To the Campus Community,
On the night of February 26th the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Resource Center experienced acts of vandalism. The entrance to the LGBTRC was defaced with derogatory and hateful words that target the Queer community.
This vicious hate crime demonstrates the need for community centers like ours to exist in order to offer a safe space on campus and combat the homophobia, discrimination, and hate that is still prevalent within our society.
As a center we wanted not to immediately remove the vandalism in order to ensure that this hate crime does not go unnoticed by the campus community. Facilities and administration offered to clean it up immediately but we wanted to take this opportunity to educate the campus about struggles that our community continues to face. We feel it is easier to erase physical representations of violence than to heal from the ongoing impacts of this hatred. Erasing it makes it possible to avoid believing these things happen on our campus. We want to work towards a healing resolution.
The center will resume regular hours on Monday March 1st, from 9am -5pm. We will also be offering a town hall for the community to come together and express any concerns to collectively decide what actions should take place in the future.
The town hall will take place Monday, March 1st, at 5:30 pm at Regan Main (in the Segundo Dorm area).
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center is here to provide a large range of services for the campus community. In times like these, our presence on campus continues to be of the utmost importance. We have staff available to provide support, including a community counselor, who students can speak to. We know that homophobia is still common in our society and our role is to continue to provide the necessary support and education on campus and in the community. Check our website for a full listing our resources: lgbtrc.ucdavis.edu
We will take what was intended to hurt us and turn it into something that will empower us. We ask that you stay strong and to remind everyone that this act will not hinder, but will re-affirm the mission of this Center as it has always existed.
Sincerely,
The LGBT Resource Center Staff
I wouldn’t place the blame on “idiot teenagers from Woodland” either- what does it mean to say that?
I also hope that this was someone acting alone, but it doesn’t matter either way, because one person acting out against a community in a hateful way is a good representation of the many people who are ignorant and could potentially grow if they are reached. I am happy with what the center staff said- that this can be an opportunity to make something ugly into something good, by educating and reaching out. Good response.