I normally wouldn't post something from a student newspaper on our esteemed community, but this is a direct follow-up to an article posted a few weeks ago. From ODU's newspaper's website:
The Lavender House Has Been Approved
The Safe Space Committee’s proposal to secure designated housing for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning students has been approved.
Students of the LBGTQ community will now have the option to live in a separate space within an ODU residence hall known as Lavender House that is exclusively for LGBTQ members and allies.
“LGBTQ students and their supporters wanted more visible resources on campus,” said assistant director of new student and parents programs and Safe Space Committee member Kate Griffin.
“We think it will offer them a wonderful opportunity to gain leadership skills, to live with students in an environment where they may feel more accepted, safe, and free to be themselves.”
The Lavender House has been established as a safe haven for LGBTQ students who may feel their on-campus safety may be in jeopardy because of their sexual orientation.
According to the Virginian-Pilot, students signed up for the Lavender House “did not find an intolerant culture at Old Dominion, but each feared it before arriving.”
Charles Lowman, assistant director of residence education and Safe Space Committee member, said, “The Lavender House will function with the goals of increasing retention, providing a supportive network of students, faculty, staff, and community members, creating opportunities for self-exploration and intellectual discourse, promoting holistic health and wellness, facilitating mentorship opportunities, creating a sense of belonging, and engaging students in the community.”
According to the Virginian-Pilot, “Jennifer Mullen Collins said the school based the concept on studies that showed students with support networks of people with similar interests had higher rates of retention, higher graduation rates and, in some case, higher grade-point averages.”
In addition to the Lavender House, ODU offers themed housing for women in science majors, international students and members of the Army ROTC.
The idea of themed housing has sparked some confusion and controversy among other students on campus.
“It’s unfair, plain and simple. If the school wants to stress equality then there should be equality; giving a specific group a specific floor is discrimination, or rather, reverse discrimination.” said senior Max Hrank.
Hrank argued ODU is engaging in something that is, by its very definition, reverse discrimination by favoring members of a minority or historically disadvantaged group.
He said if LGBTQ members can have their own separate living space, then any other group should be allowed to make a proposal for their own living space. He noted that he was not taking a stance against the gay community, or for them
“While I think its commendable that Old Dominion realizes and appreciates the issue that the LGBTQ community often faces, I think the entire Lavender Hall idea is unfortunate,” said senior David Hall.
“I realize the school is pushing more towards something like the Gay-Straight alliance rather than just simple orientation. But, are there going to be halls for tea party members or active democrats? Evangelical -Christian groups or practicing Muslims? I want to work towards a society where I can introduce a boy as my husband without anyone doing a double take.
Some students aren’t so critical. Another senior, Devon Mizelle, said, “Provide people with a space to be comfortable in, and their time here will be more enjoyable. While homophobia isn’t rampant on this campus, this will provide a space for LGBTQ students to come here expecting a community to be a part of. I’m proud that my college has this.”
ODU Out President Connor Norton told the Virginian-Pilot that Lavender House “doesn’t encourage discrimination. It encourages respect and community. It makes us allies for each other.”
18 students have signed up to live in Lavender House next fall.
Source.
Comments: This is a big step for ODU! The place is crawling with neckbeards and dudebros, so for the board to approve something like this is awesome.
The Lavender House Has Been Approved
The Safe Space Committee’s proposal to secure designated housing for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning students has been approved.
Students of the LBGTQ community will now have the option to live in a separate space within an ODU residence hall known as Lavender House that is exclusively for LGBTQ members and allies.
“LGBTQ students and their supporters wanted more visible resources on campus,” said assistant director of new student and parents programs and Safe Space Committee member Kate Griffin.
“We think it will offer them a wonderful opportunity to gain leadership skills, to live with students in an environment where they may feel more accepted, safe, and free to be themselves.”
The Lavender House has been established as a safe haven for LGBTQ students who may feel their on-campus safety may be in jeopardy because of their sexual orientation.
According to the Virginian-Pilot, students signed up for the Lavender House “did not find an intolerant culture at Old Dominion, but each feared it before arriving.”
Charles Lowman, assistant director of residence education and Safe Space Committee member, said, “The Lavender House will function with the goals of increasing retention, providing a supportive network of students, faculty, staff, and community members, creating opportunities for self-exploration and intellectual discourse, promoting holistic health and wellness, facilitating mentorship opportunities, creating a sense of belonging, and engaging students in the community.”
According to the Virginian-Pilot, “Jennifer Mullen Collins said the school based the concept on studies that showed students with support networks of people with similar interests had higher rates of retention, higher graduation rates and, in some case, higher grade-point averages.”
In addition to the Lavender House, ODU offers themed housing for women in science majors, international students and members of the Army ROTC.
The idea of themed housing has sparked some confusion and controversy among other students on campus.
“It’s unfair, plain and simple. If the school wants to stress equality then there should be equality; giving a specific group a specific floor is discrimination, or rather, reverse discrimination.” said senior Max Hrank.
Hrank argued ODU is engaging in something that is, by its very definition, reverse discrimination by favoring members of a minority or historically disadvantaged group.
He said if LGBTQ members can have their own separate living space, then any other group should be allowed to make a proposal for their own living space. He noted that he was not taking a stance against the gay community, or for them
“While I think its commendable that Old Dominion realizes and appreciates the issue that the LGBTQ community often faces, I think the entire Lavender Hall idea is unfortunate,” said senior David Hall.
“I realize the school is pushing more towards something like the Gay-Straight alliance rather than just simple orientation. But, are there going to be halls for tea party members or active democrats? Evangelical -Christian groups or practicing Muslims? I want to work towards a society where I can introduce a boy as my husband without anyone doing a double take.
Some students aren’t so critical. Another senior, Devon Mizelle, said, “Provide people with a space to be comfortable in, and their time here will be more enjoyable. While homophobia isn’t rampant on this campus, this will provide a space for LGBTQ students to come here expecting a community to be a part of. I’m proud that my college has this.”
ODU Out President Connor Norton told the Virginian-Pilot that Lavender House “doesn’t encourage discrimination. It encourages respect and community. It makes us allies for each other.”
18 students have signed up to live in Lavender House next fall.
Source.
Comments: This is a big step for ODU! The place is crawling with neckbeards and dudebros, so for the board to approve something like this is awesome.
Copy the article text, paste it in as plain text (switch to the HTML tab instead of the Rich Text one) then put the images in manually (either with <img src="..."> or using the Rich Text editor).
Anyway, nice one. :)
“It’s unfair, plain and simple. If the school wants to stress equality then there should be equality; giving a specific group a specific floor is discrimination, or rather, reverse discrimination.” said senior Max Hrank.
BAWWWWWWW ;-;
This is the best news I have seen so far today.:)
WAT. So where does that leave fraternities and sororities? Aren't they given specific housing?
Good for ODU.
What I don't get is why more people aren't pointing out that this is how themed housing works at ODU! If a group of people of enough size fills out a form and make a good enough case, they get their floor. This is not a difficult concept to grasp, Max!
He said if LGBTQ members can have their own separate living space, then any other group should be allowed to make a proposal for their own living space.
Ever heard of the Greek system?
“While I think its commendable that Old Dominion realizes and appreciates the issue that the LGBTQ community often faces, I think the entire Lavender Hall idea is unfortunate,” said senior David Hall.
“I realize the school is pushing more towards something like the Gay-Straight alliance rather than just simple orientation. But, are there going to be halls for tea party members or active democrats? Evangelical -Christian groups or practicing Muslims? I want to work towards a society where I can introduce a boy as my husband without anyone doing a double take.
My heart bleeds buttermilk for the poor straight, cis people.
That's right, because people who fear for their well-being and want their own safe-space are just reverse-discriminating against you.
And I'm sorry, even if homophobia isn't "rampant" on campus, we are talking about students who may have come from places where homophobia is rampant. Idk about anyone else, but I'd need a place where I can feel safe adjusting to a new surrounding.
Yes, and the Lavender House is a step towards this society by being a safe space for LGBT+ students to live without being judged, where they will be accepted, where no one does a double-take. You can't work towards an accepting society if you can't accept the fact that people need safe spaces, and that you need to honor these spaces. They need safe spaces because the current society isn't safe. When there are more safe spaces than unsafe ones, you will have a safe society.
You know I always agree with you so whenever you post you should just say "Mirhanda and I think..."
LOL
This doesn't even make any sense. Hrank, you are stupid. Also your last name looks stupid. So there. :P
I love what it is and what it stands for, but it's a little... on the nose?
I know how to fix this! You get a room on that floor :)
On second though, let's keep you as far away from it as possible ...
Eat a dick.
So glad this got approved <3 Safe spaces ARE NOT "reverse discrimination." Assholes like Max Hrank need to pull their heads out of their asses for five seconds and consider WHY certain groups NEED safe spaces.
Sing with me! ~None of these things is like the other, none of these things are remotely the same~
( Also, I had no idea that they had women in science majors themed housing. That is also super awesome! )
Ok, well, when the rest of this entire straight, cis world is not such a fucked up, homophobic, transphobic and generally bigoted place to be? then feel free to whine about the special treatment we get for our safe spaces. Until then shut it, I can't hear the teeny tiny violin I'm playing for you
I wish more universities would make more safe spaces like this.
Straight cis people (especially straight cis males, Mr. Hrank) already have a safe living space, it's called planet Earth.