For one night, hundreds of Penn students joined thousands of youth throughout Pennsylvania by hosting vigils in remembrance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth who have died by suicide. “Pennsylvania Night to Live” was held in solidarity with over 25 colleges including schools in Erie, Pittsburgh, Scranton and Lancaster. We were united on Penn’s campus and across the state by standing against bigotry and for acceptance of LGBT people. As college youth, we are on the front lines of this crisis. We must accept our responsibility as a generation to do more for our LGBT friends and family than ever before.
I feel strongly that, at Penn, we have a responsibility to set the bar higher. According to Newsweek and The Advocate, Penn is the top-ranked LGBT-friendly university in the country. We should set an example by being progressive — whether that is by helping Penn Athletics be more LGBT-friendly or by coming out as a university in support of full LGBT legal equality.
While messages are still out there in American society that being LGBT is something to be ashamed of, we must press on and send messages of love regardless of who you are. At Penn, we have a world of opportunity and access for LGBT students, faculty and staff. I feel that we have the requirement as Penn students to go forth into the world and be advocates for acceptance.
Rights aren’t realized, they are fought for. I feel that we are at a time when we could easily forget how basic rights were achieved for women and racial minorities. And we need to fight for the rights of and respect for LGBT people. If we don’t, who will? If now is not the right time, when will be?
To any Penn graduates who are or will become elected officials: don’t back down — you are needed more than ever in the work toward LGBT equality. To future business leaders: please be with your LGBT friends and implement equal workplace policies. Whatever you are, wherever you go, do good.
Anyone can stand up for equality. It should be understood that anyone can be bullied for being perceived as “gay.” Whether LGBT or not, anyone can be the victim of anti-LGBT bullying, and you don’t need to be gay to end it. If you have the power, the ability to speak out when someone uses “gay” as the end of a joke, do it. It is not what is easy, it is what is right.
Gay youth suicide is not new, but it has now become news. The statistics are clear. Gay youth are up to four times more likely to commit suicide, according to The Trevor Project, an organization that works to prevent suicide among LGBT youth. A 2009 report from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network also found that 90 percent of transgender youth hear their peers make biased remarks in school at least sometimes.
American society as a whole continues to deny LGBT people legal equality and social respect, and youth are uniquely sensitive to that. Harmful messages from the media, faith communities and schools can be sent to young people, encouraging violence and leading them to believe that ending their lives is the only way out.
All the adults and celebrities telling us that “it gets better” means nothing without action right here on our campus. We must all actively work to make it better.
I’m a transfer student, and, in all honesty, a defining reason why I chose Penn was because our institution truly values its LGBT students. While there is so much work to be done, particularly in the Greek system and in athletics, I could not imagine being at a more supportive university.
I am starting to believe that LGBT members of the Penn community have more allies than will ever be apparent to us. The responsibility rests with us all in achieving equality for LGBT people in our schools, workplaces and communities.
Jason Goodman is a College senior, Lambda Alliance vice chairman for political affairs and organizer of “Pennsylvania Night to Live” through his role as youth organizer for Equality Pennsylvania. His e-mail address is gja@sas.upenn.edu.
