What it’s like to be openly gay at Bucknell

Michael Gerber, 18, Undecided Engineering, is a first year Bucknellian who came out as gay just under a year ago.

This Thursday, Bucknell LGBTQIA students and allies will take a picture together to unite and support the community. The University has been clear in its effort to accept people of all sexualities and genders.

We found out more about Michael’s experience at Bucknell so far.

How is the LGBTQIA+ community different at Bucknell than in high school?

For me personally, I wasn’t out in high school, so I didn’t get involved with the GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance), but I know there are really good GSAs at other high schools. Bucknell for me is a lot more open as a community than in high school. It’s overall a more open community and I feel like I can be myself and not change who I am. I find that it’s a lot more active here, especially with this thing on Thursday. It’s a really good opportunity for students to be able to express themselves and a really good outlet for students to show their support.

How comfortable do you feel at Bucknell as a gay person?

Being openly gay was one of my goals for college, one of the things I wanted to do by the time I got to college, and going to Bucknell, where it’s less diverse, I was a little bit nervous. But especially with the Maura Cullen thing, when she came out to the crowd and they were really accepting, it kinda made me less nervous and I haven’t really encountered any problems with my sexuality.

Have you experienced any anti-gay sentiment since coming to Bucknell?

No, nothing major that I can really think of. I may have heard a few ant-gay spurs, but nothing directed towards me. I may have just over heard a conversation and they were using those kinds of words. I heard that someone had to pretend to be gay to get into his fraternity. Initially I thought that it was really cool that he was gay and got into his fraternity, but if he had to pretend not to be gay to get in, that’s something that really got to me.

Me and Mike making veggie burgers

What do you think of national coming out day? How do you think it’s different from pride day?

The main difference, for me at least, is that national coming out day celebrates the process of coming out, but then I did some more thinking and realized that that’s sort of counterintuitive to what the LGBTQ community promotes. It’s more celebrating people who came out and what it’s like to be in the closet. Pride day is more celebrating people of all sexualities and genders, where people express their sexuality openly, so I guess coming out day had to come first. Pride day is just more of an accepting and open environment.

Did you come out before national marriage equality?

I did not.

Do you think marriage equality influenced your decision to come out?

I wouldn’t say specifically. I was very fortunate to grow up in a very supportive environment. I knew the world wasn’t always like that. I think for me it was more of a personal thing, that I just had to get to know myself and accept myself. And maybe marriage equality did help, but it was more of just a personal thing for me.

Is there anything else you want to say?

I would really want to encourage others about coming out to just do it when they’re ready. Being forced out is not just how it should happen at all. When it comes naturally, it leads to more self acceptance. I think that people who think that by a certain age they should know who they are and their sexuality – it’s just completely false. It’s up to that person and shouldn’t be determined by anyone else.

Mike is an active member of GSA, the Gender and Sexuality Alliance. The GSA at Bucknell is open to anyone who wants to attend events and support the community. It has tea day every week and a room to just hang out, providing free candy.

Definitely get involved, and join Thursday’s event.