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National Coming Out Day

Letter to the Editor

Published: Thursday, October 11, 2012

Updated: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 20:10

AllianceND is the proposed student-run Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), which would serve to educate and foster understanding on campus concerning LGBT issues. The goal of the group is not only to provide a safe space to LGBT students and their allies, but also to reach out to the campus at large and encourage a safe climate. We believe that the recognition of a formal GSA on campus is vital to providing adequate resources for LGBT members of the Notre Dame family.


Currently, LGBT issues are handled exclusively through a limited-access board (the Core Council). Although this board allows for the representation of LGBT student interests to University administrators, it is not open to members of the campus community at large (non-member LGBT students and staff as well as allies).


Today is National Coming Out Day.  Historically, National Coming Out Day was founded to encourage acceptance of one’s identity, as well as to raise awareness about the struggles the LGBT community still faces today. The Notre Dame LGBT community certainly remains in this struggle. Current structures and the general campus climate both continue to discourage students from coming out.


AllianceND itself has come out time and time again over the past two decades, fighting for the right to exist. Today, we write to you all encouraging you to come out in support of our struggle to improve campus climate, and ask administrators of this campus to come out with substantial plans for doing so.


For those freshmen, sophomore, junior, senior, or grad students who are not sure if Notre Dame is ready for the greatness you have to offer, we promise that there are people on this campus who will love you for exactly who you are. AllianceND will always welcome you.



Kobena Ampofo
senior
off campus

Mia Lillis
junior
Cavanaugh Hall

Carl Brinker
senior
off campus

Alex Coccia
junior
Siegfried Hall

Karl Abad
senior
St. Edward’s Hall

Maggie Waickman
sophomore
Howard Hall

Patrick Ntwari
freshman
Keough Hall

Colleen Hancuch
sophomore
Howard Hall

Lauren Morisseau
sophomore
Breen-Phillips Hall

Zoe Jimenez
junior
Breen-Phillips Hall

Tom Lienhoop
junior
Dillon Hall

Maggie Miller
sophomore
Pasquerilla East

Caitlin Zeiler
sophomore
Welsh Family Hall

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2 comments

Anonymous
Sun Oct 14 2012 19:25
As a gay alum, I am insulted by your desire to discriminate against homosexuals. We aren't "intolerant" of the school. We are only asking that we be allowed to form a club. I'm very glad that despite people like you, smart and enlightened people still somehow manage to end up at Notre Dame. I'm glad I was able to spend time with them and not you.

If people like you continue to resist inexorable progress, Notre Dame will become as laughable as Ave Maria or Franciscan. If you wanted a school that takes marching orders from the Vatican, you should have gone there.

Also, as if Notre Dame needs even less diversity. Good god. So many straight, sheltered, white kids. Let's make sure it stays that way.

Give me a break. You're an outlier in our generation, and it's clear why.

Class of 2010
Sat Oct 13 2012 04:07
AllianceND is well-intentioned, but you must remember that Notre Dame is first and foremost a Catholic university. Not just *a* Catholic university, but the premier institution of Catholic education in the world.

How, then, can you ask - nay, DEMAND - that the university turn its back on the teachings of the Church? If you do not feel that Notre Dame is gay-friendly... by all means, attend a "gay-friendly" school. I think ND does a good job of balancing the moral relativist views of America with its obligations to Catechism and dogma.

As an alumna of the class of 2010, I am insulted at the attempts to drain Notre Dame of its Catholic identity. Notice that I said "identity" and not "roots" or "background." This is because the Church and its teaching are and should continue to be alive and well at the University of Our Lady.

AllianceND needs to learn some tolerance of its own. Be tolerant of the university's religious identity. Again, if it offends you, by all means go to school somewhere else.





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