There is no Judgment Here

By: K.M. Spence

FORT COLLINS, Colo.-There is much diversity found around the Colorado State University campus. Many of these groups see challenges each day and have to overcome them. The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Center is home to many bright students from CSU. Students associated with GLBT, have to face a lot of obstacles in their lives and even on campus.

When approached for an interview, nobody, at first, that was in the office wanted to be interviewed. Students and faculty associated with GLBT did not trust the fact that this story would not be found in The Collegian. When first walking into the office, nobody welcomed me. They looked at me as though I were about to judge them in some way. Each person that would walk into the office would say, “I have no comment”, or “I do not want to be interviewed”.

Finally one young man who chose not to include his name wanted to set the record straight about this organization. “We represent a wide population of students who go to CSU. If people are afraid to come out or just need support, we are here for them.”

This population of students is all around campus and has to face a lot of prejudice. Many of these students have problems with other students accepting who they are.

“Yes, there is a lot of prejudice here on campus. I see it and experience it every day, but we do live in northern Colorado so this subject is more acceptable,” said the student.

This office has to work extra hard to let students and future students know that they exist. Many future students and parents are not shown this office on tours around campus. According to the student, “When tour groups go around campus they never say our name. Nobody knows we’re here unless they actually look over our way. So many student tour guides show the different Greek organizations, and it’s almost as though they hate to show us.”

Another student that is associated with the GLBT, Richard, who only wanted to be known by this name, said, “We are all like anybody else, but people still refuse to see that. Nobody really has a right to judge me until they actually know me. I don’t hate people and really nobody has the right to judge me.”

According to GLBT’s website, “The GLBT Resource Center seeks to foster a campus free of prejudice, bigotry, harassment, and violence by providing a space for all members of CSU communities to explore and increase their understanding of aspects related to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression in an open and nonjudgmental environment”. This organization wants to end prejudice at CSU and everywhere in Fort Collins.

Although this organization claims to be welcoming to everybody, they did not seem welcoming to me regardless of them knowing of my sexual orientation. Their refusal for an interview confused me as their mission statement was to “explain their side of the story”.

“We want to end the hate. It’s hard to walk around campus without judgment. People need to learn respect and know that it hurts us. I love going to the GLBT, people are so friendly and welcoming. We just do not like being picked out of a crowd when we’re like anybody else,” said Richard.

According to another unnamed source, “We do not see the janitors clean our office. Each morning we open our doors and find trash still in the garbage and the floors are still covered in crumbs and paper. Now maybe it is just laziness, but we all feel like they do it on purpose.”

This organization has many activities that help students get involved. Each month the students try to incorporate fun activities for students who are not involved in the organization. On the GLBT’s website they have an event calendar trying to entice more students. October is the month for Gay Pride and they have events coming up for the week of Oct 4. They show movies, and have political speeches that are important to show pride.

Prejudice is a term that the GLBT organization is all too familiar with. These students just want to be treated with respect and seen without judgment. GLBT is a welcoming organization for any student.

“We are just like anybody else and nobody can judge us for that,” said Richard, “The prejudice that is around campus needs to stop once and for all.”