Comments on: The Drag Queen Trying to Save Southern Methodist U. From Its Homophobic Rep

By: Rhydderch

Rhydderch — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:04:39 +0000

I’m a Texas Tech alum and I can tell you in the 90s that was a scary place to be for a gay. One tired gay bar in the whole town and AOL was the only way to really meet other gays in town. Most of the guys I met were really suspicious if you asked too many questions like “hi how are you?” Most of time guys just resorted to hooking up in random campus restrooms. Luck for me I lived in a cooler dorm and on the floor with a bunch of theater students and straight guys who were secure enough with themselves not to be freaked out by my cocksucking ways.

By: Rhydderch

Rhydderch — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:00:26 +0000

Oh lord I’m siding with galefan

By: The Drag Queen

The Drag Queen — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:49:19 +0000

Really?! I provided those quotes to the Dallas Voice when contacted for an interview..not to save the reputation of SMU but to offer my perspective here at SMU. I don’t claim that SMU is non-homophobic but I doubt the 300ish students that participated in that survey clearly profile the entire 11,000 students or the 2,000 staff that work here. I find it hard to believe that being 14 is exemplary of our university when I have notarized the domestic partnership paperwork for my colleagues allowing their partners to fall under their employee benefits and health care, when I’m encouraged to share the GLBT programs and opportunities to our GLBT students and applicants, that I’m aksed to bring my crown to school to show the office. I can’t save the reputation of SMU, it is what it is…I just offered my input since I wasn’t invited to participate in this survey. And if you though attendance was low at the GLBT programs…check out a football game…

By: rudy

rudy — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:45:35 +0000

@galefan2004: I believe only if he considers himself to be transgendered.
Unless, of course, you are so old as to remember the fifties when gay men routinely referred to each other as “queens” and “she.”

By: GranDiva

GranDiva — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:37:30 +0000

@dellisonly:
Beg to differ. University of Houston, Rice, Texas A & M, Texas Tech, Texas State, on and on and on…

There are plenty of non-sectarian schools in Texas, and quite a few of them are division one schools.

And just for reference’s sake (because I know that not too many people who aren’t into the drag scene care, but details do matter), Jenna’s title is Miss Texas For Female Impersonators, as distinct from Miss Gay Texas America, Miss Gay Texas USofA, Texas Entertainer of the Year, etc., etc., all of which are franchises of separate companies.

By: galefan2004

galefan2004 — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 22:50:04 +0000

Ahh, good ole self loathing gay people. Here is a little hit for everyone…if someone would judge you and ridicule you simply for being yourself around them then THEY ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS!!!!! Its really that fucking simple.

The admissions coordinator has a great deal of sway in the decision of who gets into the school. Its kind of hard to call a school homophobic when it openly accepts gay people.

Also, for the love of god when you are talking about a drag queen and showing a picture of that drag queen in drag then for fucks sake the pronoun to be used is SHE.

By: dellisonly

dellisonly — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:05:47 +0000

You want gay friendly in Texas you need look no further than Austin. Beyond UT everything else is affiliated with a religious institution.

By: Travis

Travis — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:54:08 +0000

Recent graduate of SMU, here, and convinced that the ranking is accurate. The only people to say otherwise, so far, are from the MSA and the Women’s Center. There is a world of difference between the ARTS SCHOOL and the rest of SMU. Also, not to fault Joe, but as coordinator of admissions in Meadows, he has to find a way to tell gay artists that they would be comfortable at SMU. It’s bound to be a big part of his job. Gay groups and events have very low attendance, many students spend all four years in the closet, homophobic opinion pieces are published in the campus paper with a fairly annual regularity… SMU may be better than it was, it may have official policies protecting faculty. But it still belongs on the list. And you know why? Because it still shares a very important characteristic with the Baptist, Mormon, and Catholic schools on the list – two thirds of the students have a religious affiliation, and most are of the Highland Park born again variety. Compare that to the one third of students at NYU, Princeton Review’s #1 gay friendly school. Florida’s New School (#3) is also the least religious. It’s not a coincidence.

SMU is, in many ways, a wonderful school. I wouldn’t trade my time in Meadows. But gay friendly? Nope.