Pepperdine Graphic Special Edition: We Are All Human

THE GRAPHIC: SPECIAL EDITION

WE ARE ALL

SPRING 2020

I AM __ AND What makes you human?

______ I AM Fill in the blank and share with @peppgraphic on social media!

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The Queer Lingo Dictionary

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Learn Queer Issues to Counteract LGBTQIAP+ Discrimination

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Only the Beginning: A Look into Crossroads’ Past Four Years

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The Intersection of Psychology and the LGBTQ+ Perspective ‘Worth the Struggle’: The Conversation Around Queerness and Christianity

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The ABCs of LGBTQ+

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Exposing LGBTQ+ Stereotypes in Favor of Representing Truth

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In Queer Spaces, Being Gay is a Privilege

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Pronouns Speak Volumes

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Silent Allies

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Explaining the Conflation Triangle Between Sex, Gender and Sexual Orientation

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“Why Would You, a Queer Student, Come to Pepperdine?”

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Gender Identity

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Why We Should All be LGBTQ+ Allies

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The SAM: Splitting the Difference Between Romantic and Sexual Orientations

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Last semester, statements on the Freedom Wall brought discussions of LGBTQ+ discrimination on campus back into the spotlight. The Chick-fil-A controversy and SGA’s inclusion resolution revealed to many in the Pepperdine community how other students and staff struggle where heterosexual cisgendered individuals do not.

Many at Pepperdine don’t seek to understand what it means to be queer because it isn’t vital to their own identity. While they may grasp what it means to be gay, bi or trans* on a surface level, their knowledge on the subject doesn’t dive deeper than that. Even people who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community may not understand what it entails to identify with one of the letters that doesn’t

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apply to them.

This edition takes a step back to look at the fundamentals of LGBTQ+ identity so that we can all come together to create a conversation based not on abstractions but real people, research and facts. Being queer is often seen as political stance instead of a personal identity, and we as the Pepperdine community sometimes get so lost in those politics that we find ourselves caught up in stereotypes and caricatures of all sides.

This is an important conversation to have, even in the midst of COVID-19, because situations like these are when ignorance and inequality are most evident. Anti-LGBTQ+ groups are rejecting volunteers at medical centers if they do not sign statements that “disqualify gays,”

according to New York Daily News. An anti-gay congressperson voted against a COVID-19 relief bill because “it included an LGBTQ-inclusive definition of a ‘committed relationship,’” according to Metro Weekly.

These actions don’t just affect queer people — they impact everyone in the United States.

We lose people in this mess of views and opinions, and we give up on people because we can’t reconcile them with our preconceived notions on what parts of their identities should supposedly be.

Let’s take it back to the basics. I am me. You are you. We are all human.

STAFF AND CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

CONTRIBUTORS

Quinn Mathys Natalie Rulon

PHOTO EDITOR Milan Loiacono

COPY CHIEF Bryant Loney

ART EDITOR

Madeline Duvall

ARTISTS

Ally Armstrong Elizabeth Brummer Gabby DiGiovanni Samantha Miller

Madeleine Carr

Gianni Cocchella Marisa Dragos Camryn Gordon Tiffany Hall Allison Lee Ali Levens Anitiz Muonagolu Caroline Sharpless Emily Shaw Channa Steinmetz Savannah Welch Karl Winter Nicole Witt

ADVISERS

Elizabeth Smith Courtenay Stallings

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The Queer Lingo Dictionary

By Quinn Mathys While some of the terms used in this edition may be known throughout parts of the queer community, not everyone — not even all queer people — may know their definitions. To help further the conversation, we have created this section so that you may reference it as needed as you read through the pieces. Words have power, and it’s important to understand what they communicate — all of their messages, the emotions with them, as well as their direct definitions.

AGAB — (acronym) stands for “assigned gender at birth,” a term trans* people may use to identify those who were born in male (AMAB) or female (AFAB) bodies Aromantic — (adj.) a person who doesn’t experience romantic attraction but may still experience sexual attraction. To read more about this, check out our piece on the Split Attraction Model (SAM) (page 41) Cisgender (sometimes shortened to “cis”) — (adj.) someone who identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth Cishet — (adj.) a cisgender heterosexual person Cisexism — (noun) prejudice or discrimination against trans* people Closeted — (adj.) used to describe someone who is not open about their queer sexuality or non-cis gender identity

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Coming out — (verbal phrase) the act of a person revealing their queer sexuality or non-cis gender identity Cross-dressing — (noun) the act of wearing clothes and presenting as another gender, not to be confused with identifying as that gender Equal protection — (noun) a clause included in the 14th Amendment that keeps any governing body from denying its citizens equal protection Femme — (adj.) presenting or acting in a way that is traditionally feminine, regardless of the person’s gender identity Folx — (noun) a deliberately gender-neutral term to describe a group which signals that the user identifies with the LGBTQ+ community Gay — (adj.) a person who is romantically or sexually attracted to others of the same gender, sometimes used as an informal umbrella term to refer to members of the entire LGBTQ+ community Gender (as opposed to sex) — (noun) a social construct relating to expectations of behavior, characteristics and thoughts; commonly confused with “sex,” which is usually assigned by doctors at birth based on a person’s genitalia or their chromosomes Gender expression —(noun) the way that a person chooses to present their gender identity

Gender-nonconforming — (adj.) a term used to describe someone who does not follow the traditional gender norms of the gender they were assigned at birth Heteronormative — (adj.) an action or belief that pushes heterosexuality as the normal or preferred sexual orientation Heterosexism — (noun) prejudice or discrimination against people who are not heterosexual Homosexual — (noun) someone who is sexually attracted to people of the same gender; however, this label carries a negative connotation, as it has been used as a clinical term to discriminate against gay people Intersectionality — (noun) the different aspects of identity (race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, etc.) as they apply to an individual or a group of people; these social categories overlap in interdependent systems of discrimination Masc — (adj.) presenting or acting in a way that is traditionally masculine, regardless of the person’s gender identity Orientation — (noun) the determination of how one person relates to someone else (i.e., romantic orientation or sexual orientation). Gender identity is not an orientation Outing — (verb) the act of revealing a closeted person’s queer sexuality or non-cis gender identity, which should only be done with the permission

of said person. Outing someone without their permission is a violation of their trust and is highly frowned on Phobia (as in homophobia/biphobia/transphobia/aphobia/etc.) — (noun) dislike or prejudice against gay/bisexual/trans*/asexual individuals, more obvious or direct than heterosexism or cissexism Queer — (adj.) a person who is a part of the LGBTQ+ community Spectrum — (noun) a range between two opposite points (i.e., the gender spectrum), but it is more commonly used in reference to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) They/them/their — (pronouns) the most common singular gender neutral pronouns in the English language, which have been used since the 14th century Trans* — (adj.) people who do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. The asterisk acknowledges there are people who may not feel like the term “trans” or “transgender” accurately applies to them, and its placement shows that those other identities are being included in the discussion Trans panic — (noun) an excuse that can be used by the accused to get a lighter sentence in a court of law if the accused has murdered a trans* person gabby.mathys@pepperdine.edu

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LEARN QUEER ISSUES TO COUNTERACT LGBTQIAP+ DISCRIMINATION

By Aj Muonagolu Despite any progress the world makes in recognizing queer culture and rights, the LGBTQ+ community faces challenges that impact their day-to-day lives. What does it mean to understand a queer identity? What does it mean to be a part of the gender spectrum versus the sexual spectrum? What are the challenges and setbacks every queer

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identity faces?

The challenges are a threepronged issue. The LGBTQ+ community faces major disadvantages in the world legally, economically and socially.

Legal/Political Even though newer generations may be getting used to freedom of sexual expression and equality, lawmakers around the globe don’t always seem to share the same sentiment.

There are numerous laws in the United States that single out LGBTQ+ individuals. In some parts of the globe, it’s outlawed to be queer.

A law that specifically attacks groups of individuals in the LGBTQ+ community is the

transgender military ban. This was originally a memorandum from President Donald Trump in 2017 but was deferred to former Defense Secretary James Mattis. This was originally a memorandum from President Donald Trump in 2017 but was deferred to former Defense Secretary James Mattis, as reported by CBS. The memorandum is being challenged in court; however, the Supreme Court has allowed for the Department of Defense to implement the ban. The Trump administration began to implement the ban April 12, 2019.

The military is known for how almost anyone can join. By specifically ostracizing transgender individuals, trans* men

and women may be seen as a liability and less a part of our society. Trump even attacks them directly in his tweets, such as when he wrote that the U.S. military “cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgenders in the military would entail,” as reported

by CBS. If trans* individuals are unable to participate in the military, they could soon face a slippery slope when it comes to protecting their rights.

Laws are proposed to the House and the Senate by multiple states that restrict or hurt transgender rights. In Idaho, ID HO500 is an assigned bill that only allows people to play on a women’s sports team if their assigned sex at birth is female.

This law also requires those who do wish to participate in certain women sports to have a physician’s signature as proof of biological sex. This bill is written “to advance full development of the talent and capacities of our Nation’s people”; however, it restricts transgender people as if they aren’t a part of the nation.

Other states — such as Tennessee and Missouri — have followed suit and are trying to pass bills to single out biological sex sports participation. Across the United States, there are 23 proposed bills that would hurt trans* athletes.

Some of these bills

include TN HB1572, TN SB1736 and MO HB2718 — these bills affect sports participation from elementary schools to college level sports.

These states and those following suit would subject both children and matured adults to proving their own sex despite it clashing or going against their gender orientation. Another possible effect could be that those in transition would be exempted from playing, consequently leading to the purging of transgender individuals from the playing sports.

Unfortunately, the battle for queer rights did not end with President Barack Obama and the Supreme Court passing same-sex marriage equality in 2015.

States continue to pass bills that would hurt LGBTQ+ individuals and veto ones that would promote them.

For instance, a piece of Wisconsin legislation, WI AB319, proposed the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of gender or gender identity. This law sounds like a no-brainer and should have been on its way to be passed, yet it failed.

Georgia legislators have proposed a bill, GA 368, which

would allow foster and adoption organizations to prevent same-sex or queer parents from adopting or fostering on religious grounds. Furthermore, the bill as of February has been read and referred by the Senate, meaning that it’s still on track to be passed. Why shouldn’t same-sex individuals not be parents? Laws and bills such as this help perpetuate stereotypes and negative stigma toward queer parents and those who wish to become parents.

On the other hand, bills that try to directly protect queer rights seem to be ignored and die in committee. The Mississippi Civil Rights Act (MS SB2549) would have outlawed discrimination on the basis of race, sex, gender, sexual orientation and religious affiliation.

Florida bill H0161 directly tried to protect queer individuals and would have stopped all discrimination in public housing and public restaurants; it died in the Civil Justice subcommittee.

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LGBTQ+ protections should be a right just as much as freedom of religion and protections against being discriminated on the basis of race.

If more and more people are becoming tolerant, then it needs to be present in l eg i s l at ive action as well as the words of the people.

Financial The LGBTQ+ community has d i sadva n ta ge s regarding economic status, job security and poverty.

For starters, LGBTQ+ individuals show higher rates of low income when compared to heterosexual counterparts. “Low-income LGBT individuals and same-sex/gender couples have been found more likely to receive cash assistance and food stamps benefits compared to heterosexual individuals or couples,” as reported by the American Psychiatric Association.

A more in-depth analysis shows that 23% of bisexuals and 29% of lesbians live in poverty. However, only 21% of straight women face poverty.

For men, 20% percent of gay men and 25% of bisexual men live in poverty, while only 15%

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of straight men are currently in poverty.

While everyone agrees homelessness isn’t good for anyone regardless of orientation, the fact that LGBTQ+ individuals face higher percentages plays a part in job harassment and instability.

For example, the National LGBTQ Task Force compiled a study that shows that transgender individuals are twice as likely to experience unemployment, and this increases to four times when they are of a racial minority group. Also, for trans* individuals who are employed, 90% experience harassment, workplace discrimination and other mistreatment. This then leads some to take work in other areas such as drugs or sex work.

These statistics and discriminatory legislature also play a part in homelessness in the queer world. As told by the National Institute of Medicine, around 320,000 to 400,000 queer young adults experience poverty and homelessness.

Furthermore, in a report done by Chaplin Hill, research shows that LGBTQ+ youth are at greater risk for receiving physical harm, exchanging sex for basic needs, and rape.

It should be disheartening to every American that due to these discriminatory practices, we force growing generations of LGBTQ+ individuals to lower themselves to survive.

These socioeconomic disparities are a product of neglect-

ful legislature and the reinforcement of negative societal thoughts.

Societal Society is also a large influence in queer disadvantages, and this is perpetrated by both queer and heterosexual people. For instance, L-G-B-T-Q are not the only letters that represent the queer community; the full acronym would be LGBTQIAP+, and each group feels its own set of individual struggles.

A lot of the struggles come from a misunderstanding or erasing of the culture. For example, bisexuals and pansexuals both experience bisexual erasure. Bisexual erasure is when society or individuals are dismissive or don’t believe that a person can like both sexes or multiple genders. This can make bi or pan individuals feel invisible, ignored and as if they have less representation.

“I often struggle with not being sure if I’m bisexual or pansexual,” wrote Sam Houston University Music major

Norli Servin.

“There just isn’t enough representation in the pansexual community to help clarify this nuance sometimes between pansexual and bisexual.”

The queer community is also constantly affected by false or negative stereotypes.

For example, many forms of media have gay men depicted as the stereotypical overly feminine and dramatic characters, such as Cameron and Mitchell on “Modern Family.”

For lesbian and bisexual women, there is the lesbian character Joanne from “Rent,” who is given male-typical personality traits while dating her unfaithful female partner, Maureen. This depiction paints queer females as either overly masculine or as unfaithful. This type of categorization and stereotyping makes it harder for queer individuals who don’t fit those false narratives.

“I would say my biggest difficulty is compulsory heterosexuality,” says Sam Houston University Music major Danica Christy. “It’s always assumed I’m straight, and I con-

stantly have to come out and defend my sexuality.”

Queer individuals also have to explain and come to terms with their own sexual and gender identities. Knowing and understanding the difference is crucial to improving stigma with queer and trans* people.

For instance, a trans woman is still considered heterosexual if she dates men and vice versa, while a trans woman who dates women can be considered gay, or lesbian. Even intersex people have to decide how to feel comfortable in their own body, since they are born with body parts and reproductive systems of both genders.

Gender orientation is completely separate from sexual orientation despite all being under the queer or LGBTQ+ umbrella.

Finally, we have to be aware that people express themselves differently or out of society’s projected norms. For instance, asexual individuals don’t express romance or sexual expression the same as the other LGBTQ+ labels.

Asexual individuals don’t experience sexual attraction but still can feel romantic attraction, and asexuals who don’t experience romantic attraction are aromantic asexuals. Also, some people are sexually fluid and label themselves as queer — or refuse to have a label. Sexuality can mature and change over time, and it’s not always correct to assume and label how people

can and should love.

These issues are both systemic and cyclical. How society views LGBTQ+ individuals affects how lawmakers create bills, and this eventually harms them in the socioeconomic world. It just takes one branch to stop the cycle of harm that LGBTQ+ face. Furthermore, if it is this bad in America, one can only imagine the tragedy of LGBTQ+ individuals who live in countries that outlaw LGBTQ+ people and their lives.

As a bisexual male, I have to admit that not everything stated affects everyone in those communities. Also, many of these challenges and setbacks are intersectional within the queer community. Everyone’s sexual, gender or queer jour-

ney is different and valid. Some challenges may be missing, or a specific identity may not be identified, but never discredit a single person’s struggle.

From queer to ally, we all deserve to be accepted and beam like the rainbow. aj.muonagolu@pepperdine.edu

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THE ABCs OF LGBTQ+

By Marisa Dragos We learn our ABCs in preschool, but for many people there is still a series of letters that seem unfamiliar. It’s time to demystify the LGBTQIAP+ acronym.

The following explanations of each letter are compiled from sources including the LGBTQIA Resource Center at UC Davis,

OutRight Action International, The New York Times and interviews with Pepperdine students. However, the letters represent individual people and their identities. Therefore, the following explanations are in no way all-inclusive, and people are always free to choose to identify how they feel most comfortable.

L is for Lesbian Lesbian refers to a woman who is primarily emotionally or sexually attracted to other women. The term woman here refers to an individual’s gender identity rather than their biology. Non-binary individuals may also identify as lesbian.

G is for Gay Gay specifically refers to a man who is primarily emotionally or sexually attracted to other men. Again, the term man refers to an individual’s gender identity rather than their biology. However, gay as an umbrella term is commonly used by individuals of all genders to refer to same-gender emotional and sexual attraction.

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B is for Bisexual The shortened term bi can refer to the terms bisexual, biromantic or both. The term bisexual refers to an individual of any gender identity who experiences sexual attraction to people regardless of their gender.

B is also for Biromantic Biromantic refers an individual who experiences romantic attraction to individuals of all genders.

T is for Trans* Specifically with the asterisk, trans* refers to all gender identities other than gender assigned at birth (cisgender). This includes non-binary, genderqueer and gender non-conforming individuals. Without the asterisk, trans is often used to describe individuals whose external gender expression and internal gender identity do not match their gender assigned at birth. Trans* does not refer to any biological procedures.

Q is for Queer Queer remains a controversial term within the LGBTQIA+ community. The term has historically been used as a slur, and some individuals still find the term offensive. Other individuals, however, have reclaimed the term queer as a rejection of gender and sexual orientation labels.

Q is also for Questioning Questioning refers to an individual still seeking a gender identity or gender expression or sexual orientation that feels accurate to their experience.

I is for Intersex Intersex refers to someone born with both male and female biological characteristics. Intersex may also refer to a variance in chromosome and hormone levels. The term does not refer to any form of gender identity or expression.

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A is for Asexual Asexual, or ace, refers to an individual who experiences little to no sexual attraction. This does not mean that an asexual person does not desire a relationship or will not participate in sexual behavior. An asexual individual also may or may not still experience emotional or romantic attraction to individuals of the same or different genders.

A is also for Aromantic Aromantic, or aro, refers to an individual who experiences little to no romantic attraction. An aromantic individual may or may not still experience sexual attraction to individuals of the same or different genders.

A is also for Ally An ally is an individual who may identify as cisgender and straight but supports and advocates for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

P is for Pansexual Similar in definition to bisexual, the term pansexual, or pan, may be preferred by individuals who can feel sexually attracted to any person. The term pansexual rejects the gender binary, emphasizing the spectrum nature of gender expression.

P is also for Panromantic Panromantic refers to an individual who experiences romantic attraction to individuals of all genders. Again, the pan- instead of bi- prefix emphasizes a spectrum rather than binary of gender expression. This term may be preferred by some to biromantic.

+ is for ________ The “plus� at the end of LGBTQIAP+ represents the other identities not included in the commonly used acronym, regardless if there are commonly agreed upon words to describe them. marisa.dragos@pepperdine.edu

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Exposing LGBTQ+ Stereotypes in Favor of Representing Truth

By Gianni Cocchella and Camryn Gordon Stereotypes are everywhere.

They can manipulate the truth and generate a false narrative, leading to a lack of understanding and erroneous assumptions.

While some stereotypes are a result of a small truth, many can be misconstrued and inaccurate. In the LGBTQ+ community alone, stereotypes have resulted in misconceptions, wrongfully held beliefs and, in some cases, harm.

Here are some of the most common stereotypes and misconceptions that people in the

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LGBTQ+ community have and continue to face.

Who ‘Wears the Pants’ in the Relationship?

One of the most common stereotypes for same-sex couples is that there has to be a masculine and feminine role in the relationship, where one individual develops a more masculine role by being more dominant and by making most of the decisions. This idea stems from the traditional heterosexual couple that is a result of the

preexisting patriarchal society established in the world.

When it comes to samesex couples, most Americans believe the supposedly more masculine partner is credited to being the one who wears the pants in the relationship and performs stereotypically more masculine chores and decisions, according to a study presented by the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association. The study also found that those who are the supposedly more feminine partner are seen as upholding more stereotypical female chores and decisions.

Regardless, there is a traditional sense of inequality of two individuals where one “wears the pants” in the relationship and the other does not. In heterosexual relationships, a lot of times men have been identified as the ones who “wear the pants” because of their literal tendency to

wear pants as opposed to dresses and their figurative ability to have more say in making decisions.

H owe ve r, most samesex couples develop their relationships with a mutual understanding of value for each other by emphasizing the worth, attributes and talents of each individual. This helps prevent a power imbalance in a relationship and ensures stability. For this reason, people should not necessarily assume that same-sex couples have roles that equate to heterosexual identities influenced by a patriarchal society

2016,” with two-thirds of them being women, according to Healthline.

The stigma around AIDS in the LGBTQ+ community stems from a lack of information and awareness combined with outdated preconceptions and beliefs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It is also inaccurate that HIV always leads to AIDS. AIDS is an auto-immune deficiency that results from an HIV infection attacking and weakening one’s immune system. AIDS is preventable when HIV is treated early, and people can live out a perfectly normal life with HIV. While many have connected AIDS to the LGBTQ+ community because of its early impact on this group during the 1980s,

AIDS is a Gay Disease and Only People Who Identify as LGBTQ+ Get It The idea that AIDS is an allegedly gay disease is false.

Anyone can get AIDS regardless of sexual orientation or identity. AIDS is caused by a virus, and like most viruses, it can infect everyone. While AIDS is common in men who have sex with other men, and it develops over time from HIV, “heterosexuals accounted for 24 percent of new HIV infections in

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this does not mean it is a gay disease.

Public LGBTQ+ Identities Only Exist in Western Societies Despite some countries having severe laws and restrictions that limit the rights of those in the LGBTQ+ community, people who identify as LGBTQ+ are all over the world. In countries such as Nigeria or Russia, some people might go to great lengths to hide their identities to avoid any issues with the law. This might make it look like there is a lack of individuals who identify LGBTQ+, but it certainly doesn’t mean there are none.

Despite this, LGBTQ+ rights are improving in different parts of the world, allowing more people to embrace their identities and not hide from

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them. As of Oct. 28, 2019, there are 30 countries and territories that have expanded rights to LGBTQ+ individuals by legalizing samesex marriage, including Taiwan, according to the Pew Research Center.

Taiwan became the first country in Asia to pass legislation allowing marriage equality, according to an article by Time. This has inspired other nearby countries in the East to begin policies that will reshape the world and become more accepting and inclusive for LGBTQ+ individuals.

While countries around the world have begun to make strides toward advancing LGBTQ+ rights, there is still much work to be done, particularly in non-western societies. Considering LGBTQ+ rights are more accepting in many western societies, many people in other parts of the world might feel the need to hide their true identity because of social stigma

and discrimination that still exist.

Regardless of the location, LGBTQ+ rights are human rights, and everyone should be able to express how they feel and how they identify.

Children Are Too Young to Know They Are Trans* With the emergence of awareness toward gender identity, young people who find themselves at odds with the stereotypical and societal gender identities of male and female have felt a sense of relief in terms of gender expectations.

Most children recognize stereotypes and labels between 18 and 24 months, “categorize their own gender” by the age of 3 and become “rigid about stereotypes” by 5 and 6 years old, according to the

Mayo Clinic. Nonetheless, it is incorrect to delegitimize the feelings and beliefs of people who feel they are experiencing gender dysmorphia.

Gender-nonconforming children who proceed to transition have a strong sense of their true identity at an early age, according to a study conducted by psychologist Kristina Olson.

Regardless of a child’s identity, it’s important to understand how children feel about themselves and to listen and value their true and unapologetic self-identity.

Sexual Orientation is a Choice Sexual orientation is not a choice; this is part of someone’s identity that develops over time and shouldn’t be interfered with or challenged.

Sexual orientation is not about what’s right and what’s wrong, and people don’t necessarily have a say in who they’re attracted to. Sexual orientation is human nature, and some things cannot be forced onto a person.

LGBTQ+ identities and same-sex attraction might be be genetically influenced, but there is no certainty in determining exactly how sexual orientation and identities are created, according to a study published in Science Magazine.

Researchers have also indicated that phrases such as,

“whether sexual orientation is a choice” and words such as “choice,” “preference” and “lifestyle” do little for understanding sexuality and have been used to oppress sexual minorities, according to a study published in Psychological Science in the Public Interest.

While there are far more complex understandings of sexual orientation from a scientific point of view, sexual orientation also comes from a deeply internalized form of identity that is harder to understand and that can’t really be controlled.

While there are societal expectations and norms that have historically dictated who should be attracted to whom, this is an outdated concept and does not allow for true acceptance of one’s identity and sexual attraction.

As time goes on, it’s important to remain educated and openminded. It’s also crucial to acknowledge and recognize some of the difficult and challenging stereotypes members of the LGBTQ+ community face.

lead to misuse of stereotypes and sometimes even prejudice.

The world is filled with stereotypes for different groups of individuals, and it’s important to stay vigilant and to understand that some stereotypes don’t accurately portray the truth and can cause harm.

As society continues to grow and change, it’s important to continue to live with open minds and open hearts.

Regardless of the stereotype, members of the LGBTQ+ community deserve dignity and respect; combined with an open mind and open heart, one can reach boundless connections and a deeper understanding with anyone in the world, including those in the LGBTQ+ community.

Live With an Open Mind, Open Heart While stereotypes aren’t always false, gross assumptions and inaccurate information

gianni.cocchella@pepperdine.edu camryn.gordon@pepperdine.edu

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Bo portu siden i- si d. “W trans*, bis the s and ing the clu re i l a a i s r t co-pre was an op an univers of the ut of creat mes whe s and ti f Sim lesbian, ub istian profeso r , ti the cl s at a Chris versation o re y h a C g s came re were n re we nt een ros e c w h t a t — e e ; b s stude plore the co y. h t — Sim “T ating x lit d or -believers and studen can frustr satisfying,” sure s ty to e and sexua sroads ha n a e d o r w n w a it n e os was e bo here make religio lt like Cr unity to b ors, th ssroads w es it ed to e getting s t m i n t a t e f f r o w o cr “I ith wer We oppo a lot the it’s a rked w rs said. “ dents nique aven for o g u u t n from w s i i s o .” i i e t n g d a h e h e th t m ff e t e e u r n t l f A , m e a a a e we w a sa e two f Student ves as th at they w same tim first e of who h m i T truly e t l p r e y wh peo an o w se at th lub in the cover these en-De is, who no They also club. But, is dis said. h ac t h t h v . g Da o have f. nts t o e k r d r d throu es,” Hylton P e a u t t h n M nted s fS liv he wa hat -Engli -Resi- wa e.” ean o n t a e D their h h e t t h t plac then dded ing t out to lton a e someth n for ached lmes and y Love to y e s H r t o b o o r d sio lub to al progres vid H ctor Zacha ads. Love The R create a c D t e o h n t natur was startrossro hic t Dire club id he l of den isers of C o the Grap e was a a s e h n T ylto ail t rova e adv s abl e app ight; H 5. b te in an em sroads wa s o overn king on th ember 201 r o t r h w t he felt Cr ed wo ads in Sep clubs, suc a h t t ro Cross s LGBTQ+ d ReachOu u n o a i Prev E in 2007 E 20 as GL

Pepperdine. Rather than being a political statement, he said that he wanted a place for people to come together and find community, along with support and fun.

Davis repeated the sentiment of focusing on the students instead of ties to politics.

“One of the struggles was staying focused on care for our LGBTQ+ students and not getting caught up in the tensions surrounding this topic that have been so divisive in our nation, churches and families,” Davis wrote.

When it came to the students, Hylton said he felt an overall support. The only pushback he encountered came from alumni.

“They felt like this was a watered-down version and Pepperdine is just doing this to stay politically correct,” Hylton said. “I was hurt at the time, but now I laugh about it. I think it was just a very interesting reaction because [these alumni] didn’t re-

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ally know the people that were at Pepperdine anymore, so they didn’t know that the student population was changing where students were super supportive.”

Campus Presence and Politics Senior and Vice President of Crossroads Madison Thacker has been a part of the club since 2016. In the time between her freshman year and now, she said she has seen Crossroads become more visible on campus.

Junior and Administrative Officer for Crossroads Julia Clark agreed the club has gained more presence at Pepperdine since her freshman year.

“I remember freshman year as it being almost like a support group,” Clark said. “We would retreat into our room in the PLC every other week and just talk about all of our problems. Now it’s more like, ‘Hey, we’re here,

and everyone is invited.’ We want to do stuff with you, and we want to be involved with the community.”

Crossroads has built a presence on campus through campus-wide events, such as raising money for the AIDS Walk, collaborating with other cultural clubs and hosting their first convocation event in spring 2019.

A Freedom Wall post regarding the LGBTQ+ community at Pepperdine motivated the club to organize a convocation event, which the Graphic reported on in April 2019. The display included perspectives both in support and against LGBTQ+ relationships and questioned why there was not yet an LGBTQ+ themed convocation.

Fall semester of 2019 brought another Crossroads convocation event, along with more LGBTQ+ discussion on the Freedom Wall. Back-and-forth displays regarding Chick-fil-A

created a conversation on the relationship between Pepperdine and its LGBTQ+ students, which the Graphic reported on in-depth that fall.

A major takeaway from the Graphic’s reporting was that the Crossroads constitution prevented members from participating in organized, political activism. Those who worked on the founding of the club in 2016 wanted to avoid political ties, but senior Daniel Iturri told the Graphic in 2019 that it does not make sense for an organization like Crossroads not to be political.

“Being gay on campus is political on its own; it’s impossible to separate the two, especially at a place like Pepperdine,” Iturri previously told the Graphic.

Today Crossroads adviser and Psychology Prof. Steve Rouse said

that he and the Crossroads executive board have met with the current administration to clarify the constitution and what exactly “being political” means.

“We came away from a meeting with the administration with a really positive sense that the constitution is able to be changed,” Rouse said. “I think some of that language [in the constitution] really needs to be modernized and clarified. We are going to try the rest of the semester to get some actual changes to the constitution.”

Junior and Crossroads President Juan Carlos Hughes said Crossroads has not yet proposed their changes to the constitution, but from their prior meetings, he said the administration appears to be willing to meet and discuss those changes.

Hughes added there would be the Crossroads Family Reunion Picnic later in the se-

mester where students, administration and alumni can come together and acknowledge how far the university has come but also talk about what still needs to be done.

Unfortunately, because of the current COVID-19 outbreak in the United States and across the globe, the Crossroads Family Reunion Picnic and all other Crossroads events have been canceled. Hughes expressed optimism for these events and conversations in the future.

“I think this is only the beginning,” Hughes said. “I think that’s been a big quote I’ve heard from an alumni; he heard that from one of the lesbian students in the 1990s, and I reaffirmed that today. This is only the beginning toward more visibility and inclusion of LGBTQ+ students.”

channa.steinmetz@pepperdine.edu

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THE INTERSECTION OF PSYCHOLOGY AND THE LGBTQ+ PERSPECTIVE

By Savannah Welch Art by Elizabeth Brummer The rainbow flag of the LGBTQ+ community celebrates themes of diversity, inclusivity and unity, encouraging kindness and acceptance. Yet for many queer individuals, their coming out experiences are anything but liberating.

With statistics showing LGBTQ+ youths being at an even greater risk for mental health struggles and queer youth suicide rates five times greater than their heterosexual counterparts, understanding how to support this community has never been more important. “[It’s hard to] have to be the explainer,” junior Grace Ramsey said. “To just kind of always have someone give you this really, really blank look when you tell them about this super, super significant facet of who you are.”

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Bridging the Gap Between Societal Standards and Self-Acceptance As a member of the asexual community, Ramsey said explaining their sexual orientation to others can be a challenge. Ramsey said that if their orientation is brought up in conversation, they feel obligated to explain it; otherwise, others won’t fully understand.

“With explanation comes justification, because most of the time, people are like, ‘Well, are you sure — have you really just not met the right person yet?’” Ramsey said.

Asexuality was only recently removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and is now recognized as a sexual orientation rather than a dysfunction.

Ramsey said because there’s such a conflation between love and sex in society, people forget that sexual and romantic attraction are vastly different.

“No one understands what it’s like to not feel sexually attracted to other humans, except for other asexual people,” Ramsey said. “They can’t wrap their minds around the fact that an asexual person could want to have a romantic relationship.”

As Ramsey initially came to terms with their identity, they found the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN), an organization that helped them to feel less alone. For many in situations similar to Ramsey’s, talking to a specialist can be beneficial.

“Taking the time to get counseling and reflect on how that has shaped me has been im-

perative in my understanding,” senior Chase Manson said.

“Knowing when to just not give up to ask for help — that’s really important.”

Manson said his journey with mental health has been an ongoing process. Manson said there are difficulties in the gay community, specifically regarding confidence.

“I think in the gay community, there is a tendency to demonize ourselves sexually because we’re not, like, ‘good enough,’ and that can lead to body image issues that can lead to depression,” Manson said. “[There can be] misinformation about what a healthy lifestyle looks like.”

Ever since he was outed as opposed to coming out on his own terms, Manson said finding his “tribe,” [referring to the term “tribe” in “Ru Paul’s Drag Race”] or friends who are also part of the LGBTQ+ community, has allowed him to find confidence in his identity.

“I was able to relate to someone and have a friend who I could talk to about this stuff,” Manson said. “That, to me, has really shaped not only my mental health journey but also my personal journey.”

Many people perceive coming out as a one-time occurrence. Pepperdine counselor Esther Lee said the exploration of one’s identity is not a singular decision — it’s a continuous process.

“Feeling different can be really difficult,” Lee said. “I’ve heard from many students that it was difficult for them to have no en-

vironment that validated or normalized their experiences.”

Self-acceptance of one’s orientation can also become a resilience factor, Lee said.

“When individuals are committed to their identity exploration, and when they’re open to understanding who they are, it can become a strong resource — it can become their strength and resource,” Lee said.

Some closeted individuals within the LGBTQ+ community, however, may not feel safe to receive the help they need. “[Having] a part of yourself that affects the way you see the world — that must be hidden from other people — really causes high levels of depression and anxiety,” Psychology Professor Steven Rouse said.

As the faculty adviser of Crossroads, Pepperdine’s LGBTQ+ club, Rouse said organizations like the Trevor Project and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) are helpful resources for those who are struggling. Even so, some individuals might not feel comfortable seeing a specialist.

“A lot of people avoid going to counseling because they’re afraid that it’s going to be an experience that’s going to actually increase their level of distress and increase their level of self-hatred,” Rouse said.

The History and Relationships of LGBTQ+ Mental Health Diving deep into the background of the DSM, Rouse said the DSM-1 was created in 1952

and included homosexuality as a sociopathic personality disorder. During this time, Rouse said, research revealed that personality tests of gay and straight men could not be differentiated.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is a comprehensive manual of all identified mental health disorders. It defines and classifies disorders and is used in the field by practicing mental health professionals. The most recent DSM is the DSM-5, which was published in May 2013.

In the DSM-3, which came out in 1980, the change was made so homosexuality was only a disorder if a person was attracted to members of the same sex but didn’t want to be.

The DSM-3-R came out in 1987, and at that time, it was removed as a disorder.

Nearly three decades have passed, yet efforts to curb fluidity of sexual identities persist.

“For many of those 30 years, there were many therapists who claimed to be able to change sexual orientation either under the name of reparative therapy or sexual orientation change efforts,” Rouse said.

Ramsey said that even within the LGBTQ+ community, there have been disagreements over recognition for each group. They said they have received comments over whether the A for asexuals within the LGBTQIAP+ acronym should be removed. “[People have said] it’s not a sexuality — it’s a lack of sexuality, so we shouldn’t be included in the community as well,”

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Ramsey said. “So it can be hard because sometimes there’s not even a safe place for us in the LGBTQ+ community.”

Lee said that while the LGBTQ+ population is at a higher risk for emotional distress and mental disorders, many of these stressors come from external sources. Hate crimes, stereotypes, biased language and other microaggressions are just a few causes of declining mental health within the queer community.

“If friends and loved ones are struggling to accept who they are, then, you know, those individuals might experience loss and grief because it’s such a loss of the relationship and trust,” Lee said.

Speaking to Spirituality and Sexual Orientation With mental health already a challenge, navigating religious rules, sexual orientation and external judgment can be a difficult journey for those in the queer community.

“One of the biggest lies that the American church has told queer Christians is that they have to choose between one aspect of their identity or the other,” Rouse said. “Once a person comes to the realization that their sexual orientation is not something that’s changeable ... a lot of people start then moving away from their Christian faith.”

Rouse said finding a way to live a life that glorifies God while understanding the reality

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of their sexual orientation can be very challenging. Ramsey said as a Christian, they have learned to find strength in mindful meditation and prayer.

“A big part of my mental health journey has been ... remembering that, you know, God loves me regardless of what other people say, even people who claim to have the same religion that I do.”

Overall, Ramsey said they have felt supported by the Pep-

perdine faculty and resources on campus such as the Counseling Center.

Manson said he is a big believer in mentorship and finding a spiritual or relational adviser.

“If you know someone who is openly out or lives their life in a way that you find inspiring, talk to them — gay or straight. They have very good insightful knowledge that you can use to apply to your life.” savannah.welch@pepperdine.edu

: ’ e l g g u r t S e h t h t r o ‘W

d n u o r A n o i t a s r e v y n t i o n C a i e t s i Th r h C d n a s s e n r e e Qu

By Emily Shaw

When St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church’s rector, the Rev. Joyce Stickney, was a teenager, she served and worked at an orphanage and a refugee camp for Cambodians, Laotians and Vietnamese people in the Philippines. This experience led to her wrestling with the understanding of Christianity that she was taught growing up.

“As a teen, I had all these great experiences working in an orphanage, and I was like, there’s no way these people who are suffering and have been through all this or these poor children whose parents can’t afford to take care of them ... there’s no way that God doesn’t love them as much as God loves me,” Stickney said.

Stickney then began to study and “reconstruct,” an understanding of Christianity that better resonated with her diverse experiences in life, she said.

She went on to attend seminary school at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena and work with the Episcopal Church.

During the course of her career in ministry, Stickney has seen how church attitudes have shifted, becoming more inclusive to those who have been historically marginalized by the church, such as LGBTQ+ individuals.

Looking more specifically at the LGB part of the acronym, Christians have traditionally interpreted Scripture to condemn homosexual behavior; however,

conversations are emerging that bring to light that there could be more complexity to this topic than meets the eye.

These conversations involve many components, including: • Biblical context of scriptures that mention homosexual behavior • How one’s modern context impacts reading the Bible • How the church should act toward this topic • The dehumanization of LGB individuals • Why conversations about this topic are so controversial • How to go about approaching these conversations

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Recognizing Complexity in Understanding the Bible Junior Julia Clark is a Religion major and the administrative officer for Crossroads, a student club that provides a space for students to engage in dialogue about LGBTQ+ matters and support one another. She grew up in a Christian household and underwent her own research and exploration of how the Bible discusses homosexuality with the intention of learning how best she could “honor God.” “Once you start doing the research, the kind of traditional narrative around [homosexuality] really starts to fall apart.

And you realize it’s a lot more complex than it seems,” Clark said.

Clark said she appreciates the people in her life — who are also avid Christians — who were supportive of her exploring and looking into the topic of how the Bible talks about homosexuality, even if they were not supportive of same-sex relationships themselves.

In her search for understanding this complex topic, Clark concluded that all of the evidence she found points toward “inclusion and queer affirmation in the Bible.”

Clark said verses — such as 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 and 1 Timothy 1:8–10 — have been translated and historically interpreted in a way that oversimplifies what the Bible says about homosexual behavior.

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There was no Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek word for “homosexual” or “homosexuality” written in the Bible, according to Jimmy Creech, former United Methodist pastor.

The Bible did not include the word “homosexual” until 1946, according to New Testament scholar David Bentley Hart, researcher and founder of Canyonwalking Connections Kathy V. Baldock and former pastor Keith Giles.

Baldock and others claim that two Greek words arsenokoitai and malakos were combined to be translated as homosexuality in the Revised Standard Version, which was published in 1946; however, the Apostle Paul did not have the modern understanding of homosexuality in mind when writing those Greek words.

Chris Doran, professor of Religion, agreed with Clark that the subject on how the Bible discusses homosexuality is far more complex than what the average American Protestant thinks. As a theologian by training, Doran said he aims to use scriptures to highlight bigger themes and ask bigger questions that consider how people in the 21st century read the Bible.

“The words that the Apostle Paul uses that are often translated as ‘homosexual’ or ‘homosexuality’ don’t have the same kind of cultural baggage that we have now,” Doran said. “The idea of consenting gay men or women, for example, in the

first century — the way that we would think about consenting folks entering into same sex unions — was just very, very rare in the ancient world, so it would not have been considered that way.”

Clark echoed Doran’s sentiment.

“We’re trying to take these ancient texts that exist in their context and in their world, and we’re kind of trying to place them into our context — and especially when a lot of people don’t want to do the real digging to figure out their context, it’s hard if it doesn’t fit,” Clark said.

Clark said she believes the traditional interpretation might largely be the result of people placing their own modern understandings, with years of psychological research on sexual orientation, on the Bible without knowing what the writers of the Bible are communicating.

“In first-century Rome, they did not have that psychological research — they didn’t have an understanding of orientation as we do today,” Clark said.

Clark and Doran said homosexuality in the historical context of the Bible is more about dominating and exploiting others

and withholding hospitality in the form of sex slaves, male prostitutes, or pederasty, which is the Greek and Roman practice of older men engaging in sexual relations with boys.

They agreed it is not about consensual unions of same-sex individuals.

“Clobber Passages” “There are lots of clobber passages about sexuality and same-sex attraction in the Bible that people will use that you really have to dig in to understand the context,” Clark said.

“Clobber passages” are passages from the Bible that people have commonly used to argue why being gay is a sin. “[Clobber passages] have been used to make gay people believe that you cannot be both gay and Christian,” pastor Colby Martin wrote in his book “UnClobber,” according to an NBC article. “Being told that you are not welcome, that you do not belong, or that you are less than, is a clobbering of the heart, soul and mind.”

Those “clobber passages” include but are not limited to 1 Corinthians 6:9–10, 1 Timothy 1:8–10, Genesis 19, Levit-

icus 18:22 and Romans 1:26–27.

To read more about different interpretations of these “clobber passages,” visit pepperdine-graphic.com.

Church Practices At St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church in Malibu, the congregation values inclusivity.

“In 1996, an Episcopal Church court ruled in favor of the ordination of gay men and women who are in a committed relationship,” according to the church’s website.

Everyone is considered full members of the congregation at St. Aidan’s Church, and the church also performs gay weddings.

Stickney said the process of becoming more inclusive and welcoming of LBGTQ+ individuals has been a struggle for many church communities because of the longstanding culture and environment that has historically been non-inclusive and non-affirming.

“It really has taken people who have a prophetic voice and who are willing to really do the work of change to help us move into this direction,” Stickney said. “I think it takes a lot of humility and listening to other people.”

Stickney said she has encouraged people who disagree with St. Aidan’s church’s affirming position to visit and spend time with one another, but she has found that often, many people are not interested in taking

that step.

“I think when you open yourself to breaking bread and loving and sharing life with people who are different from you, you’re converted — you’ve become much more open and inclusive,” Stickney said.

During the course of her career in ministry, Stickney has seen attitudes about the LGBTQ+ community change dramatically. She thinks a big reason for this movement toward inclusion and equality is a result of a lot of the work and efforts of the LGBTQ+ community, including science, research and the many conversations society is having.

Zachary Luben is a youth and family minister at the Culver Palms Church of Christ who also comes from a traditional church background.

As a minister for youth, he has explored and read widely to understand what Scripture says about sexuality and gender to learn how to best minister to and serve young students who might be questioning their sexual and gender identity.

“The thing that I strive for is that [the students] will know that I love them and that God loves them, and wherever they are in that process, the community that I serve and the youth ministry that I’m a part of isn’t going to turn our backs on them,” Luben said.

Luben said he aims to create an environment where students can feel safe to ask questions.

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“A lot of times, church leaders get into a room, and they talk about how to serve people without actually asking — without really recognizing that there’s a humanity to the people that they’re trying to figure out the answer to,” Luben said.

Recognizing the Humanity Doran shared Luben’s frustration about the lack of humanization or “wanting to dignify humanity” in the conversation of LGBTQ+ and Christianity.

“We can disagree with each other about a lot of things as Christians, but how is it that we can be so inhospitable to people who are out or closeted?”

Doran said. “I find that really frustrating when hospitality is one of the really powerful parts of the Christian witness.”

Stickney shared how she has seen how individuals

who identify as queer may never want to go near or trust a church again due to their previous experiences with how a church has treated them.

“I think the church needs to apologize. I think a lot of harm has been done — abuse,” Stickney said. “We need to apologize and make amends.”

Luben said it is important to ask oneself whether one is using the biblical command to love one another to guide the conversation.

“I think we as a church have to wrestle with the fact that we’ve contributed to an environment where people feel like dying by suicide is the better option than staying alive,” Luben said. “I think that’s part of the culture that we have to confront regardless of which side we’re taking in it.”

Luben said another important idea for disagreeing Christians to consider is their shared beliefs, too.

“I have found myself coming back to this understanding of how we may be very, very different people, but if we’re both Christians, our commonality is Christ,” Luben said. “I think if you can actually choose to and

work at remembering that in those difficult conversations of disagreement, I think you can disagree and still walk away peacefully.”

Clark shared she personally struggled reconciling her relationship with God and her sexual orientation because she grew up believing that homosexuality is clearly a sin.

“I think when it’s kind of drilled into our heads that this is the one way — this is the only thing that can possibly happen, this is the only way to faithfully interpret Scripture, this is the only way to be a Christian — it’s really harmful to gay kids, gay people in general,” Clark said.

Clark shared she has friends who are gay and believe that same-sex relationships are a sin, so they commit themselves to celibacy. She said even though she personally believes same-sex relationships are not a sin, her gay friends who believe otherwise also appreciate knowing that there are other interpretations.

“I wasn’t out looking for a way to justify a relationship.

That wasn’t what I was looking for. I wanted to know the truth,” Clark said.

The Conversation Doran said he believes churches and individuals should wrestle with the question of why they seem to struggle in particular to have conversations with people who have

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differing views about sexuality and gender identity.

Luben said he thinks people and churches might have trouble navigating discussions surrounding this topic because what is at stake are understandings of life, scripture, family and history.

Another reason Luben said he thinks this conversation can be so highly charged is because there may be a fear of acknowledging the ambiguity of the topic; one might not actually know for certain the correct answer.

“God’s at work in all things, but I don’t necessarily think that means we don’t have to struggle with the ambiguity in our churches, and I think that can be unsettling for some — and it’s even unsettling for me,” Luben said.

Coming from a science and theology background, Doran said he asks why Christians may question science.

“For so many centuries, Christians were the ones asking all the really hard questions about life — all the hard questions about science,” Doran said. “It’s only been recently that American Protestants and particularly evangelicals, but other Protestants as well, have gotten really skeptical about engaging hard questions.”

Doran said he wants to ask and engage with the difficult questions.

“As someone who has a PhD, who studied science and studies theology, I want to ask really

hard questions and to know that the rest of Christian history did that — and now we’ve kind of clammed up over the last few several decades, I think that’s real kind of scary to me,” Doran said.

Luben said despite all these fears of what else might be at stake when having these conversations, he encourages people, especially Christians, to think about this topic anyway.

“I do think we owe it to ourselves and to the other people in our lives to really wrestle and try to understand — or at least give the reasons why you believe what you believe when it comes to this topic and a lot of other topics,” Luben said.

He said even if we may not end up with perfect or complete answers, he believes “there’s something worth the struggle.”

Clark also agreed with Luben about how it’s important to give the topic the respect and time that it deserves by studying and trying to understand the complexity of it.

Stickney said she believes Christians should strive to not be complacent but to be humble and know that there is al-

ways more to know.

“I think it’s important to commit as Christians to go outside the margins, and not just a token effort ... but claim people who are different from us and nurture a lifelong friendship with them,” Stickney said.

Luben posed a question that he asks himself when considering difficult questions about faith.

“For me, it’s a question of ‘Am I recognizing the image of God and the person who is in front of me or the person I’m thinking about if I’m not willing to at least ask the big questions and really wrestle with the material that’s out there?’” Luben said.

If you’d like to look deeper into this topic, visit pepperdinegraphic.com for a list of references. emily.c.shaw@pepperdine.edu

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IN QUEER SPACES, BEING GAY IS A PRIVILEGE By Quinn

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By Quinn Mathys Art by Madeline Duvall Am I gay? Well, yes, but actually no.

I’m a non-binary asexual, so I’m not gay in the truest sense of the word. However, the word gay has also become an umbrella term for the entire LGBTQ+ community. While it’s not necessarily a bad thing, this says something about the visibility of the letter G from outside of the community as well as from within.

Frequently, those on the outside look at those who are queer and just see gay; sometimes, it feels like that on the inside of the group, too.

Gay men don’t to have to worry about being excluded from queer spaces because gay

and queer are considered to be synonymous — to say otherwise would be ridiculous.

However, many others who identify as queer don’t have that luxury.

Homonormativity, a term initially used to symbolize “marginalization and displacement experienced within transgender political and cultural activism,” according to Susan Stryker’s “Transgender History: The Roots of Today’s Revolution,” has the ability to take over queer spaces in the same way that heteronormativity pervades the wider culture we live in.

Through this lens, the world is seen in binary ways — men and women, gay and straight.

This perspective doesn’t leave much room for those who fall on the spectrum between these polarized opposites.

Same-sex attracted individ-

uals have spoken out against trans* people being included in the community, and though it has lessened since the 20th century, it is still prevalent.

Entire subreddits like r/LGBDroptheT are devoted to transphobic rhetoric while still professing to promote equality.

Major Griffin-Gracy, a trans* rights activist who protested at the Stonewall riots, said she frequently sees this exclusion in the LGBTQ+ movement. “I feel like we’ve been pushed to the outside and then prevented from looking in,” she said in an interview with Jessica Stern for Scholar and Feminist Online. “It’s the stares, the noninclusion over decision-making,

exclusion from events that would build this movement.

It was an inclusive club until we stood up for ourselves, and then it became gay white men running stuff.”

One group that is still being excluded in some queer circles is asexuals. Asexuals “are marching for the right to not do anything,” said Dave Savage, a prominent queer activist in the documentary “(A)sexual.” He also implied that being asexual was a choice not to have sex rather than a sexuality, according to HuffPost.

I don’t put these facts on display to say that all gay folx exclude identities that are completely same-sex attracted,

but with exclusion and ostracization occurring, it’s important to be aware that lesser-supported sexualities and gender identities may carry these perceptions with them as they enter new queer spaces.

Just as one has to realize their own intersectional privilege during these conversations, we need to be aware of voices in the LGBTQ+ community that have a more difficult time making their way to the public sphere. Together, gay individuals and queer cohorts need to work to create a culture that caters to all the letters under the rainbow flag. gabby.mathys@pepperdine.edu

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Pronouns Speak Volumes GENDER Gender Identities that may use they/ them/theirs or gender-neutral pronouns: a| agender bigender female gender fluid genderqueer gender variant male pangender transgender trans* two-spirit whoever feels most comfortable with them!

By Tiffany Hall Art by Gabby DiGiovanni Photos by Milan Loiacono Pronouns are not just grammatical tools for clarity. They are also thoughtful means of self-identification and expression. With the increased global dialogue on the use of gendered pronouns in the identification of those in the transgender and gender-nonconforming communities, two questions arise:

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Why are pronouns so important, and what are the implications of using the incorrect pronoun?

While personal pronouns such as you and me come with no implication of gender, this linguistic concept has the ability to affirm one’s identity or to tear it down through its more

gendered uses.

In the U.S., 1.4 million individuals identified as transgender or gender-nonconforming in 2016, according to the Journal of Language and Social Psychology. Even if only a portion of those who answered the survey are publicly out and have clearly stated they use an

identifier different than that imposed upon them at birth, those individuals and those who have not publicly identified their pronouns face the risk of being misidentified every day.

Because gender and appearance are not mutually inclusive, misgendering has the potential to permeate casual discourse, according to the University of Wisconsin’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Plus Resource Center. This includes incorrect usages of he, she, they, neo-pronouns not yet officially recognized in traditional language constructs and other pronouns.

To solve this problem, there is a communal push across American higher education toward sharing pronouns, even manifesting in the official, institutional collection of students’ pronouns at universities like Harvard.

University of California, Davis, among other similar-minded universities, go so far as to provide their students with educational articles about the proper use of differing identifiers, distributed through their online LGBTQIA Resource Center.

The discussion has even spread to high school-level extracurriculars such as speech and debate. The National Speech & Debate Association publicly supports the use of inclusive language and has digitally published a best practices guide for pronoun usage.

This propagation of knowledge and understanding

throughout the world of academia, however, does not always translate to society as a whole.

Languages are often conducive to a cis-sexist narrative, some being established with decidedly male generics, as told by the Journal of Language and Social Psychology. This only heightens the importance of using correct pronouns to provide a space in which people feel comfortable to identify as they are to combat the inherent oppression of male-dominated linguistic systems.

Misuse of gendered pronouns, while possibly coming from ignorance, can also come from a place of discrimination and intentional disrespect. Re-

gardless of intent, the effect is further cisgenderism and stigmatization of these communities, leading to “victimization, isolation and discrimination from society at large, as well as among peers, family members and schools,” as told by the International Journal of Transgenderism.

Beyond psychological impacts, misgendering someone can have negative physical health effects as well. The minority stress model, a model that links sexuality-based discrimination to health, provides a more specific lens when applied to gender rather than orientation. A study by Quality of Life Research found a similar

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trend of negative health effects leading to an increased risk of somatic disorders in those who are gender nonconforming.

Looking at the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) index, researchers found a correlation between gender nonconformity and risk for a poor HRQOL. Given the negative social, psychological and physical implications of language — and how it is used — then why do people refuse to use correct pronouns when it is in pursuit of the greater good?

One argument that contrarians reference when advocating against gender-neutral pronouns, in particular, is alleged grammatical correctness. The singular they, by design, is a non-gendered pronoun to take the place of she or he. With this in mind, society has stirred up a debate surrounding the validity of the use of the singular they.

However, one need not forget that literary greats such as William Shakespeare and Jane Austen used the singular they in their works.

It seems, then, that as language ebbs and flows, this modern focus on gender pronouns and the popularization of using inclusive language should be heralded as a societal change long overdue.

Many institutions, however, have embraced the shift in language.

In 2012, the Washington Post updated their stylebook to include they as a non-gendered option. The Associated Press

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conditionally updated their stylebook in 2017, stating the singular they is acceptable in limited cases. Likewise, The American Psychological Association formally adopted the use of the singular they in their publication manual Oct. 31, 2019.

More research is anticipated regarding the positive influence that the support of gender identity has on young people. Shows of support from friend groups, including correct pronoun usage, were correlated with “finding more meaning in life and a future-oriented outlook,” as told by the Journal of GLBT Family Studies.

While correlation does not inherently indicate causation, it certainly is indicative of some sort of relationship between support and well-being.

Those who are cisgender and may not find themselves in the position to defend their gender expression have the ability to use their privilege in a powerful way. Normalizing the act of sharing pronouns, using correct pronouns of those they meet and interact with, and promoting positive discussion surrounding non-gendered pronouns are three ways in which they can support and respect those who may be transitioning or who do not conform to a

gender binary.

Correction of a pronoun usage mistake can help to mitigate any offense caused and reinforce that the error was not one of malicious intent. Educating oneself about pronouns and their importance can provide further tools to help ally with those who are at risk of being misgendered.

Basic human respect and decency are at stake each time the issue of pronouns arises.

Every person deserves to be recognized in the way they wish to be, solely on this principle.

Given the clear personal and societal benefits of recognizing, accepting and supporting each person’s gender identity, there should be no question of why one should respect another’s pronouns. tiffany.hall@pepperdine.edu

Explaining the Conflation Triangle Between Sex, Gender and Sexual Orientation

By Karl Winter Art by Madeline Duvall When an individual meets someone, they may notice the person’s style of dress and name, which will likely carry connotations as either masculine or feminine.

Therefore, the individual may assume the sex that aligns with the person’s gender connotation.

Further, the individual may assume other things about whom the person is attracted to — their sexual orientation.

Why is one led to such assumptions?

It’s a phenomenon called the conflation triangle, according to University of Miami Professor of Law Francisco Valdes.

Valdes presents his theory

that a combination of androcentrism (masculine point of view) and heterosexism leads to the conflation of sex, gender and sexual orientation in the Euro-American sex and gender system, according to his 1996 Yale Journal of Law & the Humanities article.

At the base of the conflation triangle is sex, where according to Valdes, “conflationary arrangements begin.”

From there, the conflation of “external genitalia (sex) [and] social personality (gender)” are legally and culturally enforced, Valdes wrote.

People with certain genitalia are expected to exhibit a certain

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personality or behavior, and In Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins, the plaintiff, Ann Hopkins, they are punished or presclaimed that the firm denied her partnership because she did not sured if they do not. look and act feminine. Hopkins won the case on the basis of sex “We have a lot of norms discrimination outlined in Title VII. that still discipline people pret“The word ‘gender’ has come to be used synonymously with ty heavily for acting outside of the word ‘sex’ in the law of discrimination,” University of Chithose [gender] boundaries,” said cago Professor of Law Mary Ann Case wrote in a 1995 Yale Sarah Stone Watt, divisional dean Law Journal article. of the Communication Division.

“We still socialize boys and girls to really fear acting outside of those norms. Girls tend to have a little bit more flexibility — the idea of being a tomboy is not as devalued as for boys the idea of being a sissy.”

The social personality of a person, or their perceived gender, also leads one to assume their sexual personality, or perceived sexual orientation. This is the upper leg of the triangle.

Finally, sexual orientation and sex are conflated because sexual orientation is surmised from the sameness or difference of sex within a coupling of partners to a sex act, Valdes writes.

This is the influence of heterosexism and heteronormativity (the assumption that heterosexuality is the normal sexual orientation) on the triangle.

Nonetheless, the law may protect on the Legal Enforcement of the Triangle Varies basis of gender but not extend the same protection to sexual orientation.

The legal enforcement of the triangle varies, as in“When individuals diverge from the terpretations of the law are dynamic. gender expectations for their sex — Since the law was written for sex, some people have when a woman displays masculine not had standing in discrimination cases if they argue on characteristics or a man feminine the basis of gender or sexual orientation, Stone Watt said. ones — discrimination against her “If they were not being discriminated against on the is now treated as sex discriminabasis of being male or female, that created complications,” tion while his behavior is generally Stone Watt said. viewed as a marker for homosexFor example, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is ual orientation and may not rea federal law that prohibits employers from discriminating ceive protection from discrimiagainst employees on the basis of sex and four other factors, nation,” Case wrote. but not gender or sexual orientation.

Stone Watt agreed that the Sometimes sex and gender are conflated in the law, which existing precedent is contraallows people protection from discrimination on the basis of sex. dictory.

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“There have been some cases in which courts have sided with conflation — so have read sexual orientation — and allow for sexual orientation discrimination cases to be brought under laws that are written for sex, and there are cases where they haven’t,” she said.

How to Make Progress at Pepperdine and Beyond

Any time there are movements in favor of cultural change, there are often opposing movements against the Social Enforcement of the Triangle Remains change, known as repression.

While the conversation about The conflation triangle confers power on cisgender, hetheteropatriarchy and conflation of erosexual individuals, Stone Watt said. sex, gender and sexual orientation “If you are born male and you perform culturally mashas been normalized since Valdes inculine gender roles and you are attracted to biological troduced the topic, the conversation females, then you are normal, and vice versa — if you has many sides. are born female and perform feminine and are attracted “Just as much as we may be seeing to masculine males, normal,” she said. “Everybody else these debates play out in bigger ways in kind of exists on the margins.” today’s culture than we might remember This power system, which Valdes calls “compulin the past, we’re also seeing hard pushes sory heteropatriarchy,” is based in bifurcation of against them,” Stone Watt said. personhood into two sex identities, polarization of Though there is no definite evidence for these two sexes into separate genders, the “penalthe breaking down of the triangle, cultural ization of gender atypicality” and devaluation of values have at least begun to allow for the the feminine gender, Valdes wrote. possibility of progress.

He extended this to say that “ideology, identi“It’s difficult to quantify progress necessarty and destiny” are controlled by the conflation ily, but at the same time, socially, we can see and assumptions made about a person. that people are performing a broader scope of These assumptions begin at a young age, gender, and in the media, we’re seeing a little bit Stone Watt said. more flexibility,” Stone Watt said. “… [T]here is “We do that too with children who often more space for the conversation to occur.” aren’t even at a developmental stage where Christian and other religious roots may influence they would be sexually attracted to somestudents’ and faculty members’ worldview on this isone,” she said. “But we speculate about sue. who they will be attracted to later in life “We all come, whether we identify as Christian or based on how they behave, even when not, with assumptions about what the religious affiliathey’re really young.” tion dictates with regard to these kinds of topics,” Stone Sex, gender and sexual orientation Watt said. “For some, that’s only about sexual orientation. are often viewed as the same, though For others, that’s very focused on just sex and gender.” each is a small and distinct part of a To assuage these assumptions, conversation must be person’s identity. made about what people believe and whether these beliefs “The thing that the triangle are based in their upbringing. really reveals is the way that we “I think we have to get better about talking about these tend to make assumptions about things,” Stone Watt said. “We have to get better at understandpeople based on very small ing the distinctions between sex, gender and sexual orientaamounts of information, and tions so we can break down that desire to categorize people in the ways that those associathose ways.” tions are naturalized,” Stone karl.winter@pepperdine.edu Watt said.

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GENDER IDENTITY

By Vernie Covarrubias Gender identity is how people define and express themselves in relation to gendered societal norms. The majority of people live according to the gender they were born with.

But others — gender-nonconforming and transgender people — can express it in a variety of ways, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality.

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“People like to equate [sex and gender], which I think is oversimplifying people,” non-binary student Justis Crocker said.

“People put too much weight into what gender is and use it to categorize people. I feel like it’s an extremely complicated thing because the human brain is extremely complicated.”

Though sex and gender often go hand in hand, Professor and

Divisional Dean of the Communication Division Sarah Stone Watt said there is a clear distinction.

“Sex is what you’re born with — it’s what your body does at birth,” Stone Watt said. “Gender is that social piece. Gender identity is tied to your sex, but your gender is really a social construct.”

Gender Spectrum, an organization that provides consultation and training for creating inclusive environments, suggests there are three dimensions of gender: body, identity and social.

A person’s gender is made up of a complex relationship between how they experience their body, their personal sense of who they are, and how others in society view and interact with them, according to Gender Spectrum.

Gender identity is purely a person’s social understanding of themselves and does not imply sexual orientation.

A 2017 Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) poll found that 12% of millennials identify as gender nonconforming or transgender, meaning they do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth.

American society tends to think of gender on a binary system, meaning someone can be either male or female, according the National Center for Transgender Equality. A non-binary person does not categorize themselves as exclusively one

of the two traditional genders.

The gender identity spectrum is a model that explains how some non-binary people can identify at a point somewhere between the male and female binary, according to Teaching Tolerance Magazine.

However, the term also encompasses people who experience their gender as both male and female or as neither.

Though the spectrum model provides a visualization for differing gender identities, some criticize it for its limitations.

“What we’re trying to do is broaden people’s understanding of genders,” Crocker said. “That eventually leads to throwing out the concept [of a gender identity spectrum] entirely, and I feel like that might be the right way to go.”

Diane Ehrensaft, mental health director at the UCSF Child and Adolescent Gender Center Clinic, spearheaded research that suggests children can develop an understanding of their own gender identity as young as 2 years old.

“A child will say: ‘Stop calling me Jane. Let me wear my dresses. Please call me she,’” Ehrensaft said in a KQED-FM interview. “That’s a child making a clear statement.”

At any age, people can experience gender dysphoria, the discomfort that comes with incongruence between one’s gender identity and sex assigned at birth, according to the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

People who experience gender dysphoria often deal with discomfort that leads to significant distress or problems associated with the conflict between how they feel and how they see themselves.

The APA reported those struggling with gender dysphoria respond to it in various ways, including but not limited to crossdressing, social transitioning and medical transitioning. Social transitioning involves using the correct gender pronouns and bathroom, while medical transitioning may involve a sex reassignment surgery or the use of hormones.

Ehrensaft uses criteria of persistence, consistency and insistence in diagnoses of gender dysphoria in young children.

She suggests that if a child persists in consistent messaging and insists on a gender other than what they were born with, they are more likely to have gender dysphoria.

Crocker said that, as non-binary, they believe de-emphasizing the importance of gender would help people to become more capable of expressing themselves.

“I reject the importance of gender in everyday life,” Crocker said. “You don’t need to know someone’s gender to know how to interact with them. We think that it’s important, but it’s far less important than we actually believe.”

vernetta.covarrubias@pepperdine.edu

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Splitting the Difference Between Romantic and Sexual Orientations

By Ali Levens A boy and girl fall in love.

They have a whirlwind marriage and have three children to round out the family. In this case, which is a heavily-exampled stereotype in the media, romance and sexual attraction are two peas in a pod — never to be seen as separate identities.

The LGBTQ+ community offers an alternative idea: the Split Attraction Model, or the SAM, to demonstrate the break between the sexual and romantic attraction spectrums, as stated by glaad.org.

The two main divides are asexuality and aromanticism.

A person who does not experience sexual attraction is known as asexual, according to GLAAD. Aromantics, along the same line of asexuals, do not experience romantic attraction (goodtherapy.org).

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“The thought that I would not want to have sex with someone — and then want a romantic relationship with someone — blows people’s minds,” asexual senior Grace Ramsey said. “Sex and love have been kind of conflated, I think, by a lot of people in society in general.”

Parts of SAM The SAM is typically used with those who identify with the “A” in the LGBTQIAP+ community — 1% of the world’s population (lgbtqnation.com).

There are many stems branching from the asexual (ace) and aromantic (aro) trees. The asexuality spectrum spans 150 different types of sexualities and attractions and allows people to “explain how attracted they feel to sex and romance, and why,”

according to lgbtqnation.com.

“I read [the definition of asexual] and immediately started crying,” Ramsey said. “It was the first time I ever felt seen. It was the first time I ever felt understood. And it was the first time I realized that I wasn’t broken.”

The main goal of the SAM is to demonstrate that “attraction and action are not always the same,” according to GLAAD. The community came up with this separation to explain that sexual attraction does not always dictate relationships but can be used by anyone, even those outside of the community.

Some asexuals are sex-negative and will not have sexual intercourse, but some are opposite (known as sex-neutral or sex-positive) and will have sexual intercourse. This does not dictate whether aces will pursue

romantic relationships. Similarly, allosexuals experience sexual attraction but may not experience romantic attraction.

Sexuality and romanticism are not so clear cut; there are gray areas between both divisions of the spectrum. This is known as gray-asexuality (grayace) or gray-romanticism (grayaro), according to GLAAD. Someone’s sexuality may fluctuate between and around the large spectrum, and these individuals are known as aceflux or aro-flux (glaad.org).

“I’m sex-repulsed, but some people aren’t,” Ramsey said.

“That doesn’t make them any less asexual, and that’s important to know. It doesn’t diminish someone’s identity. If someone is self-identifying as asexual, there’s definitely a reason.”

Common Confusions One misconception about the asexuality aspect of the SAM is that it is sometimes compared to celibacy, or choosing not to engage in marital and sexual relations. Celibacy is a choice, whereas asexuality is an inherent identity (lgbtqnation.com).

There is a stigma surrounding asexuality that claims it to be a mental illness. Mental health issues may cause people to have abnormally-low sex drives and distress during these situations, but this is not the same as asexuality because asexuals are not interested in sex and do not have bad physiological responses to it (goodtherapy.org).

Ramsey experienced this confusion when their doctor suggested hormones since they were not experiencing sexual feelings.

Just like some asexual people may choose to engage in sexual intercourse, some aromantic people may participate in relationship-specific milestones, such as cohabiting or raising children together. These strong romantic-like partnerships can be called queerplatonic relationships, according to asexualitytrust.org.

Representation in the Community and Media Although the community seems large, Ramsey said they have felt excluded in the LGBTQ+ community and in the media.

“Asexuality is such a hard identity because it’s a lack of something,” Ramsey said. “It’s hard to prove a lack of. We’re called ‘not gay enough.’”

As the mainstream media tries to adapt to the growing number of sexualities, there are not many representations of the “A.” One of the most well-known characters is Todd Chavez from “Bojack Horseman” (lgbtqnation.com). Another recent addition to the community is Florence from “Sex Education” (femestella.com).

Ramsey looks to podcasts, specifically The Bright Sessions, to feel included.

“A character … brings up just

kind of casually that she is asexual,” Ramsey said. “She’s dating and having relationships. I broke down crying as soon as I heard that because she was just describing something so chill. She mentioned that she was ace and then mentioned her girlfriend, and I was just like, Oh my goodness, that’s so awesome, because finally I feel like someone gets it.”

The two SAM communities each have grown together, though they both have their own pride flags.

The asexual flag has four stripes each representing a part of the asexual community.

Black represents asexuality, gray for the area between, white for non-sexual allies and purple for the community, according to lgbtqnation.com.

The aromantic flag has five stripes. The dark and light greens represent the identity spectrum, white for friendship, and gray and black for the sexual spectrum (lgbta.wikia.org). ali.levens@pepperdine.edu

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By Allison Lee Art by Madeline Duvall At Pepperdine, one can find stickers on professors’ doors signaling the office as a safe space. Email lines for some identify personal pronouns, and there are many faculty and staff who speak to challenges the LGBTQ+ community faces on campus — and their willingness to love and support these students all the more.

Students have been on the front lines of creating and growing the LGBTQ+ community on Pepperdine’s campus.

Behind them exists faculty and staff who have been voicing their support for and seeking ways to extend support to the community.

“I know countless individuals who provide student care and support for LGBTQ students. I couldn’t even begin to list them off because there are so many,” University Chaplain

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Sara Barton said. “So I’m thankful for that, that there is care and I have witnessed it and seen it.”

The Road to Crossroads In fall 2015, Prof. Maire Mullins suggested faculty watch a video that demonstrated how important it was to be inclusive in their language. Karen Martin, then-president of the Seaver Faculty Association, suggested Mullins work with students to get an LGBTQ+ club on campus if she felt strongly about it.

Mullins began drafting then “Pepperdine Pride” with David Hylton, a senior at the time who would go on to become Crossroads president. Mullins and Hylton edited the “Pepperdine Pride” statement to focus on the mission statement within the Pepperdine mission and

specific service activities the club could participate in. She looked up the Trevor Project and talked to faculty and students.

“What they told me was that there was a very large or substantial community at Pepperdine of students who were feeling isolated and depressed and they didn’t feel that there was anywhere they could go to feel safe to talk about their identity,” Mullins said.

Jason Sim, the other co-president of Crossroads and a junior during this time, mentioned the lack of support from faculty could add to a lack of inclusivity.

“So I thought about that and said to myself, ‘I know many faculty who would support the creation of this club and would be behind it,’” Mullins said.

Mullins began sending out

emails to faculty, asking them if they were willing to sign a petition to make and support the club.

“The numbers started coming in, the names started coming in and people started coming to my door,” Mullins said.

Mullins received the names of people who were not tenured, who were adjuncts or who didn’t feel safe having their name published. She made a list called “silent allies.” The petition started with 10 signatures and reached 52 faculty and 25 silent allies.

“So I think what motivated a lot of the faculty had to do with that concern for students because, as faculty, we’re on the front lines — we see students every day and we know,” Mullins said.

Mullins brought the numbers to Hylton and Sim to include in the proposal. The proposal went to SGA, then administration and the Board of Regents. Mullins had several administrators approach her afterward to thank her personally.

“They were grateful that this had happened and didn’t know why it took so long,” Mullins said. “There are small moments like that where you get a flash and you say to yourself, ‘Yeah, that’s Pepperdine.’”

Mullins has also advocated to faculty for a sign outside their doors to signal a safe space.

“We understand that we’re part of higher education. I think that really helps us in understanding how to be as a uni-

versity and how to interact and be more open and tolerant and understand the discourse of the culture,” Mullins said.

A Home in the Arts Bradley Griffin, divisional dean of the Fine Arts Division, said the Fine Arts Division has been working to make a place for students to be their true selves. He mentioned the stereotypes and fact that many members of the artistic community are also members of the LGBTQ+ community, although it is not mutually exclusive.

“I feel like the artistic community on campus is certainly a place where we ought to be accepting of those members of our student body because there are so many members of our profession who are members of that community,” Griffin said.

Griffin said he gives students in his theater history class a list of plays of historical significance to choose from. When he looks at that list, he starts asking himself if there is enough representation. He had two out of his 19 students write to him afterward, telling him it was exciting to see a playwright who looks like them or cares about similar issues.

“It’s also something that is really exciting because those students are having a window open for them that allows them to say, ‘There’s a place in the world of professional theater for somebody who looks like me, or for somebody who has

an orientation like me,” Griffin said.

Griffin participated in the first cohort of SEED (Seeking Education Equity and Diversity) in 2016. He joined because he was interested in issues of equity and diversity on campus. SEED made Griffin more aware of institutional biases and led him to change his theater history syllabus as a result of it. SEED is a year-long equity and diversity program for faculty and staff with monthly meetings and summer training.

“In the process of educating yourself about those biases or about those lenses that you may be looking through as you look at the world, then you suddenly realize, ‘I need to change the way that I’m teaching this class because I don’t think that it’s an open and inviting learning atmosphere for every student in this class,’” Griffin said.

Griffin said he, along with his colleagues, have had their personal beliefs differ from what a student believes but would not allow that to affect how they treat the student or offer assistance or help to the person.

“I would not call that a negative response,” Griffin said.

“I’m with you because I think we’re going to disagree, but I still want to be able to mentor you in terms of this class or this situation that you’re in.”

Theatre majors know each other for the most part, but Griffin said he still starts each semester with introductions.

He has them say what year

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they are at Pepperdine and their pronouns. Coming from SEED, Griffin said he does not know if their pronouns have changed since last semester.

So far, he said he has not had anybody change their preferred pronouns, but he wants his students to know that would be OK in the classroom.

“So I think that’s one way without me doing a speech about LGBTQ rights — that’s one way for me to say it’s OK here to be who you are in this class,” Griffin said.

Griffin has also added “he, him, his” in his signature line on his email. A few years ago, Griffin said he wouldn’t have understood why people did that.

“But you know, the more that I become educated, the more I realize that is a sign to people who don’t necessarily identify with the gender that they present,” Griffin said.

Beyond the Classroom Mullins shared her experience at Barton’s house where she hosted dinners for the LGBTQ+ community.

“That was a few years ago when we were trying to get the club up and running and the hospitality there and that intentional kind of Christian message of tolerance and openness was one that I did greatly appreciate,” Mullins said. “And I know our students did.”

Barton said the LGBTQ+ community is one group she

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was sure to extend hospitality to. Sharing a meal is a “global way of being,” as Barton called it, and a place to be together as human beings.

“Every person who identifies as LGBTQ is not the same. They don’t all experience life the same,” Barton said. “So when you share a meal, you get to see the nuances of who people are and they get to see the nuances of who you are and you’re just humans having a meal together, which is a global language.”

Barton said she sees herself as the chaplain for everybody: faculty, staff and students. Her door is open to every person, a commitment she has held since she arrived six years ago.

“I’ve been honored to be invited into anyone’s life to provide spiritual care, and I have been invited into the lives of numerous LGBTQ students to provide spiritual care for them,” Barton said. “I love coming alongside people, whatever that entails in their spiritual life.”

The Westboro Baptist church, a group known for criticizing the LGBTQ+ community, picketed outside Pepperdine’s entrance in February 2019. Barton’s office partnered with Crossroads to host an open house to provide a comforting place in the midst of a hate group near campus. Her office also partnered with SGA to make signs that said, “God loves.”

“We got signatures from thousands of people in the Pepperdine community and hung

those signs at the entrances of our campuses when the protest was going on,” Barton said. “I wanted that sign to emphasize that God does not hate anyone because that’s a message that some people want to place on God about LGBTQ people in particular.”

Barton hosted Table Talks, a program that covered a variety of topics for the Pepperdine community. She invited a gay Christian student, Cameron Hart, who shared his experiences of coming out in the context of his fraternity. She also invited a Church of Christ preacher from Georgia, Don McLaughlin, who spoke on how he navigates conversations about LGBTQ+ in his family and in his church.

Among the 400 attendees were then-President Andrew K. Benton and Hart’s mother.

“I think I and others were touched by how much support he received from his fraternity and from the community,” Barton said. “So seeing him receive love and support in the community, it was meaningful for me.”

A Fraternity’s Support Hudson Casiple, Student Affairs intern and alumnus, said he has had brothers in his own fraternity come out to him or to the fraternity before the world at large because they felt comfortable.

“They felt that safety net and that security,” Casiple said.

“The reality is, like, if you’re in

this seemingly hyper-masculine sphere and you feel comfortable enough to come out to those guys, then there’s nothing stopping you from that.”

Casiple said Greek life offers this connection to a community that can help people come out or feel comfortable with their sexuality.

“And so no matter who I am or who I claim to be, that won’t take away that connection,” Casiple said. “So you almost feel comforted by that literal oath

that everyone has taken that binds us as a brotherhood — that no matter what I end up saying or doing about myself, that connection is still there.”

An approach to diversity and inclusion goes beyond ethnicity and race.

“That’s something that’s easier to gauge in Greek life because the reality is you could just visually observe that sort of diversity,” Casiple said. “But when it comes to sexuality, you really don’t know how diverse

you are unless people have the courage to come out and say it.

For those who came out after joining their organization, I feel like that speaks to the ability of the organizations to help really anyone in general feel comfortable, safe and loved regardless.”

Greek life is trying to start the conversation on diversity and inclusion, Casiple said.

They have promoted holistic diversity with the idea that the more different members are, the more the organization will benefit from it. These differences allow people to appreciate the sameness that is there.

“But they’re still in that organization,” Casiple said. “So it also benefits individuals at an individual level of helping them appreciate and understand the humanity of someone else just on the merit of being in an organization with the same values as them.”

Common humanity is what allows people to better understand and empathize with one another, Baton said.

“I think our common humanity is what brings us together,” Barton said. “Everyone has a story. Every single person has a story to share and learning to see our place in the one human family. That’s where I think we start to accept each other — and even if we have opposing beliefs, if we start with our common humanity, that’s the best place to start. That’s what we have in common.” allison.m.lee@pepperdine.edu

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D L U O W R Y E E H U ‘W , A Q E M O U C O , ’ Y T ?

E N E N I D D U R ST E PPE P TO

By Quinn Mathys

Why would a queer student come to a university that Princeton Review had ranked in 2014 as one of the most unfriendly LGBTQ+ universities in the United States? Here are a few responses from queer students on why they made the decision to attend Pepperdine and what factors they considered when committing to this university.

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“I came to Pepperdine because I felt that out of all the Church of Christ schools my parents wanted me to apply to, this one would have been the best possible place out of all those other schools for being gay.”

“I chose to study at Pepperdine University because I wanted a chance to change the conversation and dialogue surrounding the LGBT community and faith. I wanted to help create a more accepting and understanding environment within the University and to help encourage that open dialogue for those wanting to learn more.”

“I was forced to come to Pepperdine by my family because one of my parents works on campus, and therefore I get a large scholarship. If I had not come to Pepperdine, I would have been cut off financially.”

“I’m a Christian — raised Church of Christ — so I thought it might be a good fit since it’s a Christian school in California. I hoped it would be spiritual while also being more accepting. I was really looking for a place where my faith would be nurtured and my identity respected. I had heard there had been issues at Pepperdine with queer students before, but after a lot of prayer, it felt like the place I was supposed to be.”

“I chose to come to Pepperdine University because I was raised by a super conservative mother who was a member of the Churches of Christ. I was told that I should not attend universities such as Emerson or Tulane, my initial top choices, because they were not Christian schools. Looking for affirming universities that still fell into the Christian realm, especially those which fell into the Churches of Christ, Pepperdine stood out because it had Crossroads, it was more egalitarian and it seemed more open to the LGBTQ+ community of believers. Especially as someone who wanted to study religion and Christianity, I wanted to be accepted by my university for who I am holistically.” gabby.mathys@pepperdine.edu

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Why We Should All be LGBTQ+

By Caroline Sharpless and Nicole Witt Art by Samantha Miller What does it mean to be an ally to the LGBTQ+ community?

Junior Cameron Yarbrough, who is straight, said an ally is anyone who is not afraid to stand up for another person.

“I think a lot of people — behind closed doors — will let their friends get away with using gay slurs or homophobic jokes,” Yarbrough said. “Having the ability to say ‘That is not OK’ is one way to be an ally.”

Yarbrough encourages everyone to support artists who are queer because it is one of the easiest ways to show allyship.

In particular, supporting movies like “Moonlight” financially

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can help queer people achieve greater representation in film.

He said people should prioritize consuming LGBTQ+ works just as they should with women and people of color.

“I think any sort of discrimination against someone is a violation of human rights … whether it be because of sexual orientation, gender or race,” Yarbrough said.

According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), an ally is “a person who is not LGBTQ but shows support for LGBTQ people and promotes equality in a variety of ways.”

Junior Zeke Bongiovanni,

who is openly gay, said, “You don’t even have to be an activist to be an ally, but just being one who supports people’s choices as their own and not being restrictive of who they can love or marry.”

Junior David Kellogg, who is not queer but served as vice president of finance administration for Pepperdine’s LGBTQ+ club, Crossroads, said he believes there are multiple levels to being an ally, noting the differentiation between an ally and an advocate.

Kellogg said being an ally is becoming involved with the queer community, whereas be-

ing an advocate is more political.

“Think of it like the 1960s,” Kellogg said. “The civil rights movement wouldn’t have gotten anywhere near where it was supposed to be without allies.”

Both Bongiovanni and Yarbrough said there is a need for allies at Pepperdine to stand up to Housing and Residence Life (HRL).

Bongiovanni served as a Resident Advisor (RA) both abroad in the London Program and in Malibu. He said that during the two-week-long training sessions, HRL spent fewer than five minutes addressing LGBTQ+ issues.

“Especially at a Christian school, do you know how many of these kids come here who are still closeted?” Bongiovanni said.

“The [HRL] people will be like, ‘Yeah, we’re there for you — do whatever you want!’ but they won’t train their own RAs in how to help people.”

Bongiovanni said many of the underlying issues in queer representation go unnoticed. In a forum after his RA training, he brought attention to the fact that LGBTQ+ topics were not adequately discussed.

“Only one person in HRL, who also was openly gay, came up to me and said, ‘Thank you for finally saying something,’” Bongiovanni said. “No one notices it unless you actually have to think about it or it’s part of your life.”

Bongiovanni suggested that change on campus starts with HRL, since RAs are leaders who

are employed to support students.

“Start there, and actually recognize that you have a gay population. Don’t just brush it aside with the gay club and be like, ‘Yeah, we’re f---ing fine,’” Bongiovanni said.

Yarbrough said it is important for RAs to tell HRL that they disagree with Pepperdine’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights so that HRL realizes students care.

“The language in the housing contracts is very — I don’t want to say homophobic — but I do think it’s not conducive to homosexual behaviors,” Yarbrough said.

Since Christians have a reputation of being homophobic, said Yarbrough, Pepperdine should be cautious not to end up on the wrong side of history.

In the past, according to the Princeton Review, Pepperdine has been listed as one of America’s least-LGBTQ+ friendly schools. Kellogg said he thinks a reason for this is Pepperdine’s affiliation with the Church of Christ. “[Church of Christ] very much adheres to what Pepperdine calls the ‘historical sexual ethic,’ or something to that effect,” Kellogg said. “That is basically traditional marriage: man, woman — monogamy.”

Kellogg said the Church of Christ sphere is an odd realm to live in as a queer person. In seeing his best friend come out in high school, Kellogg observed what this experience is like.

Pepperdine’s campus is no

different. The Graphic conducted a survey in the fall of 2019, asking students if they think there is room for LGBTQ+ relationships in the Christian faith.

27.6% of respondents answered either “No” or “I don’t know.”

Bongiovanni described how Pepperdine’s on-campus Christian events exclude queer people. He said he feels people from the church would be upset by speakers bringing up LGBTQ+ issues during Wednesday chapel.

“There’re so many times I run into [President] Jim Gash and his wife, and I just want to walk straight up to him and be like, ‘What the actual f---?’” Bongiovanni said. “But sometimes I keep my mouth shut.”

How can straight students be an ally to queer students who feel their voices are not heard?

“From an activist standpoint, don’t be afraid to mess up and fail,” Kellogg said.

As far as how to get involved on campus, Crossroads is a great place to start. The club has an open-door policy, so everyone is welcome. Kellogg explained how his growth as a Crossroads leader made him a better ally.

“I am not personally a queer person, but the community opened their arms and accepted me regardless of my sexual orientation,” Kellogg said. “I heard other [LGBTQ+] communities can be kind of exclusive and anti-heterosexuality, but Pepperdine’s Crossroads is just not that at all.”

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Bongiovanni said that to be a better ally, it is helpful to learn about the history of gay rights and its recent progression.

“I mean, you can just look over the last 20 years and how far gay rights have come and make yourself aware of, like, ‘Oh, we’re actually not that far out from the legalization of gay marriage,’” Bongiovanni said.

Nonetheless, there is still progress to be made. The Human Rights Campaign found that 92% of LGBTQ+ youth said they “hear negative messages about being LGBTQ+.”

Yarbrough said people should pay closer attention to the way they talk about queer people. He said his experiences living in dorms with 50 or so

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guys exposed him to casual ho- be the same because, at the end mophobia. of the day, people of any sexu“I think a lot of straight peo- ality should be treated equally,” ple often say, ‘Well, I’m not ho- Yarbrough said. mophobic, but … ’ and I think Yarbrough, Bongiovanni and people use those ‘buts’ to pro- Kellogg all agree that being an vide reasons why they might ally does not have to be complidisagree,” Yarbrough said. “I cated, time consuming or dedon’t really think there’s some- manding. thing you can follow that up Bongiavoni said people with that doesn’t sound ho- should not feel like they have mophobic.” to be “24/7 representing”; they One example of this is when should simply live a prejupeople say they are fine with dice-free lifestyle. queer people but do not like it “If you see someone, don’t when those queer people make judge them solely on their sextheir relationships public, Yar- ual orientation — and if you brough explained. already do that, and if you’re ac“This is ludicrous because cepting, that’s already support,” so many heterosexual relation- Biogiovanni said. ships are ‘all in your face,’ so the caroline.sharpless@pepperdine.edu nicole.witt@pepperdine.edu way we talk about them should

MORE EQUALITY MORE LOVE MORE ACCEPTANCE MORE PRIDE MORE INCLUSIVITY MORE TRUTH MORE HUMANITY To learn more about students’ perspectives on and experiences with gender inequality, scan this QR code.

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CREATING CONVERSATION ON THE SPECTRUMS OF GENDER AND SEXUALITY