LGBTQ Director Far from Obsolete

Nellie Bowles' Op-Ed piece in Monday's Spectator was an example of how groups and institutions that support diversity and facilitate dialogue at Columbia University are continuously called upon to justify their existence, while groups concerned with principles of cultural, spiritual, or even dietary dispositions rarely face such overwhelming hostility. In this case, Ms. Bowles' piece only illustrates why comprehensive services that address the needs of LGBT students, faculty, staff, and allies at our University need to be expanded.

However, this doesn't mean that these constructs have no palpable effects on how social relations are organized, or that religious ideology as well as governmental, civil, and economic policy don't converge to deny and constrain people on the basis of these constructed identities. These effects play out daily inside and outside the classrooms at Columbia. As many of us know, there have been very public incidents of bigotry, harassment, and discrimination on this campus, such as the vandalism incidents at Ruggles and East Campus a few semesters ago, which Ms. Bowles, being in her second semester here, may not have experienced. The memories of these events still haunt us, triggering bona fide feelings of fear, isolation, and alienation among the LGBT community on this campus.

Columbia strives to be a "global university" where the principles of liberalism, pluralism, and the free exchange of ideas are celebrated and protected. It is dangerous and irresponsible to suggest that services that address and promote these principles are outdated and should be eliminated. To argue that sexuality, gender, and race theory can now be put behind us because we have uncovered their constructed nature is myopic and naive social commentary at best. Such careless attitudes only re-emphasize and justify the need for programming at the undergraduate and graduate level which increases the visibility and awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students on campus.

LGBT people, women, and people of color have historically experienced oppression and silencing. Through our own initiative and with help from places such as the Office of Multicultural Affairs, we have fought against discrimination in admissions, employment, housing, and University services at Columbia for the past 40 years. Kerry Poynter's office was established last semester through the assistance of Dean of Student Affairs Chris Colombo, because the administration finally understood that the LGBT community constitutes a significant part of Columbia.

Poynter is not a "director of LGBT programs," a "gay director," or someone in charge of "queer events." Rather, he is an advisor to the LGBT community and an Assistant Director of Multicultural Affairs. Doing away with institutions like OMA is not the answer at a time when bias incidents on campus continue to occur. To suggest this is indicative of the bigotry, ignorance, and intolerance that pervades society as a whole and Columbia in particular. Poynter is not a symptom of liberal folly, but an embodiment of the administration's commitment to the core values of liberalism and diversity.