni would have enjoyed his time here. I can only imagine how many students are currently experiencing the same kind of rejection that both Laurel and the alumni felt.
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It is so terrible to hear that a gay alumni did not like his time at Colgate, but sadly I am not surprised. It is so easy to overlook how someone that doesn't fit the Colgate norm may not have the same enjoyable experience as the majority of us have at Colgate. In today's society, and especially at Colgate, the LGBTQ community has so many obstacles and prejudices to overcome. In particular at Colgate, because the LGBTQ community is so underground, mainstream students are often not aware that it even exists, which does not help to build tolerance or an environment for them to feel fully comfortable. In Gilbert's article, Laurel and Kris experience similar intolerance and are forced to keep their love a secret. The story really solidified for me that big strides need to be taken on Colgate's campus to make it more welcoming to the LGBTQ community and to make sure that students on campus do not have to go through the hardships that Kris and Laurel went through.
ReplyDelete-Sara H