In over thirty states, LGBTQ+ rights are not protected by the government. In over twenty states, according to the ACLU, legislation has been introduced to criminalize aspects of trans lives, with some, such as in Texas, enabling the government to sue parents for their child’s gender identity; in Alabama, gender-affirming medical procedures are now felonies, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. In a few states, such as Florida and Tennessee, even mentioning the LGBTQ+ community can too be met with lawsuits, and teachers are legally required to out students to their parents — a measure which, if enforced as promised, will cost lives. 

At Deerfield, we are privileged to be in a state with civil rights protections and in a school without such direct and malicious legislative discrimination; however, our community is worldwide, and members live in states and nations without such protections. So although these pieces of legislation may not directly affect Deerfield itself, community members will be hurt. Don’t we, therefore, have an obligation to help?

This rally, while incited by a want for conversation and awareness of these terrifying pieces of legislation, functioned too as a litmus test for the GSA, a way to tangibly see our pride and the support we have around campus. And the result was uplifting. The cheering and laughing and yelling of those who joined us, added volume and spirit to our collective voice. By being courageous enough to break the norm of apathy on Deerfield, we gave power to our rally and therefore to our community. 

The line of our community stretched the length of the Dining Hall entrance, two rows deep, with joy and kindness dancing across the quad. Faculty members and their children formed an arc around us, creating both a sense of safety and hope, for we know we have support in many classrooms and that this next generation of children, raised on campus, are being raised to extend empathy to all. 

However, with oppression and homophobia rising across the country, not everyone in our community felt comfortable participating. Depending on where you come from, it can be difficult to know where you are safe, where you might be allowed to express yourself in your entirety. Deerfield itself is often a repressive and demoralizing place to be queer, for a variety of reasons. Gender is taken to the extreme on campus, through the general cultures of our dorms, our sports teams, and our dress codes, forcing students who exist outside the binary into constant dysphoria. In those dorms and on those teams, being queer is still, somehow, a common punchline to demean those who diverge from normal behavior. Students are known to be outed without consent, either accidentally or maliciously. So, while GSA meetings are a consistent safe space for anyone in our community, being seen in public fighting for LGBTQ+ rights is justifiably frightening for anyone who has experienced this more open homophobia on campus.

If you actively participate in the propagation of these homophobic practices, or silently stand by as they occur, or even find yourself avoiding stories about the LGBTQ+ community, we ask for you to examine yourself to understand why. On the national scale, we see these homophobic and transphobic laws being driven by a public fear of what is unknown and different — the LGBTQ+ community often proudly deviates from societal expectations, and we welcome with open arms those who have been ostracized from the mainstream. This takes away control from those who have become accustomed to it. If these fears drive you to act harmfully against others or, arguably worse, to act apathetically, educate yourself. Dive deep into your mind and try to find where your insecurities originate from, why they may push you to these behaviors, how you may help end them to create a safer campus. All we ask is for your empathy.