By KYLE FERLITA
The LGBTQ community has always been built on love and acceptance. Headlines such as the beating of “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett and President Trump’s ban on Transgender citizens serving in the military have shaken up the community significantly.
“Every time I see anything that has to do with the LGBTQ community in the news, I feel like there’s a rainbow target on my back,” Ramapo PRIDE President Tali Felner said.
Smollett was attacked by two men in Chicago last Tuesday. Two men targeted Smollett and physically assaulted him, they also tied a rope around his neck. Smollett appeared live in concert last Saturday and addressed the crowd saying that, “he couldn’t let (them) win,”.
“I recently just saw Jussie’s comments about the aftermath, and I’m happy to see that he’s taking a stand and fighting back,” Felner said.
According to a study by the Human Rights Campaign, sexual orientation is the third highest motivator for hate crime incidents in the U.S.
“A lot of people think that just because we can marry who we want now, that everything is okay, but the reality is that we still need to feel comfortable in the environments that we exist in every day,” Felner said.
Felner also commented on how LGBTQ issues coincide with national issues. According to the Williams Institute a group dedicated to researching sexual orientation and public policy, 40 percent of homeless youth identify within the LGBTQ community.
“It’s something I personally thought about during the Polar Vortex, how many people froze to death out there, because they didn’t have a place to call home,” Felner said.
On Jan. 22, The Supreme Court settled a pair of cases that will effectively ban Transgender personnel from serving in the U.S. Military.
“Everyone should be able to love who they love without fear or discrimination” says @SusanBaroness. Today we’re announcing the 12 projects and organisations that have been awarded funding to improve the lives of #LGBT+ people in education, healthcare and the community #LGBTHM19 pic.twitter.com/jElazeKKFk
— Women and Equalities (@WomenEqualities) February 1, 2019
“I was shocked, mainly because the President actually got something done, but also because of how that affects so many Transgender individuals, even not in the military, it’s basically saying, “we don’t want you here, because of who you are,””Felner said.
Felner has run the program with her e-board for the last two years. PRIDE has held several programs to raise awareness and provide safe spaces for LGBTQ members of the college. PRIDE’s mission is to create a safe and productive environment for students of all backgrounds to feel welcome and promote love and acceptance.
“As President of PRIDE, it is my job to make sure that our organization is well versed, but also well aware of the situations that our community faces. It’s difficult to stay up to date on everything, but we do our best to open dialogues and make our LGBTQ members feel comfortable in their own worlds,” Felner said.
“We host three major events each year to push the boundaries and break down those social barriers. Events like our Gender Bender Ball and Out For The Holidays allows people to enjoy themselves and be in an environment that promotes them, instead of having to closer themselves in their lives at home, or something like that,” she added.
Ramapo College is dedicated to supporting all members of the LGBTQ community as outlined in the college’s mission statement. PRIDE hosts its weekly meeting every Wednesday at 1 p.m.