Hoots and hollers could be heard from Collis porch Wednesday afternoon -- and the votes weren't done processing for the Student Assembly presidential race. The clamor was in celebration of the end of the Day of Silence, during which students protested the harassment experienced by gay and lesbian students by taking a day-long vow of muteness.
The scream could be heard across the Green and all throughout Collis.
Wednesday night, more screaming could be heard -- this time with surprise and enthrallment. Unless you've been living under a rock (or your Orgo textbook), you know that Tim Andreadis '07 swept the presidential race, making history as a write-in candidate who won by a sizeable majority. There's one other thing that makes Andreadis's win notable: I have to snicker at the thought of stuffy, Old Guard alumni getting word that the new student body president is openly gay.
Andreadis' win seems absurd, but in a this-is-so-unexpectedly-phenomenal-absurd kind of way. How did this happen, when yesterday even the staunchest of Andreadis cheerleaders were speculating how much of a chance he actually had at winning once "mainstream" Dartmouth got their hands on a ballot? All I know is, when the EPAC blitz plopped into everyone's mailboxes yesterday, it became obvious that something larger was at work.
Dartmouth's gay community, one of the several minority groups on campus, is impossible to pin down. Would you try to generalize about all African Americans on campus? (Have we learned nothing from "Crash"?!) Or would you assume everyone with blue eyes to think alike? So why would The Mirror attempt to define such a complex, diverse group of people? Frankly, to try would be inevitably inaccurate and insultingly simplistic. But the chance to explore those complexities and hear all sides of a community, I can tell you, has been eye-opening and overall, fascinating.
Different Strokes for Different Folks (pun intended ...)
How much does being gay affect one's life here, in the hyper-masculinized, isolated tomb that is Hanover? Some students try not to let their orientation consume their consciousness: "I choose not to make it apart of my everyday life," said one junior female. But other members of Dartmouth's gay community think differently.
"Few days have gone by that I have not thought about my sexuality. And by that, I mean I actually think, 'Hey I'm gay.' I make the clarification ... because how often do heterosexual people think, 'I'm straight.'? Probably hardly ever," Ryan Payne '06 said.
Does being gay affect daily behavior? "I am doing what I want to do at Dartmouth, and it has nothing to do with my sexual orientation. Except for one very minor detail, I'm just like every other guy on campus," Zack Stiskal '08 said.
At the same time, other students insist that being gay is a part of who they are, and to suppress any behavior would be dishonest about their identity. Frankly, I think it comes down to a choice of personal style, comparable to those made by, let's say, music freaks. Some wear band t-shirts all the time. Others just don't feel the need. If that sounds like a pitifully shallow comparison, I'm sorry ... it's mid-term week, guys.
One thing's for sure -- Dartmouth is one heterocentric bubble. But while some gay students feel that assumed heteronormality is a constant discrimination, others take comfort in not having to act out the gay stereotype on a daily basis. "Everyone first assumes you're straight unless you skip around screaming 'fabulous!'" one underclassman said.
"Hey, being gay is cool, man ... now don't dance all gay-like on our dance floor"
Unless you're in more denial than Whitney Houston, it's easy to admit that Dartmouth culture is dominated by hyper-masculinized traditions -- which most students either support or at least comply with. So what if one doesn't mesh with the "sweet dudes?"
Discrimination at Dartmouth exists, but in the last decade, progressive efforts have made overtly aggressive prejudices almost entirely unacceptable. Obvious belligerence just isn't tolerated -- at least, where anyone can witness it. Most prejudices flow underneath the social surface, whether by accident, through ignorance or out of discomfort. Most members of the gay community agree that heterocentricism is damaging and discriminatory in itself. Ryan Payne '06 asserted, "I cannot get over the intense feeling that the straight guys I'm around are wondering in the very back of their minds that I might have ulterior motives in befriending them -- which is not true at all."
Ignorance spawns discrimination, and minority groups often fall victim to awkward situations based in unawareness. One example of innocent-yet-still-hurtful ignorance in action occurred at Tri-Kap last term. Mikee Guzman '06 and three gay friends went to the Tri-Kap speed dating fundraiser with entry fee in hand.
"Of course we knew they didn't [have anything set up for us] but we had to make a statement," Guzman said. "They sincerely apologized at the door for not having considered the [gay dating] option, and even though we educated someone that day about [alienating so many people on campus], it still made us feel like crap."
Dartmouth: where romance came to die
Now, I criticize heterosexual mating habits at Dartmouth all the time, but I still half-heartedly participate. I mean, boy-girl interaction generally lacks respect and, well, anything resembling chivalry, but you have to work within the system, right? Okay -- now imagine the Dartmouth heterosexual mating pool dried up more than Edward Albee's sense of humor. That's what the gay community has to work with. And so it seems that the lucky ones pair up and date, but, mostly, hook-up culture prevails, causing dismay to many.
"I'm coming out! ... Or not. Sorry guys, just kidding."
Being out at Dartmouth is complicated in itself, but actually coming out at Dartmouth is another issue entirely. After coming out at Dimensions weekend, Guzman feels that his entire identity at Dartmouth centers around "being read as nothing but 'gay.'" Others who are out at Dartmouth feel that the College's supportive gay network has made being out easier here than at more conservative schools, according to one freshman male.
But not everyone agrees with this idea. "I came to Dartmouth being pretty comfortable with being gay, and I was excited to leave my very conservative home," Stiskal said. "Instead, I got here and found the same 20 guys grinding with each other at every dance party on campus." Too intense for Stiskal's own style, he spends much more time hanging out with his straight friends, just so he doesn't have to talk about or deal with his sexuality at times when it doesn't seem relevant.
Because of this tight community, "many closeted people stay closeted because it's such an overwhelming scene ... especially if you don't want to get stereotyped as a part of that group," one sophomore said. Clearly, it's different for each individual situation.
The Community in Action
"Gay pride" is usually what people think of when they think of the gay community, along with rainbow flags, flamboyant behavior and other stereotypes that are embraced by some and infuriate others. "Are you proud of being born with blue eyes? Then why should I be proud of being gay?" Stiskal said. (Have we learned nothing from "Crash"?!)
Indeed, ideological differences somewhat segment the community, but a network of support arches over most disagreements. While many openly gay freshmen have emerged to publicly comment on the lack of tight-knit community, many older students feel it's already too clique-oriented for their own comfort. Ultimately the bonds are more "social than organizationally based," said one female junior, and the Gay-Straight Alliance believes that it succeeds in its purposes.
With Tim Andreadis' recent presidential win, the power of common ideas came through -- and so did the undeniable passion and teamwork behind the gay community and its supporters. About the general surge of support behind Andreadis, Mike Amico '07 said, "What is remarkable about the gay community at Dartmouth is that it is comprised of some of the most influential, creative, and intelligent leaders on campus. As an underrepresented community, we understand how other similar minority groups feel. Our agenda is coalitional. We want to ensure that every person at Dartmouth is safe and comfortable in all spaces on campus. If only more people knew that we frame these issues in an inclusive way, maybe they would appreciate how we are fighting for them as well."
