The State of the LGBTQ Community
The election is behind us, a new year is approaching, and the rights of the LGBTQ community, a defined minority group of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals are in doubt.
President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence will be inaugurated into office in January. Both Trump and Pence provide a sense of uneasiness and uncertainty for minorities in America.
Trump’s campaign – driven by fear mongering and condescending remarks, revolved around the promise to make America great again – but in the eyes of the LGBTQ community, the nation will only regress under Trump and Pence.
“I truly believe we will see a completely different Trump in office,” said Alex Depasquale, a Kent State senior and Trump supporter. “It’s unreasonable to assume he’s going to approach his term like a campaign.”
Although the president-elect repeatedly disrespected the rights of minorities during his campaigning – it’s not Trump who the LGBTQ community fears most.
Pence’s track record instills fear into the LGBTQ community. Just a year ago, he signed a religious freedom law knowing that it would potentially worsen discrimination against the LGBTQ community.
The former member of Congress also played a pivotal role in battles over marriage equality and equal rights in the last decade.
A decade ago, Pence said keeping gays from marrying was not discrimination, but rather an enforcement of “God’s idea.” Just a year later, in 2007, he opposed a law that would prohibit discrimination against the LGBTQ community in the workplace.
The federal government directed school districts to allow students to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with in May of 2015.
Pence wasted no time opposing Obama’s directive and labeled it as a “state issue.”
“The federal government has no business getting involved in issues of this nature,” Pence said.
The directive came as a result of House Bill 2, a recently passed law in North Carolina that eliminated anti-discrimination protections and prohibited the LGBTQ population from using the restroom in which their gender identifies with.
House Bill 2 resembles the previously mentioned Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a law Pence signed in Indiana that enables restaurant owners to discriminate against members of the LGBTQ community.
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Emily Grubb, a Kent State student who identifies as transgender, is extremely fearful of what’s to come under a Trump-Pence presidency.
“Pence has been known to oppose and criticize the foundation of the LGBTQ community,” Grubb said. “To have someone that close to the presidency, to have someone like that in office altogether – it’s scary. He can have a very harmful impact on my life.”
Grubb, who works as an intern at Kent State’s LGBTQ office, made a major lifestyle change before enrolling at Kent State.
“Before making the change, I couldn’t be as proud of myself as I am now,” Grubb said.
After coming out as gay during high school, Grubb became more flamboyant in public. Grubb committed to the decision to become part of the non-binary transgender community just months before graduating high school.
“In high school, there was still something that was holding me back,” Grubb said. “I couldn’t go to that further length that I now feel comfortable with. It wasn’t that I wanted to make a full transition to a female, but I wanted to be more ambiguous and in the middle.”
Grubb has now become accustomed to this new lifestyle and appreciates how smoothly the transition has went. Although the initial adjustment period has already passed, Grubb conceded the transition itself is far from complete.
“I’m much more comfortable with myself right now,” Grubb said. “I don’t really see my transition as finished yet, and I don’t think it’ll ever be finished, but I’m finally comfortable with myself.”
Grubb is thankful for the support family and friends have provided at a local level, but the 22-year-old is extremely concerned with the potential lack of support the entire LGBTQ community will receive from a national standpoint.
“The hope is that we cannot be discriminated against for gender identity or sexual orientation on a national level, but that doesn’t exist,” Grubb said.
Grubb firmly believes a Trump-Pence presidency will hinder the progress the LGBTQ community has made over the last few years.
The LGBTQ community’s push for equality picked up major steam following the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015.
However, the passing of House Bill 2, along with a Trump-Pence presidency, makes it seem like their push for equality has only been brought to a screeching halt.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver responded to House Bill 2 by taking a stand for the LGBTQ community. In July, the Shaker-Heights native announced the relocation of the 2017 NBA All-Star game from Charlotte in response to the HB2 law. The move will cost the state of North Carolina hundreds of millions in revenue.
“Even though the NBA has no place in this issue, they’re choosing to be on the right side of history,” Grubb said. “They’re using their power, money and influence to make a critical change. That’s what it’s all about; these massive organization should want to do the right thing.”
Speaking for other members whom Grubb interacts with during her time interning for the Kent State LGBTQ office, there isn’t much of a reason to be optimistic at this moment.
KSU LGBTQ Office Statistics
The LGBTQ Office at Kent State has about 2,700 students come in for guidance per year.
Around 20 students per year come into the LGBTQ office at Kent State and report harassment or thoughts of suicide.
About 1,000 of the 2,700 yearly guests come for emotional support.
There are about 50 severe cases reported by students to the Kent State LGBTQ office per year.
On average, the Kent State LGBTQ office offers financial support to around a dozen students per year. This year, that number has doubled.
Ken Ditlevson, the director of the Kent State LGBTQ Student Center, said the mood of his office on election night could’ve been compared to a funeral.
“It’s been pretty stressful,” Ditlevson said. “People are truly fearful. The day after the election, there were people here in tears. You would’ve thought someone had died. I was in that same group, to be honest. People are afraid that they won’t be able to get married, or their restroom rights won’t be protected.”
As the director of the LGBTQ office, it’s on Ditlevson and interns like Grubb to provide the emotional support for students in need. Ditlevson made it clear there’s no way he could run the center himself.
“To serve 2,700 people in one year, with only one staff person, would be awesome but not possible,” Ditlevson said.
“Half of the time, I’m in university meetings or training. If we didn’t have the interns, the center would be closed half of the time because nobody would be there for support. Interns have an incredible role. Emily has been with us for three semesters and she does phenomenal work. We wouldn’t be able to maintain this office without students like Emily.”
Ditlevson said most of the students who comes through the LGBTQ office need emotional support, but the office has also set up an emergency fund for students who are financially cut off by parents or loved ones.
“It typically happens after they’ve come out,” Ditlevson said. “Unfortunately, we see about six students who are cut off from family support or in some type of financial crisis. I meet with those students. I think last year we helped at least 13 students total. This year, that number has already doubled.”
Ditlevson said his office hired a program coordinator two months ago to help cater to the growing needs of the LGBTQ community.
“Katie Mattise, our program coordinator, has been a huge asset,” Ditlevson said. “She stepped up after the election by coordinating a lot of events to support the students. It lightened the mood and provided a place for members of the LGBTQ community to pull together and support each other.”
Like the many students who come through his office, Ditlevson is fearful of what’s to come under a Trump-Pence presidency.
“I think time will tell, but I’m hopeful we can continue to move forward,” Ditlevson said.
“As of now, it’s hard to say. I do hope that President-elect Donald Trump will stand behind all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Personally, I’m fearful that we may have lost some steam and energy behind working towards equality for all people, but I hope that’s not true.”
Ditlevson offered his thoughts on what he would like to hear president-elect Trump say to ease the nerves of the LGBTQ community.
“I would like him to look into a camera and say he’s going to represent all people equally,” Ditlevson said.
“But I want him to thoroughly list those groups of people he’s promising to represent. Don’t overlook anybody, that’s what equality is all about. Without him referencing specific groups, nobody feels safe. It’s a huge unsettling feeling for a lot of people right now. I feel tears building up as we talk about this.”
The LGBTQ community is clinging onto a sliver of hope. The goal is to continue progressing and moving forward towards equality, but a looming Trump-Pence presidency has only casted a dark cloud of doubt over the LGBTQ community.
Jamie Dillon’s Podcast can be heard here:
Interviewing, Reporting, Researching (PDF Links/Statistics), Writing, Editing, Sidebar done by: Taylor Rosen
Audio Recording, Scripting, Editing, Narrating done by: Jamie Dillon
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The Transgendered Now: The current climate of the transgendered community
There are difficulties in the transgendered community. It seems that the odds, quite literally, are not in their favor, quite apart from the usual obstacles of harassment and discrimination.
According to Gay and Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAAD), transgendered people are beset by unemployment at twice the rate of that of the general population. As such, they are four times more likely to live in poverty.
Not unnaturally, with concerns rising about the impending Trump administration, this begs the question of alternatives. Where can transgendered people turn when their situation looks so grim?
One possibility is Margie’s Hope, a shelter in Akron that helps transgendered individuals to find the resources they need. This includes healthcare, counseling, housing and places of employment.
“We try to connect individuals with places that are safe, and have policies and procedures…that protect transgendered individuals,” says Jacob Nash, founder of Margie’s Hope. “As well as helping them find places that they can places…that will help and treat them with respect and dignity.”
LGBTQ Definitions
Some people are confused on the different types of sexual orientation and the different LGBTQ definitions. A couple of the terms that are used and heard most often are defined below.
Transgender – People whose psychological self (gender identity) is different than the identity society has placed on them based on the physical sex they were born with. Transgender is not a sexual orientation and transgender people can have any sexual orientation.
Gender identity – The gender a person perceives themselves as and what they call themselves.
Pansexual – A person attracted sexually to others based on personality instead of gender
Ally – An advocate and supporter of the LGBTQ community despite not being LGBTQ
Asexual – A person who does not experience sexual attraction towards other people
Bisexual – A person who is attracted to two genders or two sexes. The said person does not have to be attracted to two genders/sexes at the same time or equally.
Cisgender – A person who identifies as the gender they were assigned at birth
Gay – A man romantically, emotionally and/or sexually attracted to men
Lesbian – A woman romantically, emotionally and/or sexually attracted to women
According to Nash, one of the biggest obstacles with this initiative has been finding existing shelters to utilize. While there are such places that can provide housing, there is no guarantee that other residents will be accepting of transgendered individuals.
Nash and his colleagues hold out little hope of public policy helping their cause any time soon, on a local and national level. The only noticeable activity is with the so-called ‘bathroom bills.’
“They’re not just affecting the adults,” Nash says. “We’re talking about in schools. While Obama made great strides in regards to putting out a federal mandate…we also know there’s been a lot of pushback. We know there’s been a battle.”
As ever, educational outreach seems the best way to combat distrust and prejudice against the transgendered community. However, it is too early to tell what changes the new White House will enact.
Written story, Interview with founder of Margie’s Hope Shelter, document done by: Daniel Hale
Researching transgender data for graphics and to be added to the written story, sidebar with terms, graphic done by Itzzy Leon
Broadcast package on opportunities and issues with transgender bathroom issues, transgender events timeline done by: Landyn Gerace
