After Disputes, BGLTSA Elects New Leadership

After months of political wrangling and internal strife that led to the impeachment of their vice chair, the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender and Supporters Alliance (BGLTSA) has begun to choose a new executive board.

At last night's meeting in the Adams House dining hall, the nearly three dozen members voted for two chairs, two vice chairs and the treasurer.

Voting will Continue for a week via e-mail.

The five candidates for co-chair are Adam A. Sofen '01, Joe Di Pasquale '00, Nikki L. Deblosi '99, David A. Campbell '00 and Chloe J. Lopez '96-97.

DiPasquale, Geoffrey B. Mainland '00, Alex A. Boni-Saenz '01 and Michelle A. Capasso '01 are running for vice chair.

Kathleen M. Douglas '99 is running unopposed for treasurer.

The Organization held board elections in February, but the executive board at the time nullified the results, saying the election procedure was poorly coordinated and the makeup of the newly-elected board did not reflect the diversity of the queer community on campus.

The executive elected in February were all gay white males.

Two board members are overseeing the election this time around. Nominations were held all last week via e-mail.

Last night, the candidates gave platform speeches to the assembled membership.

Deblosi, a co-chair of girlspot, said she didn't want prospective members to feel pressure to identify themselves as "a B, a T, an L, a G, or an S."

Sofen , currently the organization's treasurer and a Crimson editor, said BGLTSA's two primary roles, political and social, should be distinct so that members can take what they'd like from the organization.

He also lauded events geared for specific sub-groups within the queer population, such as the Women's Arts Event and the single-sex lounges at the BGLTSA dance in February.

Lopez said she would aim to make BGLTSA more inclusive.

"I think it's important to make BGLTSA accepting of all gay students, all transgender students, all lesbians," she said.

Campbell, who was vice chair until the board impeached him in February, said he sees his role on the board as "an important voice of dissent."

The board removed Campbell, who is also a Crimson editor, for what they said was disrespect towards other members and for dereliction of his assigned duties.

Members also cited his handling of the organization's elections as a reason for his dismissal.

Campbell claimed the impeachment was unconstitutional and called into question BGLTSA's entire governing document.

"Our executive board needs to take into account all the diversity we represent," he said.

He also said BGLTSA has needlessly affiliated itself will political causes that do not benefit the organization's members.

"We need to do things that legitimize us," he said.

Last night, several members of the organization questioned what the candidates would do to address the concerns of the Harvard's closeted queer community.

All of the candidates acknowledged that many closeted gays, lesbians and bisexuals might not fell comfortable at BGLTSA general meetings. They said the organization must increase its visibility on campus and continue to fight heterosexism and homophobia, in order to make it more comfortable to be openly gay on campus.

With the candidates in another room, current co-chair Andre K. Sulmers '98 conducted a non-hidden hand vote.

The Crimson will withhold the results of last night's voting pending the completion of the election process.

Sulmers said a new constitution for the BGLTSA is "in the works" as a result of last month's dissension.

As the board irons out its new constitution, it must also adjust to its new relationship with its six affiliate organizations, which on Friday severed ties with BGLTSA.

BGLTSA will serve as a support and advisory group in the new arrangement, but the groups will now be eligible for funding directly from the College.

"We did it to get more money from Harvard," Deblosi told the group last night.

Board members also said the new arrangement will allow them to list the organizations separately in official University publications, which would create the appearance of a greater net of support groups for students seeking to promote queer causes.

Christian P. Quilici '01, a BGLTSA publicity chair, said the organization is busy planning April's Queer Harvard Month, which will commence April 1 with a "Big Splash" awareness day.

The month is being coordinated by the Harvard Queer Student Leadership Network, an informal caucus with representative from most all campus queer organizations at the University.