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LGBT Rainbow Flag

The LGBT student movement started in and around the late 1960s while civil rights activism began to evolve. In 1968 in the town of Ithaca, New York a group of gay rights activist formed a group know as Student Homophile League (SHL). This group included lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and other supporters. Many members were not originally from New York, but instead were students of Cornell University at this location. The diversity and variety of demographics in New York attributed to this pioneer student organization including members of similar proactive ideas. This was one of the early student movements related to LGBT rights and activism. Cornell students played an active role in spreading and distributing knowledge about gay liberation. Despite this, the overall view of these gay liberation student organizations received minimal attention from contemporary LGBT historians.[1] This oversight stems from the idea that the organizations were founded with haste as a result of the riots. Others historians argue that this group gives to much credit to groups that disagree with some of the basic principles of activist of LGBT organizations.[2]

LGBT student organizations today have started to involve research to improve the understanding of basic activism ideas. Using historical research as a source to identify and differentiate successful approaches. The identities of student activists and their involvement tends to shape the different organizations across campuses. [3] The origin of the LGBT student movement can be linked to other progressive and activist movements from the mid-20th century. The civil rights movement, women's rights movement all have the similarity of identity politics linking them to modern LGBT movements. The goals of the LGBT student movement have varied by time and location, but range from the abolition of sodomy laws, to increasing funding for AIDS research,[4] to legalizing gay marriage, to preventing the bullying and suicide of LGBT kids. These student movements have not always been successful, but LGBT activism in general has succeeded in bringing visibility to their community as well as legislative action benefiting the LGBT community.[5]

LGBT Pride Flag

The LGBT student movement is....The origin of the LGBT student movement can be linked to other activist movements from the mid-20th century in the United States. The civil rights movement and Second-wave feminist movement were working towards equal rights for other minority groups in the United States. Though the student movement began a few years before the Stonewall riots, the riots helped to spur the student movement to take more action in the US. Despite this, the overall view of these gay liberation student organizations received minimal attention from contemporary LGBT historians.[6] This oversight stems from the idea that the organizations were founded with haste as a result of the riots. Others historians argue that this group gives to much credit to groups that disagree with some of the basic principles of activist of LGBT organizations.[7]

Though the times and places of the student movement vary, the goals are often similar including: abolishing sodomy laws, equality on campuses for LGBT students[8], increasing money for HIV/AIDS research,[9] the legalization of same-sex marriage,[10] to prevent the bullying and suicide of LGBT youth, and gain visibility for LGBT peoples. LGBT student organizations today have started to involve research to improve the understanding of basic activism ideas. Using historical research as a source to identify and differentiate successful approaches. The identities of student activists and their involvement tends to shape the different organizations across campuses. [11]The student movements have not always been successful in their goals, but they have been able to bring visibility to the LGBT community in their area as well as working to promote equality for a better future for their community.

Australia

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Many colleges in Australia have a Students' union that helps support LGBT student activism financially and otherwise. Often the right to have a safe space and LGBT officers is written into the student union policy. The LGBT student activists use media to help spread the word about issues in Australia that they deem important to the community such as Same-sex marriage.[10] This means that LGBT students in Australia's colleges and universities have good visibility on their campuses. The students are using this visibility to try to get same-sex marriage legalized in their country.

The topic of same-sex marriage being legalized in Australia was brought to the forefront of LGBT students when it became legal in Canada. Two same-sex couples traveled to Canada in order to be able to get married to their partners, and then attempted to get their marriage recognized when they came back to Australia. The government then used the Marriage Act 1961 (Australia) in order to deny the recognition of the legality of their marriages.[10] The students want to change the definition of marriage so that it is a less fascist convention and is closer to their own views of what marriage should be.[10]

China

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Groups of student activists are attempting to change teaching material in Chinese schools they believe may cause discrimination towards LGBT students.[8] The move for this is due to the Guangzhou-based Gay and Lesbian Campus Association report that shows that 40% of the mentions within the Chinese textbooks refer to homosexuality as a mental illness.[8] Along with changes to the textbooks, the groups want universities to allow LGBT student organizations and groups on campuses which are not accepted well on campuses either.[8] Another thing the group wants to promote is better protection for LGBT students from bullies since 3/4 of students mention having been bullied because of their sexuality.[8] The groups hope to change this or eliminate it by changing regulations and rules within the schools.[8]

Mexico

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In 2004, a private American school in Mexico City, Mexico was the first school in Mexico to create a Gay–straight alliance.

The GSA has succeeded in bringing attention to issues of discrimination towards the LGBT students and opened up a school-wide discussion about the what the LGBT students deal with at school.[12] The GSA is working to provide support and safe space for LGBT students, providing information about and for LGBT, and raise awareness for LGBT issues.[12]

USA

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History

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In the US the student movement began in secret in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1966, Stephen Donaldson and a few other students at Columbia University used the structure of the Mattachine Society to form an underground society called the Student Homophile League. That year, the group could not get university recognition due to the group not giving a list of names of the members to the school to protect them. This led to no funding or space for the group. This made it difficult to gain new members. Although, Donaldson found a way to get recognition by the university, and the group became the first recognized student gay rights group.[13]

K-12

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In 1989 there were no known GSAs in any high school or junior high within the United States even though 97% of high school students[14] admitted to hearing anti-gay remarks in school and many LGBT students felt unsafe enough that they would skip classes. Then LGBT and straight students at private schools in Massachusetts joined together to create the first Gay–straight alliances. Even though the groups received much opposition, the groups popped up in more and more schools across the country. As of 2011, there are more than 4,000 GSAs in Middle schools and High schools across the United States.[15]

College and University

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Arizona

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The University of Arizona's LGBT student group, "Pride Alliance," has been active since the 1990s in providing visibility to LGBT students and faculty at the University.[16] Some of the students' activism also works to provide a safe and welcoming environment for LGBT students. This goal stems from studies showing that LGBT college students have higher levels of depression, bullying, and suicide. Campus wide activism, at the University of Arizona and at many colleges, has focused on dealing with these issues with respect for the LGBT community.[17]

Florida

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In the state of Florida, a history of LGBT student activism has been documented as early as the late 1960s. The LGBT Student Union of Florida State University currently maintains video footage from the SUN Conference, a meeting of LGBT student activists in Florida that occurred in the 1970s.

A renewed interest in LGBT rights brought about the formation of the Florida Collegiate Pride Coalition in 2003. This forum of LGBT college and university students in Florida is known to work with Equality Florida.

Maryland

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In 2012, the students at University of Notre Dame were able to get an official LGBT organization after requesting the addition of one 15 times. Notre Dame was the last of the top 20 universities in the United States to add an LGBT organization. The students at Notre Dame were able to get the group by assessing the environment on campus for the LGBT students and writing a review that was submitted to the president of the school. After five months of review, the president decided that allowing the organization went along with the school's policies to embrace and inclusivity.[18]

Penn State LGBT Student Activists

Pennsylvania

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In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, The Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition was founded as an independent and youth-led statewide LGBT organization by Pennsylvania students in April 2011. As of 2012, PSEC is connected with over 70 student LGBT organizations across Pennsylvania. The coalition is focused on campus-community organizing for LGBT equality in Pennsylvania and resource development for educational institutions.[19]

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References

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  1. ^ http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/sex/summary/v012/12.2beemyn.html
  2. ^ http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/sex/summary/v012/12.2beemyn.html
  3. ^ http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/csd/summary/v048/48.3renn.html
  4. ^ http://actup.org/news/
  5. ^ Bernstein, Mary (2002). Identities and Politics: Toward a Historical Understanding of the Lesbian and Gay Movement. Social Science History 26:3 (fall 2002).
  6. ^ http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/sex/summary/v012/12.2beemyn.html
  7. ^ http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/sex/summary/v012/12.2beemyn.html
  8. ^ a b c d e f "LGBT Groups Call For Change in China's Schools, Colleges". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 2015-11-21.
  9. ^ http://actup.org/news/
  10. ^ a b c d Rodgers, Jessica (2010-08-01). "'Live your liberation – don't lobby for it': Australian queer student activists' perspectives of same-sex marriage". Continuum. 24 (4): 601–617. doi:10.1080/10304312.2010.489722. ISSN 1030-4312.
  11. ^ http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/csd/summary/v048/48.3renn.html
  12. ^ a b Macgillivray, Ian K. (2005-11-01). "Shaping Democratic Identities and Building Citizenship Skills Through Student Activism: México's First Gay-Straight Alliance". Equity & Excellence in Education. 38 (4): 320–330. doi:10.1080/10665680500299783. ISSN 1066-5684.
  13. ^ Beemyn, Brett (2003). "The Silence Is Broken: A History of the First Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual College Student Groups". Journal of the History of Sexuality. 12 (2): 205–223.
  14. ^ Beemyn, Brett (2015) [2004]. "Student Organizations".
  15. ^ Hartinger, Jeffery (August 01, 2011). "Triumphs and Setbacks of Gay Straight Alliances". The Advocate. Retrieved November 15, 2015. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ http://pride.asua.arizona.edu/pride/Welcome.html
  17. ^ Oswalt, Sara, and Tammy Wyatt. "Sexual Orientation and Differences in Mental Health, Stress, and Academic Performance in a National Sample of U.S. College Students." Journal of Homosexuality. 58.9 (2011): 1255-1280. JSTOR. Web. 20 Mar. 2012
  18. ^ Garcia, Michelle (December 7, 2012). "Notre Dame Finally Approves LGBT Organization". The Advocate. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  19. ^ [1]
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