Herstory

It was originally known as Friends of Lesbians And Gays (FLAG), which is a spin-off of the well-known support group: Parents, Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). The founders wrote a letter to the Student Government Association during the 1994-1995 school year, where the students stated that a group like this was necessary to accommodate the diversity on campus. The President of Wesleyan College at this time was President Ackerman, where he went against many, to be able to allow this group on Wesleyan’s campus. We should all be in debt to him.

The members of the group decided to change the name to GLBAL, as it is known today as Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, and Allies; this was to include the people who are bisexual, and also to extend a warmer welcome to those who are not lesbian or gay, but wanted to learn more about heterosexism and homophobia.

Our mission statement is as such: “to address and combat all forms of oppression, including, but not limited to: racism, sexism, heterosexism, homophobia, classism, able-ism, and anti-semitism. GLBAL shall provide information and resources for the campus as a whole on issues regarding sexuality and sexual orientation and provide outreach, support, information, and resources for gay, lesbian, and bisexual members of the Wesleyan community.”

As it stands today, GLBAL has accomplished many things, and has 15% of the on-campus students subscribing to the email list, as well as some off-campus students. Many professors are on the list, as well as staff. Also, GLBAL has many different types of people in it, it is not just a group of lesbians, but people who are welcoming change, and are seeing past differences, and accepting them.

In 2003, a donor gave Wesleyan College $2,500.00, to be used for a scholarship and/or donation for educational use for the college’s GLBAL group. It was split up into two parts, $2,000 was for a scholarship for an openly lesbian student, and $500 for GLBAL. This woman who was an alumni of Wesleyan gave a lot, and in turn is giving to this entire campus to help alleviate it of discrimination.

Wesleyan’s current anti-discrimination policy does not include sexual orientation, but does not include age as well. It has been a point that this will not be acceptable for the coming years, and changes are in the process as we speak.

We hope that this group will become something not of necessity, but one of choice, where people can be who they are without question, ridicule, or fear.

back next home