With National Coming Out Day this Saturday, gay, lesbian and bisexual students are urging students to come out of the closet -- even though the process is seldom easy.
"I would absolutely encourage people to come out of the closet," said Pieter Ott '98, who came out during his first week at the College. "I found that no matter how challenging the process is, the end result is always positive. You end up knowing yourself better and being more satisfied with your life."
Many students say the process of coming out is more difficult than actually being out of the closet -- but being openly homosexual at Dartmouth can be a challenge.
"The attitude here is tolerant, but not supportive," said Susi Kandel '00, who described herself as "half out" when she arrived at Dartmouth. Kandel, who is the vice president of the Dartmouth Rainbow Alliance, feels that Dartmouth is more broad-minded than some colleges, but "a lot less accepting than a place like Smith."
Beside its traditionally conservative atmosphere, another obstacle for gay students is the College's rural setting. Unlike the gay community at colleges bordering Boston or New York, Dartmouth students have a very limited number of places to go other than social events on campus sponsored by groups like the DRA.
Although there may not be many options for gay students in Hanover, there are a number of campus organizations that help students with coming out or provide them with a support group.
Ott went to the DRA -- formerly called the Dartmouth Area Gay and Lesbian Organization -- and was reassured to find a group of students struggling with the same issues as himself.
Still, Ott said that "the best place to turn is your own circle of friends."
Other resources for students coming out are the Dartmouth Coalition for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Concerns and Margaret Smith, Coordinator for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Concerns.
The DCGLBC is composed of staff and faculty, and holds monthly meetings to discuss issues and plan events.
Another outlet for students, the DRA, is a campus organization that provides social outlets for students and provides moral support for its members. The DRA holds gay, lesbian, bisexual and coeducational meetings.
However, many students who have come out said they did not feel the need for one of these groups.
"One of the biggest misconceptions of society is that all gay people need support," said Jennifer Dziura '00, who also said that coming out wasn't a big deal.
Dziura also said that there are positive benefits to the rural community. Since there are not more social outlets, groups like the DRA have a larger membership than in urban campuses, she said. Also, the College's atmosphere tends to be more intellectual than political, and students' attitudes are, if not accepting, at least indifferent.
National Coming Out Day is this Saturday, Oct. 11, and the College has planned a week-long series of events, ranging from films to discussion groups that plan to "educate and inform students and other members of the Dartmouth community on issues of sexual orientation." The events are taking place to commemorate the 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
