To be brutally honest, there’s not many times that I can really say I love Hopkins. There’s a lot of things I like, some things I hate, but not a lot of things I really truly love. And one of the things I love, I really really love, and that’s the complete and honest truth.

The reason I’m posting this is actually a very sad one. In the past 3 weeks, there have been 6 separate suicides around the country related to gay students in either high school or college, at least 5 of which were from gay bullying. The fact that this is happening at an alarming rate is really upsetting. These students — Seth Walsh, Asher Brown, Justin Aaberg, Billy Lucas, Tyler Clementi, and now Raymond Chase — were all normal, happy individuals. They didn’t deserve any of this, any of the bullying; at least that’s my opinion. Sexuality is not something you can control, it’s who you are. It doesn’t have to define you, but it’s a part of you, no matter what. However, bullying takes place everywhere; but when it’s so intense as that it leads into suicide, you have to take notice.

I guess that leads into why I love Hopkins. If you weren’t already aware, I am gay, and proud of it. I’m the co-president of the Diverse Sexuality and Gender Alliance (DSAGA), the university’s LGBT student group. Regardless of that fact, I have never run into any kind of bullying or hate towards my sexual orientation. Never. In fact, I’ve only run into the opposite. Other students, as well as professors, are very welcoming of the fact and embrace it with open arms. It’s been shocking, because some of these students are so “bro” and maintain an appearance of, for lack of better words, a bigot. However, I’ve come to realize that students view you as you, disregarding your sexuality all together.

Hopkins has a very accepting gay community. It may not be as large as other schools, but it exists, and it is very welcoming. I remember going to my first DSAGA meeting freshmen year, and I have never felt more welcome in my entire life. Now, they’re all my best friends, people I can confide in, my safety net if you will. To me, they’re my family. They help me up when I’m down. I could come up with a bunch of other expressions, but I think you get the point.

All in all, the point of this blog is that I’m glad I chose Hopkins. Sure, our academics are excellent, but there’s more to a university than just what courses you take. It’s also about how you learn and grow as a person, and I feel that if I didn’t come to Hopkins, I wouldn’t be as open as I am today. Coming out and accepting your sexuality is a big deal, and I can proudly say that Hopkins and DSAGA have helped me with both of those issues.

So thank you Hopkins, I am glad to be here.