This is what it’s like to be LGBTQ at a Catholic university

It is hard to go a day at Georgetown University without being reminded of its Catholic and Jesuit values. As students of this prestigious school, we are constantly reminded to be men and women for others and we walk with the phrase “cura personalis” on repeat in the back of our minds.

However, it is no secret there have been sects of Christianity which have not welcomed the LGBTQ community with open arms. For students who do not identify as heterosexual this is problematic, as it is another obstacle they must face – as if life isn’t rough enough.

For some students like freshman Ray Gao , there was hesitation when applying to Georgetown after attending a heavily Episcopal high school in Rhode Island.

He said: “I was very reserved, and I had thoughts about whether or not Georgetown was the right place for me.

“I equated all Christian identities together, and it was hard for me to predict the reactions of students at Georgetown to people like me.”

For others, Georgetown’s Catholic identity was noted, and was not seen as overwhelming, but rather as another component of the school. Regardless of whether or not students had reservations about applying to Georgetown because of the Catholic identity, most students are able to relate to the Jesuit values. Many students are attracted to Georgetown as a result of them because, as sophomore Jackson Shain said, “They are simply good values to live by.”

Georgetown University has made strides in welcoming the LGBTQ community, however, there are two separate issues at hand – both external and internal.

Externally, Georgetown does not exclude the LGBTQ community. Still, as junior Pam Escalante said, “Georgetown is such a hetero-normative place, and right now doesn’t have a space for us.”

Additionally, Pam said there are many intersections within the community at large. She added: “You need to be able to express yourself in a safe space where people not only respect where you’re coming from, but sometimes understand, so you can lean on them for support.”

Following examples such as the Black House, and Casa Latina, the addition of safe spaces in the community is not out of the question, however, there needs to be a distinction, as the entire LGBTQ community cannot be blindly forced into one category.

Sophomore Keith McKay said: “Just like in society, there are many minorities within the LGBTQ community.

“Homosexual women and people of color have had a completely different experiences than I have, and have faced many other challenges.”

To funnel all of these people together and strip them of their experiences would be insulting. I, as a black man, cannot automatically relate to someone from Ethiopia simply because we share a skin tone. No group of people as extensive as the LGBTQ community can be identified by one acronym – the internal sphere faces a similar conflict.

Pam and Keith both noted the LGBTQ community is a different type of minority, as it is composed of people from different backgrounds – white, black, Hispanic, Asian, etc. This is simply to reaffirm the fact there are minorities within the minority, and equal representation is hard to come by.

The LGBTQ community on a whole has undoubtedly overcome numerous barriers and has made great progress. However, we must ask ourselves which members of the LGBTQ community are benefiting from these advances? It isn’t difficult to see that the face of the LGBTQ community is, by and large, the white male.

While there is nothing wrong with their activism, there are many groups that are left by the wayside. The same criticism has been made about some of the LGBTQ groups on our own campus at Georgetown.

GU Pride is of the more prominent and known LGBTQ groups on campus, and they have done a great job advocating for LGBTQ rights. Nevertheless, some have said GU Pride is for those who feel the most comfortable in their skin, and those who can embody the slogan, “Out and Proud.” What about the people who have yet to reach this level of comfort?

Author Zach Currie interviewing a fellow Hoya

And for some people, coming out isn’t even an option. Ray is from China, and said  he is comfortable with himself here at Georgetown, however, he will never be able to come out to his family simply because of China’s oppressive culture. Sadly, this is the reality for many people.

So where can they go to seek support? Fortunately, other LGBTQ groups are starting to emerge on campus like Queer People of Color and Queer Women’s Collective, which are more conducive to peoples’ personal narratives and can provide a deeper level of comfort.

This is not to say this is enough as there are many intersections within the LGBTQ community which have remained unrepresented and unknown. But it’s a start.

Horizontal frustration in the LGBTQ community exists at Georgetown, as groups within become more fragmented and feel unappreciated.

Nobody is asking the homosexual white male to step aside, but rather to listen to the stories of other individuals within the group.

Doing so would enable the creation of a more comprehensive and realistic picture of the values the LGBTQ community as a whole embodies.

It is a much more complex issue than it seems and as Ray profoundly said: “LGBTQ is only five letters of a very long sequence.”