Ellen has become one of the most well known celebrities in the US, and she also happens to identify as part of the LGBTQ community. Before landing her syndicated talk show The Ellen Show, Ellen starred in her own sitcom on ABC, which made history when it became the first show in which the main character came out as gay or lesbian. The episode ignited a storm of controversy: ABC was forced to place a “parental advisory” notice at the beginning of each subsequent episode, and the show was cancelled the following season. Shortly after her character came out, Ellen did so herself on Oprah in 1997.
As Ellen has experienced, being part of the LGBTQ community can be difficult. Even today, here at BC, many LGBTQ students feel isolated and uncomfortable being open about their sexuality or gender identity.
BC’s GLC (GLBTQ leadership council,) a branch of UGBC, strives to help make the Heights a more welcoming environment for everyone. As noted in its mission statement, GLC aims to better the quality of life for all students, especially those who identify as LGBTQ. However, at a Jesuit Catholic school that is consistently ranked in the Princeton Review’s top 10 LGBTQ-unfriendly schools, and one that added sexual orientation to its nondiscrimination policy as recently as 2005 (and only after an overwhelming show of student support on a student-initiated referendum,) making progress toward this goal is not always easy.
GLC recently launched the Ellen2BC campaign in order to raise awareness of the LGBTQ community on campus, including the issues that the community faces and the resources that organizations such as GLC, Allies, and the Women’s Resource Center offer. We thought, what better way to possibly raise awareness of our LGBTQ community and their unique needs than to invite Ellen DeGeneres to campus next semester?
Ellen not only possesses a firsthand knowledge of what it can feel like to be afraid to be yourself, but she also has a sense of humor that can make virtually any topic accessible to an audience wider than GLC alone has ever been able to reach in its programming.
Ellen would not only be phenomenally entertaining, but more importantly, having her speak here would be an immensely educational opportunity for the entire BC community to gain some perspective on the struggles that this community faces on a daily basis. Ellen’s very presence on campus would do wonders to help overcome the historically homophobic perception of Boston College, the stigma that can be associated with attending GLC events, and an overall lack of knowledge about LGBTQ issues on campus. This is the real reason we want Ellen. While we obviously love her (who doesn’t?) we think she could be the key to making LGBTQ issues a priority at BC on a scale that we have yet to achieve.
GLC is working hard to make this goal a reality, but we need your help! We are calling all clubs, organizations, dance crews, sports teams, a cappella groups, everyone at your table in Bapst, students, alumni, faculty, staff, and administrators to sign the letter we wrote to Ellen, which we’ll be sending to her after finals. In the past 12 days, we’ve amassed over 2,200 signatures, but the more the better!
If you support our mission, take a 60-second study break and sign our letter here. If your roommates are stressed about finals, send the link to them too, along with this video. They’ll thank you later!
Other ways to help:
- Share the letter with your friends!
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Twitter and use #Ellen2BC!
- Write your own letter and drop it off in the collection box in the GLC Cube (2nd floor of Maloney Hall, through the double doors on the left (stairs side), and walk past the waiting area to your right!) No envelope or postage required!
- Keep a look out for more updates on the campaign early next semester!