<p>I’m sure other people’s opinions have already been stated, but I thought I’d share my experiences. It’s probably good to keep in mind that I come from a beyond conservative area and personally know only three openly gay people (something I hope reflects not my personal beliefs but the area from which I come).<br>
I arrived at Open Campus, finding Smith to be quite helpful (due to bus delays, I missed Sign In) as they sent a small shuttle to pick myself and other girls on the bus with me. I did not even have time to place my bags in the correct area before we were ushered to our respective houses. I witnessed the confidence of these women as they waved and smiled and looked so excited to see us. At dinner that night, I sat three seats away from a couple who kissed every few minutes. I was a bit shocked, but not badly so. I had never seen a lesbian couple, so it was simply something new. Something that ought to be remembered is that they are not different than any other couple, except their genders are the same. I’ve sat at the same table as a heterosexual couple who kissed and not said anything, so I decided that the protocol should be the same. Whether you agree homosexuality is right or not (which appears to be the father’s qualm), they are human and deserve to be treated the same.
I also feel like I have a solution to why homosexuality is so high at Smith. It is a women’s college. Many women choose to go to co-ed schools because they cannot imagine being without men. Lesbians would not have this problem, so more lesbians would go to a women’s college. And the reason it’s talked about so much is because everyone thinks of lesbians when they think of women’s colleges. People think, “Why would a woman not want to be at a college where she could find men easily? Is it because she doesn’t need a man to be happy, or that she intends to focus on academics or be sure that she doesn’t make bad choices? No, it must be because she doesn’t like men.” This mentality is so wrong. Apart from that one couple, my hostess and her many friends were all straight. This is not to say that there is not a prevalent rate of homosexuality or bisexuality, but not overwhelming and smothering as seems to be implied.
I would also like to address the point made saying that the women at Smith go under four years of pressure. Sir, the point of Smith is acceptance and openness; the only pressure at Smith is to be accepting and open. The point of Smith is not to be a lesbian.</p>