What initially attracted you to Pace?
For some it was the nursing program, for others, the close proximity to Manhattan and for most, it was the immediate sense of community that was evident, even as a guest. The ability to feel comfortable on your future college’s campus is essential in choosing a school that works for you.
But what happens when you get to the school and it is not everything you had hoped it would be and more? This is exactly the case for many of the students in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) community here at Pace.
“The Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) once hung up flyers for our mock wedding in which someone had crossed out the picture of the gay couple and circled the straight couple,” said junior journalism major, psychology minor and current President of GSA, Jonathan Calixto. “We also had multiple other flyers and signs torn down.”
Pace graduate student Jake Knisely was one among many of his peers who felt that something was missing from his alma mater.
“When I entered Pace the only resource that gay students had was the counseling center,” said Knisely, who graduated with his Bachelors of Science in Nursing in the Class of 2011 and is currently a student in the Pace graduate program for substance abuse and counseling. “I was approached by one of my peers and we, along with a few other students and faculty members, spearheaded the establishment of the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA).”
Knisely, who is openly gay, now had a legitimate and recognized group of people to associate with and accept him unconditionally, regardless of his sexual orientation. Although the LGBTQ community at Pace is now offered an exciting yet unfamiliar feeling of belonging, some members of the gay community still find themselves struggling to feel completely accepted.
“There is a 5:1 ratio of lesbians and female bisexuals to gay males in GSA,” said Calixto. “A similar pattern is evident amongst the student body.”
Although there are gay males at Pace, not many of them are as open as the females are. In an environment that fosters the well-being of everybody, why don’t the numbers match up?
“Being a lesbian is considered sexy today,” said senior criminal justice major and criminal science minor Sean Bostic. “People are more open to lesbians than they are gays.”
The females’ proclivity to uncover their true sexual orientation more openly than males’ is driven by society’s “sexified” perspective of lesbians. Contrarily, homosexually is deemed by many as a sin, leaving the male students less likely to open up in fear being inflicted with harsh judgment and unfair treatment by peers.
“I was raised to believe that being gay is morally wrong,” said Bostic. “Legally, there is nothing wrong with being gay.”
Everyone shares the same legal rights to their own beliefs, however, it is the morality of the matter that seems to take precedence. The students withholding their true sexual identities, and even the ones that come forward, still feel that a skewed judgment is placed upon them.
“Being bisexual at Pace has caused feelings of discomfort for me,” said anonymous source. “When people find out that I’m bi it feels like all they are interested in is my sexual orientation.”
Other affiliates of the gay community feel similarly to the anonymous source.
“Students have told me that because I’m bisexual I must be confused, or going through a phase,” said a member of the gay community who chooses to remain anonymous. “Being able to feel comfortable here is a number one priority for me and the rest of the LGBTQ community at Pace.”
This may be the case, however, that does not mean that Pace’s community is only tolerant to heterosexuality.
“I feel that Pace’s community is very open and accepting to the gay lifestyle,” said the openly gay Assistant Director of Student Development and Campus Activities Robert Thomas-Jones. “It is more a matter of personal acceptance and preference as to whether or not one chooses to come out.”
Although it’s different for Jones than it is students because of the different power dynamics, he feels that Pace’s community is very open to the gay lifestyle. However, Calixto notes that, “there must be an equal balance between an accepting environment and personal, self-acceptance for someone to be willing to even consider coming out.”
Thus, it is not entirely the environment that is deterring those grappling with their sexuality from coming forward, rather, it is their internal struggle which in part leads to their choice to withhold sexual orientation. Pace can work on strengthening the community as a whole via education and interaction, which in turn will help the LGBTQ community feel better understood and more willing to act openly.
Pace has always been consistent in being able to offer its students all of the resources necessary in creating a positive environment that cultivates acceptance and protection. The LGBTQ task force, which consists of students, staff and faculty, is working on to making the Pleasantville campus a place where everyone is capable of feeling comfortably accepted. They hope to establish a center, similar to that of the LGBTQ Center on the Pace Manhattan campus, which currently acts as a support base and educational resource for the LGBTQ community. The task force is pushing to attain space for the Center on the new master plan for Pace
The members of the LGBTQ community hope that this establishment will offer the Pace community a better opportunity for education on LGBTQ, which will in turn advance growth as a community at large.
GSA holds their meetings on Mondays at 9pm in conference room C/D of the Kessel Student Center. They encourage those who are struggling, as well as those who want to get to know them and support them to attend.