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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 1999)
January 22. 1999 * Jm t BMt. g rTîîïïîTlnetvs R E /M A X S ignature P r o pe r t ie s ! L ocked O ut ? University of Oregon administration rejects gay dorm proposal by Tim Joyce atthew Woodbum sits at his how to do things better. These students are ded “College is supposed to open your mind,” computer near the window of icated to trying to make this campus a more wel Grace says. “It’s not about making a safe, cuddly his fourth-floor room in Carson coming place.” womb for people to fester in for four years. It’s Hall. PRIDE Hall Committee members say they the time when straights and gays should learn “1 really didn’t want coming plan to continue working with the housing how to live together. Given our political cli here to blow up in my face,” says the 19-year-old department to address problems related to mate, it’s the duty of every queer to he an ambas college student. “1 was really careful to make homophobic roommates, housing staff with sador, if you will, to show straight people we’re just like them. Granted, that’s not easy, but who unsympathetic ears, and security. sure history for me didn’t repeat itself.” Openly gay since he was 12, Woodbum’s Merging the PRIDE Hall concept with the ever said life is easy?” senior year at Portland’s Lincoln High School existing Multicultural Hall is one of many possi Although gay dormitories are rare—only was devastating due to a scourge of harassment, bilities. However, committee members say that about a dozen exist nationally—3,000 miles which included graffiti and death threats; the program lacks a mission statement and couldn’t from soggy Oregon, a gay dorm is getting high address specific queer concerns. marks. abuse prompted him even to ponder suicide. Among the Colonial brick buildings at the “It was horrible, but I’m glad it happened to They add, however, they are not ruling any University of Massachusetts you’ll find the me because I’m strong and I fought back,” he thing out. “Our whole focus is advancement,” says seven-year-old “2 in 20” residence program. The says. Woodbum took a year off, and then entered Wicklund. “These issues will not go away by housing director, Michael Gilbert, says the pro the University of Oregon in Eugene. He won themselves. We’ll find something palatable to gram’s name originates from studies that claim one in 10 people is gay. dered whether being openly gay would cause a housing and the school as a whole.” He says this housing option continues stir with other students—like a roommate, for Some queer folks think the committee should stop trying. because it works. The gay dorm takes up about example—hut was happy to find otherwise. half of a larger hall, and is one of Indeed, the only conflict he more than 30 special interest halls found with his straight room on the University of Massachusetts mate centered on who took out campus. the trash and recycling. One full-time, live-in staff pier- “1 was extremely lucky,” he son—who is openly gay too— says. watches over the population, A student coalition pushing which fluctuates annually between for more than a year for a gay 50 and 100 students. dorm on the University of Ore Gilbert admits the University gon campus doesn’t consider of Massachusetts is atypical, with itself so fortunate: In mid-Janu 11,000 of the estimated 18,000 ary, university administrators undergraduates living in university rejected the proposal. housing. Only four universities in “We’re all kind of refocusing the entire country can boast a on getting over the fact that we higher percentage of students liv lost this one,” says Jason Wick- ing on campus. lund, co-chair of the PRIDE “The reality is, it has very little Hall Committee. impact on the overall diversity on PRIDE is an acronym for campus,” Gilbert says. “If you Providing Residents Interested believe the one in 10 statistic, in Development and Education, there are hundreds of gay students which promotes a safe, support living in more mainstream envi ive environment for gay, les ronments. We also have 50 engi bian, bisexual and trans stu neering students living in a hall dents and their allies. together, but that isn’t robbing the More than a dozen special campus of people encountering a interest halls already exist at the student majoring in engineering.” University of Oregon, including For his part, Grace, who grew the self-explanatory Cyberhall, up in Eugene, says a gay dorm Quiet Hall, and Substance-Free would increase “the likelihood Hall. that it wouldn’t he a safe place.” Whether a single floor or an He says: “People play up that entire wing, the PRIDE Hall Eugene is a liberal college town— Committee wanted to add a safe but I think they’re all talk. This haven for queer students to the would provide an easy target for list of housing options. Matthew Woodbum (left) hanging with a fraternity brother at the office homophobes.” While the university hous of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered Alliance Isolated incidents aside, the ing director, Mike Eyster, was University of Oregon can boast considering the committee’s “It’s called ‘segregation,’ ” says former Uni many tangible successes when it comes to accep proposal, a campus newspaper article unleashed versity of Oregon student Kavi Grace. “You tance. With only a few hours notice this fall, a flood of media attention on the issue. Admin might remember [that] we tried it in this coun hundreds gathered with flickering candles at istrators then made a decision. try until the ’60s. Well, this is even worse sunset in front of the student union to memori “Diversity is one of the University of Ore alize Matthew Shepard, a gay student brutally gon’s greatest strengths,” said the university’s because we’d be doing it to ourselves.” murdered in Wyoming. Grace is sitting in his office in a converted vice president, Dan Williams. “By segregating Meanwhile, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans- students in residence halls in this way, we run warehouse in Portland’s Pearl District. The the risk of breaking down rather than enhancing Web-systems engineer had his first homophobic gendered Alliance is a long-standing, accepted encounter as a student in 1995. He lived at the group on the campus. The group hosts dances, a that diversity.” And, says Eyster, “Residence halls primarily University Inn, a tall concrete monstrosity of gay and lesbian film festival, and a pride cele bration. are for entering students. While it’s true many apartmentlike living. The University of Oregon is also home to “In magic marker, someone scrawled the freshman are deciding their orientation, many the region’s only fraternity for gay men. While word ‘fag’ on my door and then used papers to sitting at their parents’ kitchen table filling out its membership refnains small, Delta Lambda a housing application their senior year of high light a fire there in the hallway,” Grace says. Phi was welcomed into the existing Greek sys While the 22-year-old admits feeling angry school aren’t willing to make a commitment to and vulnerable, he calls a gay dorm a step in the tem in 1996. a (gay) hall." But he adds: “I’m always open to ideas on wrong direction. "With more than her share o f patience, Turn helped tu< hath as newcomers to Portland and a.< first-time home buyers. Not only did we enjoy searching fo r a home with her. hut we found the home we were truly meant to hare. We would recommend Tina to absolutely everyone!" — Shona Dudley and Grace Fasano Tina Schafer R E /M A X Signature Properties 282-4000 X 122 e-mail: tina@rm ls.com North Portland Veterinary Hospital Like any family member our pets need good healthcare. 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