Suicide Feature Left Out Gays and Lesbians

To The Editors of The Crimson:

The article on suicide in the October 30 issue of The Crimson was an excellent profile of a topic rarely discussed at Harvard. Yet while the article mentioned the pressures of being a person of color or a woman at Harvard, lesbians, gays and bisexuals were ignored.

This is a serious omission considering that a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report of January 1989 found that one out of three teenage suicides was gay or lesbian related. Given that we are about 10 percent of the population, this number is distressingly high.

Although for some students "coming out" is a smooth process, for many teenagers, grappling with their sexual identity is extremely difficult and painful. Growing up, society bombards us with messages that gays are sick, perverted and sinful. With little information and a lack of role models and support, students internalize such hate and feel isolated, depressed and alone. Fearing rejection from their families and peers, they turn to suicide, drugs and alcohol or eating disorders to kill the pain and the shame.

The Harvard Mental Health Services are disregarding the needs of lesbian, gay and bisexual students. There are no out lesbian, gay or bisexual counselors, social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists, doctors or nurses at University Health Services or at The Bureau of Study Council. This lack of role models in a staff of hundreds only perpetuates gay and lesbian invisibility in one of the most crucial institutions at Harvard. It tells students once again, "You do not exist here. You do not matter." Further, U.H.S. and The Bureau do not and have never sponsored confidential Coming Out Support Groups for students although there are support groups for African-American women, abuse survivors, procrastinators, etc. Although Contact, Room 13, BGLSA, Seventh Sense, and Lesbian/Gay/Bi house tutors are all excellent resources for those grappling with sexuality, they are hardly enough and too frightening for many. When will the Mental Health Services actively take steps to address this glaring neglect? Until then, U.H.S. and The Bureau are failing their responsibility to administer to the mental health needs of all students. Sandy Cavazos   Sandi DuBowski   Co-Chairs, Harvard-Radcliffe Bisexual,   Gay and Lesbian Student's Association.