<p>I thought this article from the Boston University daily newspaper might interest this forum:</p>
<p>The Daily Free Press - News
Issue: 4/19/05 </p>
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<p>BC students rally for gay inclusion
By Chloe Gotsis </p>
<p>In what some were calling the largest protest at Boston College since the 1980s, more than 1,000 BC students and faculty rallied Friday for the BC administration to revise the school’s non-discrimination policy to include gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students.</p>
<p>Nearly 3,500 students, or 84 percent of the student body voting last March were in favor of this revision, prompting a large outcry from the students when the administration ignored the student referendum.</p>
<p>Students say the current nondiscrimination clause unnecessarily singles out sexual orientation by putting it in a separate sentence following the university’s nondiscrimination policy on race, sex, age, religion and other identifying categories. </p>
<p>BC sophomore Nick Salter, director of social action in the Undergraduate Government of Boston College, said students feel frustrated by the inaction of the administration, but they are generally optimistic for the outcome of the struggle.</p>
<p>Salter said students feel that the language of the “non-discrimination clause is degrading and hope to revise it, making it more welcoming and confirming and affirming the welcoming environment at BC.” </p>
<p>Many professors, Salter added, showed their support for the strike by canceling their classes, not taking attendance or strongly encouraging students to attend the rally. </p>
<p>Although Salter said two-thirds of other Jesuit schools include sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination guidelines, the BC administration has maintained a decision not to act based on its Jesuit affiliation.</p>
<p>BC’s website makes no mention of the rally.</p>
<p>At a press conference Friday morning, Salter told student media he and fellow supporters were excited about broad on-campus support from both students and professors.</p>
<p>“All of us cannot be sitting at the negotiation tables at this university, but all of us certainly have a place in a movement for equality,” he said.</p>
<p>Students wore blue and white shirts with the words “Gay? Fine by me,” while they shouted, “What do we want? Equality! When do we want it? Now,” from a quad at the site of the rally. The BC campus was littered with fliers, signs and posters advertising the rally. </p>
<p>As the noon rally began, droves of students arrived to show their support. Some sported and distributed “students for equality” buttons and others face-painted white equal signs.</p>
<p>Some speakers at the rally offered personal anecdotes to explain why the rally was important to them.</p>
<p>Theresa Hammond, an openly gay BC accounting professor, said she often felt like a “second-class citizen” at BC because of her sexual orientation.</p>
<p>"[This rally] is the most wonderful thing to have happened here in the 15 years since I’ve been here," she said.</p>
<p>One gay student expressed similar sentiment.</p>
<p>“Being a lesbian is no less significant to me than my gender,” said BC junior Becky Moore. “Today is an important day of recognition. As I stand here, I can’t help but think how this represents a return to our legacy.”</p>
<p>BC senior Burnell Holland, the vice president of the school’s student government, was choked up during his speech because the start of the rally coincided with a funeral of one of his close friends. He said he chose to stay at the rally because of the “good that can come out of today.”</p>
<p>“I’m proud to say the BC community has undergone its own revelation to push for equality,” he said. “Our GLBT community has been seen as second-class citizens because of BC’s failure to recognize the need for change.”</p>
<p>BC English professor Paul Lewis agreed with student protestors, saying the nondiscrimination policy at BC is currently “embarrassing” and “wrong.”</p>
<p>“The question we face is not about harassment, it’s about excluding rights,” Lewis said as cheering broke out. “It weakens BC. Excluding any subset of applicants will unnecessarily rule out the best applicants. It’s time BC stopped trying to defend the indefensible.”</p>