The University of Notre Dame's motto is a beautiful message: Life, Sweetness, Hope. But apparently, it doesn't hold true for the South Bend, Ind., college's LGBT students.
A recent cartoon run in the school's independent – but student-run – newspaper, The Observer posed the question "How do you turn a fruit into a vegetable?" with an answer that has resulted in an editor's resigning, numerous letters to the editor and printed apologies from the cartoonists and the paper, as well as slews of negative press for the Catholic university. That answer – a baseball bat – has led many to believe that the students running the paper – and, in turn, the university that would allow such hateful jokes to go to print under its name – is not a friendly or safe place for LGBT students.
We at Between The Lines don't wish to waste time playing the blame game. Whether the running of the comic was a gross oversight or an error in judgment isn't important anymore. The comic ran, and whoever is to blame, it reflects on more than just one editor or one issue of The Observer.
The running of this comic shows a larger problem at the university – and, indeed, at many places of higher learning.
Notre Dame has consistently ranked as one of the least gay-friendly schools in the Princeton Review. Though it has groups for LGBT students and alumni, it is a school founded by and for Catholics, and that remains largely true today – though an applicant need not adhere to a particular religion.
However, setting aside history and foundation, the school does accept openly LGBT students, and does claim to value diversity within both its student body and its faculty and staff. The same is true for many other colleges, no matter where they fall on anyone's LGBT-friendly lists.
But what does mere "acceptance" of LGBT students and faculty mean if there is no integration of pro-gay stances in the school's words and actions – including its newspaper?
This comic advocating violence against gays says more about the atmosphere for LGBT students at Notre Dame than a statement from the president on the importance of diversity ever could. That is why apologizing and resigning and stating one's support does little to mend this situation.
Instead, as several suggested in their letters to The Observer, this situation should underline the importance of the work done by LGBT groups at colleges like Notre Dame. Only through consistent education, programming and actions of support for LGBT people – not heartless "jokes" and perfunctory apologies – can Notre Dame and other schools like it actually live up to their grand statements of diversity, acceptance and love.
And someday, maybe all students can have their chance at Life, Sweetness and Hope – not hate.
