Of all the arbitrary college rankings that have recently been released, one stands out as particularly puzzling: Georgetown’s 24th place showing on Newsweek’s “Best Gay Friendly Schools” list. When it comes to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender issues, Georgetown’s recent history is marred by hate crimes and institutional intolerance. But some said the ranking reflects ongoing institutional efforts to improve the on-campus environment for LGBTQ students and faculty.
A major contributor to Georgetown’s high ranking was its LGBTQ Center, which was launched in 2008. Shiva Subbaraman, director of Georgetown’s LGBTQ Resource Center, said that it is unusual for any university to have a fully staffed resource center, let alone a Catholic institution.
Mia Di Stefano (COL ’12), a member of GU Pride, said Georgetown’s Newsweek ranking surprised her, especially given the school’s moderate-to-conservative student body.
However, Di Stefano also said she has noticed positive changes in Georgetown’s on campus environment since her arrival as a freshman in 2008, the year the LGBTQ Resource Center launched. She has noticed more advocacy for LGTBQ students from the administration.
Rob Byrne (COL ’11), a member of GU Pride, said that the rankings are a sign of progress. Even if they are somewhat arbitrary, Byrne said, they speak to a “growing trend” of tolerance and acceptance on campus.
Subbaraman said the administration has allowed the LGBTQ Resource Center to establish a presence in many different facets of campus life, including New Student Orientation, various student activities, academia, and Campus Ministry. The Resource Center has also engaged in dialogue with the Office of Admissions and has liaisons in Health Services and the Department of Public Safety.
While Subbaraman is pleased with Georgetown’s ranking in Newsweek, especially given the relative newness of the LGBTQ Resource Center, she said she hoped that the campus will continue to grow more accepting of LGBTQ students.
The school continues to hear reports of bias-related crimes, although they are not as high profile as the hate crimes that prompted Georgetown to establish its bias-reporting system in 2008. Since then, the school has seen a rise in the reporting of bias-related incidents, a trend which Subbaraman views as a positive indication that Georgetown students feel more empowered and confident that the administration will take the accusations seriously.
She also pointed out that the survey was compiled in a way that favored elite schools like Georgetown. Subbaraman said that the list only examined the country’s most selective institutions, so Georgetown was judged against a smaller pool of U.S. colleges and universities.
To compile the rankings, Newsweek first looked to The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students and InsideCollege.com for two independent lists of gay-friendly campuses. The lists were narrowed down based on selectivity in the admissions processes, as well as the average SAT and ACT scores of its first-time students.
Shane Windmeyer, the chief researcher and writer of The Advocate Guide for LGBT Students, and the founder and executive director of Campus Pride, said that Newsweek sought no expert advice in compiling the list. He said that lists like this required advice from organizations like Campus Pride, a group dedicated to fostering a safer college environment for LGBT students.
Noting that the schools on the list were “not necessarily the best LGBT campuses overall,” Windmeyer said he does not consider Georgetown to be particularly gay friendly. He said that addressing issues such as homophobia and student safety is a long process that requires efforts from all levels of the administration for a good number of years.
Still, most ultimately agreed that Georgetown has become more gay-friendly since the University established its LGBTQ Center—even if there is still more progress to be made.
“Georgetown promotes tolerance, but not necessarily acceptance,” Di Stefano said.
—Additional reporting by Claire Sherburne
I agree with most of the opinions quoted here. I’ve certainly seen a sea change in Georgetown’s attitude towards all things LGBTQ-related since my freshman year (2007 = the year of the two real hate crimes).
I also get the feeling that Georgetown, more than other college campuses, has a way of magnifying its own shortcomings, making them seem greater than they really are (for instance, the supposed anti-LGBT sentiment on campus). Given that, I think the Newsweek ranking is very encouraging because it, and other rankings like it, could feed into a positive cycle — as more LGBT and allied students come to Georgetown, it becomes an even more LGBT-friendly work.
(Of course, this also feels like acknowledgment of the years of hardwork Georgetown students have put in for what can often seem like a thankless cause)