Anti-gay sentiments and homophobia long have plagued the gay and lesbian community, but students and activists say that it's a different ball game among historically black colleges and universities.
Cultural traditions, religious ties and previous racial oppression are among numerous factors cited for a large discrepancy between treatment of homosexuals at HBCUs and predominately white institutions.
N.C. Central University has an active lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organization on campus that has been gaining steam for the last three years.
"When I got to Central my freshman year of '04, students were a little bit more non-responsive to anything dealing with LGBT students," said Brandon Sims, president of N.C. Central's Colors of NCCU. "It was one of those things where the staff and faculty were sweeping it under the rug until I became president in '05 and I said, 'No. NCCU needs an open and active organization.'"
Sims said that the organization includes 46 students of the school's approximate 8,000.
He said that N.C. Central is one of the most accepting schools in the HBCU community but that the group had to turn to the Human Rights Coalition of North Carolina for funding. The school was willing to charter the group but not willing to fund it, Sims said.
Roger Hayes, a pastor at the Church of the Holy Spirit Fellowship in Winston-Salem, said a number of gay students from area HBCUs have come to his church because it's accepting.
Hayes said that from his experience, few gay students at Winston-Salem State University are open about their sexuality.
Being gay in addition to being black, he said, makes coming out even more difficult.
"For the black gay male, that's like strike three. You've got some serious issues going on."
At Fayetteville State University, Student Body President Keisha Robinson said that while there is not an active gay and lesbian organization, anti-gay sentiments are almost nonexistent.
"We sell our school, we don't sell our sexual orientation."
Hayes said he has met with FSU students and that many complaints don't come to the administration, but students suffer prejudice daily.
Alexander Robinson, chief executive officer of the National Black Justice Coalition, said large numbers of students coming out in today's society is helping advocate for gays and lesbians at HBCUs.
"Students are forcing the issue by forming support groups, by willing to be out in the open, and thereby bringing the institutions along with them," Robinson said.
But Sims said it will take a negative event, such as a campus hate crime, for NCCU to become completely aware of its gay population.
"It's going to take something that forces the campus to be reactive."
Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
