For the first time in their history, Longwood University’s People Respecting Individuality, Diversity and Equality (PRIDE) organization, Longwood’s chapter of Gamma Rho Lambda (GRL), and Hampden-Sydney College’s Unity Alliance came together for a panel with about 60 in attendance. The panel was coordinated by Alex Abbott, area coordinator for equity, inclusion and programming at Hampden-Sydney College (H-SC) and Dr. Jes Simmons, assistant director of Citizen Leadership and Social Justice Education and “pride mom” at Longwood University.
The panel was opened by Simmons where discussed Longwood's history with LGBTQ+ individuals and how she is the first transsexual faculty member at Longwood.
Abbott then discussed some of the challenges of LGBTQ+ students at H-SC saying there were very few out of the closet students.
“There are very few gay students at Hampden-Sydney, but a lot of gay alums,” said Abbott, referencing an alum’s comment about the situation.
After that, the remaining speakers introduced themselves. From Longwood there was Sebastian Lacoss, president of PRIDE and senior liberal studies major, Theo Burton, president of GRL and senior and secondary education major and Braden Butka, a member of both PRIDE and GRL and a sophomore special education major. From H-SC, Dalton Hall, president of the Unity Alliance and senior English major, Ian Burns, classics sophomore and Dr. Claire Deal, a professor of rhetoric.
The first question asked to the panel was about the history of LGBTQ+ organizations at the two school.
Per Hall, there is “no written history” about LGBTQ+ at H-SC or about their Unity Alliance. He said that they were founded in 2008 and when they had their first meeting other students attempted to physically block the room they had reserved.
According to Deal, H-SC’s Student Government Association (SGA) initially voted against a Unity Alliance because Longwood already had one.
According to Lacoss, PRIDE has “not a lot of record keeping” but is “striving to improve”.
He said that PRIDE started in the 90s and “started as a Unity Alliance”.
Simmons then mentioned that the Longwood LGBTQ+ community was featured by one of the visiting TV stations during the Vice Presidential Debate in 2016.
Simmons then asked the panel about the current climate at the two institutions.
“It’s an ignored issue, it really is an active process of ignoring,” Hall said. “In the midst of a great gaping silence is a good deal of hostility.”
According to Burns, at H-SC it’s “more an air of loneliness, it’s like you don’t exist,” although there had been more verbal and physical attacks in the past.
Lacoss said that Longwood was a generally a good place for LGBTQ+ students.
“I have never met a more supportive group than Longwood University students…even the students who have more conservative views,” Lacoss said.
He mentioned some current issues at Longwood as well. Lacoss said there had been white supremacist posters and his car had been tampered with. Per Lacoss, the lug nuts on all four of his tires had been loosened and one tire came off while he was driving. The incident happened in late September and Lacoss reported to the Longwood University Police Department (LUPD). He said he has not heard back from the LUPD regarding the case.
Simmons said Longwood is “the first university where I’ve been authentic, the first town where I’ve been authentic”.
Simmons then talked about how she had been “stealth” when she first came to Longwood and came out at the university in 2015.
Deal said there were few resources on campus for LGBTQ+ students on campus. She said there are no gender studies course at this time.
The next topic the panel covered was how the organizations collaborated, if at all. After that, there was discussion of how allies could help on campus.
Butka said that asking everyone their pronouns as well as their names during introductions is a way to normalize giving pronouns and prevent people from having to out themselves.
Before the panel ended, Lacoss expressed worries about retention for LGBTQ+ students and a lack of a gender certified counselor at Counseling and Physiological Services (CAPS).
Per Simmons, they plan to do the event again, although they are not sure whether it will be next semester or next fall.