As co-chair of Gender Sexuality XYZ, Jen Schuster '09 works with members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Allied community to combat heteronormativity on campus and promote gender-neutral equality. Although it's great that students rarely encounter overt homophobia at Dartmouth, Jen says, changes still need to be made.
How did you get involved with GSX?
It wasn't until my junior fall that, having been very involved in the College Democrats, I realized LGBTQA issues were my passion. It was just what I felt logically and in my gut -- that's where justice and equality were being denied the most. I remember my very first meeting was the election meeting and nobody was running for publicity. I was like, "I'm very new to this club, but I really want to get more involved." So I ran for it and got it, and I haven't looked back. I'm very honored that the community here at Dartmouth has elected me as a leader of this organization. Honestly, it's just such a welcoming community and it's so inclusive and so positive, it's like being with all your friends.
What are GSX's goals?
One of them is definitely politically-oriented. We've done petitions for marriage equality here in New Hampshire. We've also done petitions for keeping the Employment Non-Discrimination Act transgender-inclusive. Also, raising awareness on campus about LGBTQA issues is really big -- combating heteronormativity on campus, for example. We're very lucky that overt instances of homophobia and transphobia aren't really commonplace here, but yet the Greek system is still very gendered and there are definitely issues on campus. One of our other goals is to provide a safe, inclusive environment for our members -- we have events like GSX slumber parties and ice cream socials, and we visit other campuses. So it's also about the community itself.
What do you think are the major issues facing the LGBTQA community on campus?
I think that at Dartmouth, we're always battling this conservative reputation -- I've heard of gay people being told, "Don't ever go there." That reputation really doesn't do the Dartmouth community justice. We battle the same things other campuses do, which are heteronormativity and ignorance about the issues the community faces. For example, someone asks you, "Hey, do you have a boyfriend?" rather than, "Hey, are you dating anyone?" Honestly, [the community has] the backing of the administration, but I know a lot of schools already have Queer Houses or have much more gender-neutral housing than we do. A lot of schools are generally able to bring more administrative support, rather than just funding for things like PRIDE Week.
You mentioned the Greek system earlier. How do you think it affects the campus' LGBTQA community?
I think that the Greek system, especially the fraternities, fosters this image of masculinity, which can be very problematic and be very difficult for someone who is gay to reconcile. I think that goes along with the relationship between genders on campus, where it really is a male-dominated space, so women feel it's like the men get to set the rules. I also think that we have some wonderful coed and gender-neutral houses that have really become a safe haven for many people, a welcoming place. I think that's a really positive thing. I know that Tabard really stresses the fact that they are welcoming, period. They're very gender-neutral -- it isn't just about being coed, which still perpetuates the binary between the genders, it's about saying, "We don't even care who you are, you're welcome here."
How has being involved in GSX impacted you personally?
LGBTQA issues have always been something I'm very passionate about. But I always had the fear -- because your sexuality is not something that is physically identifiable on your body -- that if I spoke up about these things, people would suspect that I was bisexual or a lesbian. And I didn't want to put myself in that vulnerable place for a long time. Every time I spoke up I would say "Well, I very much support marriage equality but, you know, I'm not gay." It took me a really long time to realize I was doing that and maybe it'd be a good thing if I put myself in a vulnerable place. I could be a better advocate if I didn't have to qualify my beliefs.
Was it hard to stop making those qualifications?
Yeah, I remember the first time I said that gay and lesbian rights were my first priority and I let it just sit. I just let it hang right there. Everyone who I was speaking to looked at me -- there was this moment of silence where everyone was just like, "Is Jen trying to tell us something?" I remember that feeling. I think that really empowered me to say, "I really don't care what people think about my own sexuality, this is what I believe in." I think that in some way, not always disclosing my own sexuality will bring me even closer to the experience of my friends who I want to work with and work for. Spring term I decided to run for co-chair of GSX. When I ran for it I was all like, I'm tough, I don't care if people question my sexual orientation, that's their problem.
Did that mindset last?
The first time I heard about an actual instance of someone questioning my sexuality really bothered me, and I remember going back to my GSX exec board and being like, "People might be asking you about me because I'm one of the co-chairs. I don't even know what to say. I'm mostly attracted to guys, but if I ever met another woman and we fell in love, I'm not going to stop myself. I'm open to whatever." They were like, "Jen, calm down. You're straight." I felt like I had this coming out experience with the exec board where I came out as straight. I had to realize that's who I am and that's totally fine. At this point, I don't even always like labels, but I think I do identify as straight. And also as queer, because I am open to whatever and I really identify with the queer movement, both culturally and politically. Maybe one day we can get away from sexuality as such a huge factor in how we perceive and categorize people. Wouldn't it be great if we could all express ourselves sexually and feel the freedom to do that and not have the worry that there's going to be a stigma or a shame or a backlash associated with that?
