Dunster's Troublesome Closet

As being gay has become more socially acceptable, coming out parties for bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgender (BGLT) students have become popular at colleges across the nation. Yet for many students, coming out remains a painfully private process. Residential Houses at Harvard ought to be refuges for students—welcoming and accepting homes where students feel comfortable just being themselves. But recent revelations about Dunster House have sadly suggested that some House communities are falling significantly short of that ideal.

According to an e-mail sent over the Dunster open-list, Dunster has suffered lately from an “exceptionally homophobic” atmosphere, punctuated by incidents of discrimination and harassment. Some students have pointed to anecdotal evidence of many BGLT students transferring to other, more hospitable Houses

Prompted by the students’ allegations, House Masters Robert and Ann Porter immediately took the important—and overdue—step of appointing two resident bisexual, gay, lesbian, transgender and supporters (BGLTS ) tutors. They should be applauded for responding rapidly to the students’ allegations. The masters of Cabot House, now the only House lacking in-house BGLTS tutors, should swiftly follow suit.

Like BGLTS tutors in other houses, the new tutors in Dunster—Mafalda Cardim and Daniel Sargent—will serve primarily as valuable resources for students troubled by or interested in their sexual identities. BGLT students, especially those just beginning to question their sexual orientation, may struggle with coming out, same-sex dating and relations with heterosexual roommates. As BGLTS tutors, Cardim and Sargent can help students sort out problems related to sexuality by providing counseling and information—as well as referring students to social support groups on and off campus. Unlike Dunster’s non-resident BGLTS tutor and the in-house tutors in Mather—the proxy advisors for BGLT students in Dunster—the new in-house tutors will be accessible at all hours.

Beyond offering individual support, the tutors have the potential to create a sense of belonging among BGLT students in Dunster. The tutors plan to continue community-building events like weekly viewings of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.” According to Sargent, a variety of new social activities for the Dunster gay community are in the works as well.

These efforts look promising; nevertheless, they must be balanced with efforts to bridge the divisiveness between the straight and gay communities. By reaching out to all students and organizing open dialogues on sexuality, the tutors can spread knowledge, advance mutual understanding and ease tensions.

Of course, the new tutors cannot prevent all prejudice against queer students. Defeating homophobia and establishing a gay-friendly environment in Dunster—and throughout Harvard—requires a concerted and committed effort by tutors, student groups, the administration and all students. Bolstered by a strong in-House support system, BGLT students will hopefully never again feel trapped in the closet—forced to creep out silently, pretend as though they never came out in the first place or, worse yet, endure it alone. Particularly at an institution as liberal as Harvard, students ought to feel confident about asserting their sexuality—with or without the fanfare and balloons.