Although Columbia is credited with having the first campus gay
and lesbian student organization the Student Homophile
League, which was established in 1966 many gay, lesbian and bisexual
faculty and staff at the University had until the 1990s considered
the general social and political environment of Columbia to be "closeted"
and unaccepting of them. Even though other universities had visible
lesbigay faculty and staff, at Columbia, gays, lesbians and bisexuals
were generally invisible to students and colleagues. Those who were
known to be homosexual were in many cases silently accepted by their
straight colleagues with the almost implicit understanding that
it was not really appropriate for gays and lesbians to mention or
discuss their sexual orientation or "private life."
By the early 1990s a substantial, largely underground minority
of lesbians, gays, and bisexuals existed among faculty and staff,
often aware of each other but closeted insofar as the Columbia community
was concerned. Silence and the stifling blanket of presumptive heterosexuality
covered Columbia. And, perhaps more importantly, health, tuition,
and other benefits granted to married couples were denied to same-sex
partners, as was the case in most universities at the time.
Without any doubt, the efforts of GABLES-CU to provide visibility
and communication within the Columbia community improved the
climate for gays, lesbian and bisexuals here. From 1993 through 1997, a series
of campus-wide social, political and scholarly events brought
together straight and gay colleagues at different levels of the
university and began to foster a new sense of visibility, understanding,
and open acceptance. While the battle is by no means over, and in
fact may never be, much was accomplished in a very short period
of time.
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Community News
Columbia Lesbigay Community Newsletter,
1993-1996
V.5,
No. 4 December 1996 |
V.5,
No. 3 November 1996 |
V.5,
No. 2 October 1996 |
V.5,
No. 1 September 1996 |
V.4,
No. 7 April 1996 |
V.4,
No. 6 March 1996 |
V.4,
No. 5 February 1996 |
V.2,
No.4 Dec/Jan 1994 |
V.2,
No. 3 November 1994 |
V.2,
No. 2 October 1994 |
V.1,
No. 7 April 1994 |
V.1,
No. 6 March 1994 |
V.1,
No. 5 February 1993 |
V.1,
No.4 December 1993 |
V.2,
No.3 November 1993 |
V.2,
No. 2 October 1993 |
V.1,
No. 1 September 1993 |
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Between 1993 and 1995, the University did in stages extend all
fringe benefits to same-sex partners, in large measure because of
the educational and lobbying efforts of GABLES-CU. Columbia thus
became one of the first handful of U.S. universities to take this
step. The process at Columbia was greatly helped by the fortunate
concurrence of efforts within the New York City government, under
Mayor David Dinkins, to establish a domestic partnership registry
for same-sex partners and to grant domestic partner benefits to
city employees; also by the support for gays and lesbians at the
state level by Governer Mario Cuomo, whose insurance commissioner
overturned previous state health insurance policy to allow HMOs
to offer domestic-partner health benefits; and finally by the New
York City municipal human-rights ordinance, implemented under Mayor
Ed Koch, that protects gays and lesbians from discrimination within
city limits. Additionally, much credit for this progress must go
to Columbia University Provost Jonathan Cole, who in some respects
initiated the process of granting domestic partner health benefits
and who has been consistent in his strong support for gay/lesbian/bisexual
equal rights.
Less progress was made in another important area, however,
namely that of curricular reform. There has as yet been no broad
mandate to incorporate lesbigay material into existing courses (much
as women's studies and non-Western subjects have to some extent
already been), nor have new courses or departments been established
to investigate gay/lesbian/bisexual history, sociology, psychology,
gender studies and related areas. This is an arena in which faculty
will need to show more courage and leadership for real change to
occur.
GABLES-like groups have sprung up at a number of other colleges
and universities since 1992 (for example New York University and
Princeton), in some cases using the generic GABLES acronym. Usually
the agendas are much the same. Colleges' and universities' reaction
to and accommodation of such groups has been variable. In some places
were granted campus recognition, at others they were ignored or even attacked by the administration. At Columbia
formal recognition and support was effectively granted by University
administration through its general support, ad hoc funding for special
events, and provision of fund accounts for expenditures and receipt
of gifts.
Prepared by Stephen Davis, 1993-94 co-convener,
Gay/Bisexual/Lesbian Faculty, Staff & Supporters at Columbia University
(GABLES-CU) Last updated:4/25/2014. |
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