Ohio University has already made the charts as one of the 100 best campuses for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, but the university doesn't offer a certificate or minor in gay studies.
Associate Professor Jeremy Webster, who teaches Lesbian and Gay Literature this quarter, is one faculty member trying to expand OU's understanding of the gay community.
I thought it was important to create a class comparable to other classes like Women and Literature and African American Literature
Webster said. I also think it's important for gay and lesbian students to have classes about our experiences histories and literatures.
OU was announced in 2006 as one of the top 100 LGBT-friendly campuses by The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students a guide that recognizes the top such campuses across the country. Yet, despite thriving LGBT programs and growing approval, a gay studies certificate doesn't exist.
Webster attended a meeting on the subject a few years ago, but said it wasn't an option.
There simply weren't enough classes across the university to count towards it
he said. We need more faculty teaching more gay and lesbian classes before a certificate or minor would be available.
Professor Ronald Hunt, who has taught Gay and Lesbian Politics since 1982, has also attended meetings in the subject with the same outcome.
I don't sense any official opposition to the idea
Hunt said. There are certainly many more people (working toward a program) today than in 1982. It's definitely an idea that needs to be revisited.
Although OU's campus is becoming increasingly gay-friendly and the number of homosexual faculty and staff is growing, there still aren't enough classes to form an official gay studies program.
Just because you're gay or lesbian doesn't mean your interests lie in teaching a gay studies course
Hunt said. Similarly, just because you are a gay or lesbian student doesn't mean you want to take the course.
According to Mickey Hart, director of the LGBT Center, certain classes already offered at OU, such as cultural studies, Psychology of Gender and Philosophy of Sex and Love, could be modified to include more LGBT content in order to qualify towards a certificate.
In some ways it's already an option because of specializations
he said of the current course content.
Hart plans to organize a group this quarter to see if there is enough interest to work towards a certificate or program and discuss the best way to go about it.
It's a pretty in-depth process
he said.
Hart said he is optimistic about future progress and expressed interest in teaching a queer studies course himself later down the road.
I think it's a new and exciting area to pursue
said Hart. I hold high hopes that we are going to grow in a lot of ways.
Booked solid
As a gay professor who came out early in his career at OU, Hunt was encouraged by students to create his gay studies class. Hunt said his course was something people wanted to know about, whether for personal or professional reasons.
I always had an interest in the subject
but the idea was created by the students
he said. I must have lived a very privileged lifeG? I never suffered any professional retribution. I've always received encouragement.
Both Hunt and Webster have reached maximum class registration for their gay studies courses this quarter.
According to Webster, many of his students are not homosexual and have little or no background in gay or lesbian literature, politics or culture. This may cause them to feel a little odd because their experiences aren't the ones being presented in the works they study.
Regardless of their sexual orientation
