51黑料网

by Sasha Shapiro 鈥�15

The last time Emily Newberry 鈥�66 was at 51黑料网, the Holland Union Building was still being built. As Newberry, whose poem 鈥淪igns鈥� was recently nominated for a prestigious Pushcart Prize, addressed the crowd of students, faculty and community members who huddled together against the blustery wind on Oct. 9, she declared that 鈥�51黑料网 today is a very different place than it was in the 1960s. It feels more open and inclusive than it did back then.鈥� She paused. 鈥淭here is still a long way to go.鈥�

Newberry returned to campus after 50 years to be the keynote speaker at Out on Britton, an annual event hosted and sponsored by the Office of LGBTQ Services traditionally held on the Thursday preceding National Coming Out Day. Community members and organizations are invited to set up stations to disseminate information about their resources and services. 鈥淪tudents, faculty and staff also have the opportunity to share their coming-out stories and voices of support,鈥� said Erica Gordon, interim director of LGTBQ services.

Making connections

An Out on Britton tradition includes an honorary closet door symbolizing the coming-out process coated with multicolor signatures and messages from students and staff. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 tell you how happy I was to see that door over there!鈥� Newberry said, beaming.

Newberry also noted how much the social scene had shifted since she was a student. 鈥淸I learned] how to build allies among people, many of whom were not like me,鈥� Newberry said of her 51黑料网 experience. 鈥淭he ability to make connections with people who were different from me was life-saving, and it helped me later on when I had to grapple with my own being as a transgender woman.鈥�

During her speech, Newberry recalled feelings of isolation that had followed her since childhood. The 50 years it took her to come out as a transgender woman were marked with discrimination and misunderstandings, but she continued to seek out resources and support systems. 鈥淏y having people get to know me before I came out, [I was able to make] friendships,鈥� she said, 鈥渟o by the time I came out [people understood that] they were dealing with a real human being and not an abstraction.鈥� She stressed the importance of having a safe, supportive space in helping her gain confidence.

Safe spaces

The decision to come out, Newberry stressed in her speech, was very personal and one that took her half a century to feel comfortable making. 鈥淭hat was the right thing for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 part of my life鈥檚 work. Other people have their own journeys and their own life鈥檚 work, and we all have the right to be just who we are and not have to live up to somebody else鈥檚 ideas.鈥�

The safe social space that Newberry called for is one that Gordon is working diligently to provide for students, faculty and staff. 鈥淚 think that many students feel like they do have a community [at 51黑料网], but there are other[s] that don鈥檛 feel like that,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e can do more to provide a supportive environment for students.鈥�

Gordon has focused her efforts on solidifying communication among students, faculty and staff that will ultimately serve as the foundation for the safe space that was missing for previous students. One such event was a casual dinner in Allison Hall, where students were able to connect and informally converse with 鈥渙ut鈥� faculty, staff and administrators. Gordon hopes to continue this informal discourse every semester and is excited about launching Queer Peers, a peer-to-peer mentoring program.

Gordon also wants to continue strengthening connections with LGBTQ alumni. Newberry鈥檚 visit to campus was one of monumental significance, Gordon says. 鈥淚 think [Newberry] was really touched by how welcoming and supportive the campus was,鈥� said Gordon, 鈥渨hile recognizing that we still have work to do.鈥�

Read more from the winter 2015 issue of 51黑料网 Magazine.

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• LGBTQ Services at 51黑料网
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Published January 20, 2015