EDITORIAL: "Discriminating Landlord"

The issue of on-campusThe issue of on-campushousing for gay andThe issue of on-campushousing for gay andlesbian couples is oneThe issue of on-campushousing for gay andlesbian couples is oneexample of historicallyThe issue of on-campushousing for gay andlesbian couples is oneexample of historicallyliberal residence policiesThe issue of on-campushousing for gay andlesbian couples is oneexample of historicallyliberal residence policiesbecoming out of date.The issue of on-campushousing for gay andlesbian couples is oneexample of historicallyliberal residence policiesbecoming out of date.____________________________ In the television sitcom "Bosom Buddies," it was Kip and Henry, two men secretly living in the all-female Susan B. Anthony apartments. Because they could not afford to live anywhere else, they cross dressed and became alter egos Buffy and Hildegarde. At the University, there are also people who would have to sneak around to live where they want. Gay and lesbian couples, co-ed groups of friends and others have to find a way to beat the system if they want to share an on-campus apartment, or else must live off-campus. We are glad the University is now considering changes which would allow gay and lesbian couples to live together in the same manner as married heterosexual couples. Given its policy of nondiscrimination, we hope the University will not only consider the revision, but enact it as well. Just as people generally won't cross dress to find a cheaper apartment, it is unlikely people will fake being either married or gay to permit non-student friends to live on campus. The University should continue to think about liberalizing its housing policies. For example, it should think about changing its restriction against rooms with roommates of different genders. While other schools still have single sex dorms, the University got rid of these years ago. There are no strict visiting hours or curfews either. Ironically, girlfriends and boyfriends find it as easy or easier to cohabitate in the same on-campus room than platonic friends of different genders or gay or lesbian couples. "In loco parentis" no longer applies. Basically, the only people who should have much of a say about who is living with whom are roommates and the people writing the checks to pay the rent. When Kip and Henry discovered another apartment that was dirt cheap, they found out why it was dirt cheap -- it was scheduled for demolition. Kip and Henry were forced to dress as women because it was a good conceit for a sitcom and because they couldn't find as inexpensive an apartment anywhere else in New York. Residential Living is not dirt cheap, and some half-expect a high rise to collapse any day now. But thousands of students still choose Residential Living because they prefer the proximity, feel safer living on campus or want to take advantage of the many creative Living-Learning and College House programs offered. There is nothing particularly inexpensive or posh about living in University dormitories. But if someone wants to live on-campus, you would think he or she could.

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