that post deserves a graphic.
Posted on 12/01/2007 7:39:02 AM PST by Huber
As the first-ever term of gender-neutral housing at Dartmouth comes to a close, the Office of Residential Life has begun to look back at its newly instituted gender-neutral housing program floor and, based on positive feedback, does not foresee a need to make any significant changes in the coming terms.
Out of the 32 students who applied for this special housing, 16 students and one undergraduate advisor were eventually chosen because they showed an active interest in participating in the model of a shared community which would hold programs and dinners focused on discussing gender-related issues.
Article continues on TheDartmouth.com at: http://thedartmouth.com/2007/11/30/news/housing/ ?> As the first-ever term of gender-neutral housing at Dartmouth comes to a close, the Office of Residential Life has begun to look back at its newly instituted gender-neutral housing program floor and, based on positive feedback, does not foresee a need to make any significant changes in the coming terms.
Out of the 32 students who applied for this special housing, 16 students and one undergraduate advisor were eventually chosen because they showed an active interest in participating in the model of a shared community which would hold programs and dinners focused on discussing gender-related issues.
Assistant Dean of Student Life and advisor to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender students Pam Misener has taken the position as lead advisor for the students living on the floor, and attends the floor’s weekly Sunday dinners.
“We really wanted the residents to have a chance to be engaged in the decisions about how we would organize ourselves, so it took a little longer to really hit a rhythm,” Misener said. “But once we got there, it has been amazing. Because we made the investment to work to find out what students really want to do, in the long term it will serve us really well.”
The floor is comprised of one five-room suite, one three-room suite, and four two-room doubles, along with a single room for the current UGA, Jon Hopper ‘08. Although the program was geared towards those personally facing gender-identity issues, anyone who showed an interest in exploring this topic was eligible for a spot.
“I’m a straight female, so I personally haven’t had gender identity questions about myself,” said Elizabeth Bruyere ‘10, a resident of the floor. “Not only did I get to live with my friend, but this provided another outlet for me to learn about gender-identity issues.”
Hopper, who has been a UGA for upperclassmen floors in the past, will continue to serve as the gender-neutral floor’s UGA for the remainder of the year and said he has found his current experience to be rewarding.
“It is a more cohesive community than I’ve dealt with in the past, everyone has a very friendly demeanor at all times,” Hopper said. “They’ve also been better behaved. The worst incident was that someone left a pumpkin out too long and it got rotten.”
Although this is the first year gender- neutral housing has been available on campus in general, including two-room doubles, suites and apartments, and the responses so far have been positive.
“There has been no negative feedback from any students, faculty, alumni or the Board of Trustees,” said Murray MacDonald, associate director of Undergraduate Housing. “I haven’t heard one negative word about it.”
MacDonald also mentioned that he has received multiple phone calls from other schools interested in instating similar policies.
In addition to the program floor, students can choose gender-neutral co-ed apartments or suites during room draw. However, not all of the designated gender-neutral options are occupied now by mixed-gender groups.
“We can’t force anyone to make these rooms mixed gender, that would defeat the whole purpose of gender-neutral housing,” Hopper said. “Eventually, gender-neutral housing should be so widely available that anyone looking to live in this type of environment could get a room.”
In total, 52 apartments and suites were offered at room draw, and 13 of these were occupied by mixed gender groups, according to Rachael Class-Giguere, director of undergraduate housing.
There are no concrete plans to expand gender-neutral suites and apartments, although Class-Giguere said traditional two-room doubles may be offered as gender neutral as well. Currently, only two-room doubles with private, lockable bedrooms are available for the program.
Are all the students named Pat?
More social engineering by our fine socialists of academia.
that post deserves a graphic.
males should be on guard...eventually a female will cry rape and of course as at Duke...the white males will be guilty before even an investigation is under way!!!!
Some poor horny guy who thought he was getting lucky ends up with a bull-dyke roommate and now he has to listen to endless claptrap about how men subjugate women, how we leave the toilet seat up, and blah, blah, blah...
Darn shame we are coming to a point where oddity is celebrated and plain ole regular folks are labeled as haters of some kind if they don't want to participate in the celebration.
Gender is the difference between male and female ... not necesarilly sex ... which IS the male or female ... and this is a house full of differences to the nth degree.
So ... how can so many double minded people (men wanting to be women, women wanting to be men, men lopping off their genitals but still biologically men ... and a ton of et cetera's ...) be NEUTRAL ?
You got that right. This is a lawsuit goldmine.
Why are these people so obsessed with their gonads???
Why don’t they just use a padded gymnasium floor for a bed and have a perpetual, giant orgy every day?
I once was asked by a high school senior what I thought about condoms being dispensed at the local high school... I told him: “You are not at school to f-—.” My message was loud and clear....
Is “gender neutral” what we used to call co-ed?
You must have missed the part about how every participant has to be neutered or spayed before they join.
If I read the article correctly, some people are “male,” others are “female,” and a minute proportion are so insane or confused that they can’t tell the difference or decide which group fits them. The “gender neutral” term apparently describes the latter group in a politically correct manner.
heh heh heh ... spayed ... heh heh heh heh heh.
There has been no negative feedback from any students, faculty, alumni or the Board of Trustees, said Murray MacDonald, associate director of Undergraduate Housing. I haven’t heard one negative word about it.
Yet another reason why this ‘88 grad’s annual donation will again equal.....$0.00. My $ and attention go to institutions which share my values. A sad demonstration of what happenes when the flower power inmates take over the asylum. Wonder what the gentlemen at powerline are saying?
Maybe rooms or suites are assigned without regard to male, female, other? - Equally Confused.
Well sure, I agree it’s messed up, and I wouldn’t want to live like that. But here’s the beauty part. As long as they have a place of their own, they have no excuse to walk up on us normal folks in the “wrong” bathroom. If they want to self-segregate, I’m all for keeping that easy on ‘em.
Actually, I just think it’s the best way to handle a hot potato of a social issue in a PC-obsessed world. Better to decree a standard of penises to one bathroom and ginas to the other, but that won’t happen. The “gender identity” camel should never have been allowed to stick its nose in the tent. If’n you’ll pardon the visual...
I had to go back and try to figure out what a UGA was. I thought it was the sound an old car horn made. Good to know that it stand for UnderGraduate Advisor.
Sounds like a plumber with nothing in his box but a hacksaw and several rolls of duct tape.
It's the new politically correct term for "gender dysphoric" which was the politically correct term for "crossdressers, transvestites and transgenders"
I'm one of the last people here who should be confused by it all but I am. People who are gender dysphoric should be in counseling, not having nightly dinner talks with other mentally ill people.
The true absurdity of the article shines through if you re-read it translating "gender neutral" to "manic depressive" or some such other relatively benign mental disorder.
What I further don’t understand is that these homosexual, transgenders, etc., tell us how they are normal — just like you and me — yet they need to be treated differently or special, with specific laws and housing, etc.
That’s funny that they report that no one on campus has said anything negative about this project. My guess is it isn’t permitted to say anything negative about it.
Yep! It doesn’t make any difference what race, sex, religion, or orientation someone is. But we need special programs for people of certain races, sexes, religions, and orientations, but not others. Oh, and by the way, diversity is a strength!
Orwell was prophetic.
Bingo.
I’m sure they actively solicit honest feedback. < /s>
translation, “hook up dorm”
We look bad enough without the drag queens and strident gender activists making things worse - you know how every group or organization has its own class of "jerks"? Amongst transvestites, drag queens and gender activists are ours.
It's interesting in that I belong to a support group of about a 100 members and we actually meet in a church every month, and everyone likes it. The breakdown of liberals to conservatives is pretty much the same as anywhere else: about 50/50.
By and large, that group doesn't tolerate political discussion nor "gender activism". The overall attitude is "Hey, we know we're crazy. If you see us walking down the street just leave us alone: that's the premise of freedom - you stay out of my face, I'll stay out of yours."
"Issues" usually involve competing theories or opinions, each of which can cite evidence for it's claim of thruth.
Where is the evidence that there are other than male and female mamalian bodies? 
Well, for the moment you have rendered me speechless (and my husband said it couldn’t be done). I will, no doubt, have questions afterward.
That's a success? At lesat there is now a place for ugly lesbians and homsexual men.
lol.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.