Texas Christian Universtity will set aside some apartments for gays, lesbians

[Ian David]

TCU will set aside some apartments for gays, lesbians
By GENE TRAINOR
[e-mail]


FORT WORTH — Texas Christian University will designate some on-campus apartments for gay students and their supporters, creating what may be the only such college housing in the region.

The DiversCity Q community will open in the fall in a section of the Tom Brown-Pete Wright apartments. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender students and allies — heterosexual classmates who support them — will have the chance to live together. Eight students have committed to the community so far, said TCU sophomore Shelly Newkirk, who applied to create the program.

TCU will also open two Christian-based living groups, another for fine arts and three other themed housing arrangements.

It’s all part of the university’s living-learning communities, designed for students who want to live with others who are like-minded.

More:
http://www.star-telegram.com/metro_news/story/1302883.html


Hat tip to http://twitter.com/gaysdotcom

[xchrom]

1. so we segregate -- in order to learn how to live together?

i can understand this for high school kids who have had a rough time from other students at a vulnerable age.

but this is adulthood.

[tbyg52]

5. That was my first thought. nt

[TechBear_Seattle]

6. Surprisingly, no

Back (mumble) years ago when I was in college at Humboldt State, the residence halls had several distinct learning areas (I don't recall what they were properly called.) The idea was to create "special interest" living areas, where your roommates and neighbors all shared common interests. There were areas for GLBT, music and theater, mathematics and technology, politics, outdoor activities (hiking, kyaking, camping, all major activities on the northern California coast) and a few others. I thought then that the concept was great. It sounds like this school has a similar program, which has been expanded to include a GLBT area.

[Toasterlad]

8. Yeah, But There's a Difference Between Who You Are and What Your Interests Are.

I'm not crazy about the idea of segregation, no matter how well-intentioned. However, I can see how it would be a very comfortable living arrangement for gay students in what has to be at least a moderately homophobic learning environment.

My distaste for the segregation aspect, however, is pretty much outweighed by my amazement that a place called Texas Christian University is even acknowledging the EXISTENCE of gay students, let alone providing them a place to live.

[imdjh]

9. The divergence of philosophy and reality

If living in a randomly assigned men's dorm meant that I had to put up with rap music or heavy metal day in and day out, it would get really old. Call me a cliché, but I like gay music. Music is a big deal to young people.

I could also live without the unrelenting (and in my opinion affected) chatter about female body parts and what one would like to do to various females on campus and pin-up girls.

[Creideiki]

11. Colleges frequently segregate the living quarters

All the athletes were roommates with teammates while I went to college, as well as almost all the ROTC types, by service. And that doesn't even bring the Greek system into the discussion. After the first semester, we moved out of student housing anyway and lived with like-minded individuals. We still had a lot of classes with other people. My guess is the university sees student housing as a revenue generator and wants to keep people in student housing as long as possible.

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. What TCU *SHOULD* do is tell the non-gay students to just fucking deal with gays living with them.

And not segregate the gays into their own living areas.

Though at any school that has both "Christian" and "Texas" in it, I'm sure that the gay people are waaaaaaaaaaaaaay safer being in their own living area, because those Texan Christians sure know how to kill, harass, harm, and otherwise make life hell for gay people. In a Christian way, of course, just like Jesus did when he gave the sermon on the mount wrapped in the American flag with one hand firmly grasping an AK-47 and the other firmly gripped on the neck of a gay teenager.

[marimour]

10. Gay people dont HAVE to live there and you dont have to be gay to live there.

I went to Cornell, where we have plenty of themed housing (black culture, native american, arts, music, latino, multiculural, green living) and they were great places to live. I am black and lived in the, Native American housing one year, along with a bunch of other non native-americans. My house did weekly programing that related to their themes. If set up correctly it could be a great haven for gay students to be able to live free of judgment and a great way for non gay students to learn more about the history and issues surrounding the gay community.

[theoldman]

3. I think it is a bad idea because now everyone know who is gay.

Next they will be required to have a tattoo on their arm. I guess only time will tell if this helps the GLBT community.

[Posteritatis]

4. "And their supporters" is an interesting addition there

I'm torn between liking the idea in theory - if a school set up communities for like-minded people (for varying definitions of 'like-minded,' not just orientation), that couldn't hurt much, but I also admit to be a little concerned about ghettoizing one group or another if the bulk of the populace doesn't approve of them.

Of course, if gay students are automatically assigned over there I'm off into full-disapproval-land.

[TechBear_Seattle]

7. See post #6 above

Typically, there are a lot more people who want to live in these living areas than they have slots.

[Bluebear]

12. Ah. A "like-minded" gay ghetto for Christian students.

[litlady]

13. The uni. I teach as has a similar housing idea...

most at the LGBTQA center find it to be a safe haven. As noted many colleges have themed living and most of the students like them.

[shimmergal]

14. Hmmm...

I can see both sides of this re the gay housing area, but I _really_ like the idea of special-interest housing: fine arts, marine life, Green, etc. Wish they'd had that when I was in college.

and I'm wondering--WHY should only students get this opportunity? Why not special interest condos or apt. groupings for "adults"? The only comparable thing I've run across are some equestrian and golf-course based developments, but these are expensive and home-owners-only.

Especially this would be good for retirees, I'd think, as a basis for making new friends when they're isolated, without family or familiar neighbors nearby.

[Bluebear]

15. 'I can see both sides of this re the gay housing area' - I certainly can't.