Safety concerns among gay, transgendered students sparks UCCS rally

Concerns that gay, bisexual and transgender students at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs have felt unsafe on campus this semester and have experienced verbal and physical harassment drew hundreds of people to a peaceful rally on campus Wednesday.

About 200 students, faculty and community members attended the "Safety is a Human Right" rally, the work of numerous multiracial and sexually diverse groups. Some said it was a historic event for the campus.

"There isn't a history of peaceful speak-outs here, especially that have included blacks, Latinos, Native Americans, Asians and gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders," said Becky Thompson, director of the Women's and Ethnic Studies program, which helped sponsor the rally.

The event was designed to celebrate UCCS' diversity and inclusiveness, said Ayden Merino, a gay freshman and one of the organizers. Merino said he's experienced gay bashing and that many of his peers have, too.

"We're saying as a community: ‘We're not going to tolerate it,'" he said.

The rally was related to a recent rift between student body president David Williams and the campus' gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender group, Spectrum. Williams declined to sign off on a Spectrum funding request for a National Coming Out Day observance in October, citing his personal convictions.

Last month, a student Judicial Board concluded that Williams' actions were discriminatory, but also ruled that he did not violate a mandate that student leaders be "viewpoint neutral." Both Williams and Spectrum have appealed the board's ruling to Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabek.

Meanwhile, a student-led recall petition against Williams is circulating the campus and has about half of the 800 signatures needed to remove him from office.

UCCS campus police chief Jim Spice said his office has received no reports of harassment or assault on gay students this semester, but Thompson said both verbal and physical assaults have occurred since the controversy over Williams.

"Many are not reported because of homophobia," she said. "We know that homophobia breeds isolation and loneliness, and the key is to let people know they're not alone."

Several speakers called for the campus to create an environment where all students feel safe in their dorms, in the restrooms and in classes.

"Discrimination perpetuates fear, intolerance and an idea that some of us are ‘less than,'" said Ryan Acker, executive director of the Pride Center in Colorado Springs. "We want equal rights - it's guaranteed us in the Constitution. We're saying transgender students need to be able to use the restroom of their choice, and gay students should be able to sleep in their dorm room and not have their roommate call them a fag."

Kee Warner, associate vice chancellor for diversity, said the college's diversity plan, approved by the board of regents, includes sexual orientation and gender expression, and that inclusiveness cannot be achieved without safety.

"It's not just a matter of being politically correct, but acceptance and mutual respect so we can learn from our differences," he said.

Transsexual Nancy-Jo Morris, who leads a support group called Peak Area Gender Expression, challenged rally-goers: "You don't have to love me but I do expect you to respect me."