Meet the man standing up to homophobia at Villanova

‘When you think ‘Villanova’, you don’t really think ‘gay”

Marcus is a senior at the Villanova where he studies political science. He is an aspiring politician, a die-hard Beyoncé fan, and a gay man, and ahead of National Coming Out Day, we caught up with him.

Marcus attends a different Villanova University: “It’s in the atmosphere here. If you belong on the mainline, you come in and you fit right in, but when you think ‘Villanova’ you don’t really think ‘gay.'”

But the university that Marcus attends is not always as kind and accepting as we’d like to think because the university that Marcus attends can be both hateful and homophobic.

“There’s definitely a lack of diversity here, but the thing is, people just accept conformity and move on,” Marcus said describing the mentality of some Villanova students.”

“At the end of the day, people just want to fit in. We all do.”

But Marcus stands out proudly. He dresses like many other Villanova men, but as he sits sipping a mocha frappuccino, it’s clear that there is something special about him. Marcus has an easy confidence and self-awareness that encourages him to speak out and share his stories for the good of others.

Reverse twinning @savydanger Thanks @fifibeans for the pic #Twins

A photo posted by Marcus Mills (@marcuskardashian) on Jun 18, 2016 at 9:46pm PDT

“I know it’s important to be able to talk about these things now because it’s important for the younger generation to be who they are, and that’s true for Villanova too.”

Marcus came out officially to his family just one year ago, but he claims his sexuality was always obvious. As a teen, he never explicitly had to tell his friends he was gay because it was always just assumed. When asked for clarification, he laughed, “I mean, if I’ve been to three Lady GaGa concerts and seven Beyoncé concerts was I ever really in?”

Marcus was encouraged to officially tell his family while abroad in Barcelona. He credits a supportive roommate for giving him the final push he needed that night and when his roommate asked him why he hadn’t told his family, Marcus had no answer. He didn’t know why he never told, but describes feeling nervous as he dialed his Aunt back in his hometown of Washington, D.C.

“When I told her, I was so shocked. She was just like ‘I know.'” He laughs and takes a sip of his coffee.

“We talked about our mutual love for Ricky Martin! I was like this is probably one of the most anticlimactic moments of my life. It was a waste of my damn data,” he joked.

But things aren’t always so funny stateside. Just a few weeks ago, a friend sent Marcus a screenshot of a Snapchat. The photo showed Marcus walking from behind, and was clearly taken without his knowledge. The caption simply read: “Gay boy” and he later learned that the Snapchat was sent by a well-known Villanova athlete.

Marcus is no stranger to being labeled an outsider by his peers and the incident was not the first of its kind. Last month, he attended a sorority function and a member of a former Villanova fraternity member called him a “black fag” when Marcus tried to maneuver around him to get off a bus.

“I have a thick skin so stuff like this doesn’t always affect me like you think it would, but I don’t know why he had to pull that word out,” Marcus told The Tab.

“But this isn’t about me. There are bigger issues. There are other people on this campus, and honestly people commit suicide over stuff like that.”

Despite some of the hateful attitudes and homophobia that have plagued Marcus over the years, he makes clear that he has many close friends who are men, and there are even some strangers who stand out as leaders amongst their peers. In fact, another Villanova fraternity man stood up to his friend after the poisonous comment was made on the bus.

Actions like these make Marcus hopeful for the future and keep him at Villanova even though several gay men have transferred in part because of an unfriendly social climate.

Marcus also added that he has made a number of close connections with Villanova women: “I have never had a problem with women here. I’ve found that the women on campus are just much more accepting and open, and that has been really cool because we clearly live in a kind of bubble.”

It’s friendships like these that make Marcus proud to be a Villanovan: “We are progressing, and honestly I’ve made so many great friends here.

“Maybe some people are insecure about themselves and that’s why they’re quick to tear others down. But the thing is, we need to build each other up to make a friendlier world.

“If you keep tearing people down, there will be nothing left to stand.”

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