Oct 26, 2010
Notes From A Far-Flung Correspondent
Welcome to Notes from a Far-Flung Correspondent, which features the weekly interests and musings of Bossy’s Son, who is currently enjoying his junior year at Columbia University in the City of New York.
This week: Columbia Gets Its Gay Pride On.
There are a lot of reasons to love Columbia University. It’s a great school in an amazing city, for one. Plus, it walks a thin line between challenging and fun. But most crucially, it’s a school largely of open-mindedness and mutual acceptance irrespective of differences, and Columbia likes to demonstrate this welcoming atmosphere in big ways.
Pictured above is the exterior of Columbia’s iconic Low Library, where bunches of balloons were strung in an interconnecting rainbow. On display all of this past week, this gateway imagery was a memorial to the recent teen suicides due to homophobic harassment —and Columbia students organized expressions of solidarity.
There’s still ugliness everywhere, but it’s great to be part of an institution that aspires to be part of the solution, not the problem.
^5 Bossy’s offspring #1, well said … I might have to borrow your photo to pass this speaking visual along.
It sounds like an amazing place to go to school – the archways are a beautiful way to remember the lives lost because of this terrible problem.
Yay! Columbia!
I live in NC, and I was SO pleased when Duke Energy, the area’s electric company, made their new building rainbow for National Coming Out Day.
http://goqnotes.com/8788/yes-the-duke-energy-building-went-gay-for-national-coming-out-day/
It was surprising, because: Hello, Bible Belt! but VERY heartwarming.
Bravo, Bossy’s son. And bravo, Columbia University.
That is so awesome and inspiring all at once! We need more schools, businesses, etc. to step into the role of “part of the solution.”
Wow, you have no idea how amazing this is. It has only been a mere ten years since I graduated college, but the campus I attended was very homophobic. Fliers for any gay related activity barely remained in place for a few hours before being torn down, and Gay Pride celebrations on school grounds? Forget it! Oh, technically there was a policy about tolerance and acceptance, but the administration always seemed to think gays were the exception to that particular policy. I am happy beyond measure to see that things are starting to change for the better in this regard.
Right on, Columbia.
Well done, Columbia (and Bossy’s son).
Life affirming.
This one of Bossy’s Gays loves the fact she raised such a good open minded son who would make such a great post! Thanks!
Ride that wave.
Rock on Columbia and Bossy’s Son!
Matt has been raised by good parents! So nice to see someone young like yourself that gets it and isn’t afraid to be yourself and say what you feel!
Right on Matt!
AWESOME! Rock ON! It’s so refreshing to find a blog that supports alternative lifestyles!
Matt -
I just saw on BWOG that you made Phi Beta Kappa! Mazel Tov and have a wonderful last semester. p.j. in stl (Micah S.’mom).