Instead of going into an elaborate intro about how long of a hiatus I have taken from blogging (for pretty legit reasons, I might add), I'm just going to jump into the topic I want to discuss: trends in higher education to create programming that's seemingly exclusive to one identity group. Examples of this are socials and events specifically for LGBTQ folks or, as in an email I received today, a graduation celebration for students of color. I need to preface any further comment about these with a statement that I fully understand that historical marginalization of these groups creates a need for such specialized programming to exist, especially as it fosters connections that might not otherwise be made between peers who share that identity. Trust me, I get that.
I guess what concerns me about such campus-sponsored programming is the effect it ultimately has on integrating students with differing social identities. I'm sure the benefits of having LGBTQ- and students-of-color-focused groups on campus are myriad, and I in no way advocate their dissolution. However, I feel that a priority of higher education should not only be to provide support for historically underrepresented students, but also to forge connections and relationships between students who might not otherwise develop them. When I consistently see emails from the multicultural affairs office on campus, featuring events and socials for "students of color," with no mention of white students or others who might not identify as students of color, it makes me wonder if they are truly multicultural. Are they supporting the need of students' of color to connect with one another and feel like part of a community on campus? For many, probably yes. Are they serving the purpose of integrating students of color and White students on campus? With such seemingly exclusive language, I'm not confident that they are. To be fair, I have typically found that LGBTQ-focused programming is more inclusive, at least in its rhetoric, of both LGBTQ students AND their allies. However, there are likely many identity-centered student groups that do not seek social integration, whether out of well-meaning obliviousness or simply not caring to do so.
Now, I don't want this to be mistaken as a "poor White people" or "poor hetero people" rant; I'm not interested in indulging in a defense of the over-privilege that folks of these identities have enjoyed. However, I am genuinely committed to breaking down social barriers that are based solely on identity politics. True, being female, being gay, or being a person of color has major salience in defining one's perspectives and life experiences. However, at what point are we going to take a stand and say, "Let's change that--TOGETHER, not separately"? How much are we fighting sexism when we have a "women's center" on campus that does not address the needs of men in crisis or transgender students? How much are we fighting racism when we have "offices of multicultural affairs" that do not address the fact that white people, too, embody diverse ethnic identities? Though it may be completely unintended, I think these have the effect of further segregating students, based on the identity categories they fall into. Isn't there a way we can address issues of power, privilege, and oppression without excluding anyone? I think choosing language carefully is a great start. For example, perhaps instead of being called "women's centers," something along the lines of a "gender equity center" might be more inclusive. Perhaps the "queers and allies" rhetoric can continue, in order to bring folks of differing sexual orientations together. And maybe, multicultural programs that seek to target students of color should explicitly remain open to "students of all racial/ethnic identities." Language really does matter.
With various forms of social prejudice and discrimination still very present today, I think there is a solid place for identity-based programs on college campuses; in fact, I have been part of some of them as a student, and I am committed to them on a professional level, as well. However, I really think that some schools need to re-evaluate how they are both supporting these special student populations and simultaneously fostering an inclusive and integrated campus community. I think this approach is progressive and ethically sound, and I think it is the wave of the future in higher education!
