UD LGBTQ+ Group Experiences Two More Bias Incidents

Sean Newhouse 
Online Editor-in-Chief

For the third time this semester, a pride flag (cover photo) has been taken from a university house primarily for LGBTQ+ students. Courtesy of Wikipedia

For the third time this semester, a pride flag has been torn from a house primarily for LGBTQ+ students in the south student neighborhood.

On Nov. 25, it was discovered that a rainbow pride flag from the back of the house was missing. Additionally, the items that were keeping the flag in place had been moved.

A pride flag was taken from the same house both earlier in November and in September.

Another bias incident occurred during Community Means Everyone Week, an LGBTQ+ Student Services initiative, which lasted from Nov. 18 to 23.

Members of Spectrum, UD’s gay-straight alliance, set up a display on KU Field for Trans* Day of Remembrance, an annual observance for transgender people whose lives were lost due to violence. Transgender women of color are disproportionately affected by “fatal violence.”

A pot that was part of the display was knocked over, and it’s unlikely that it fell over by accident. The pots were attached to the ground with four-inch prongs and there was a foot indent, according to Spectrum club president Chloé Massie-Costales.

According to Massie-Costales, Spectrum is working with the university to address these bias incidents.

“In the five years that I have been with Spectrum, I have never seen this level of bias incidents take place against our organization,” Massie-Costales said in an email to club members. “However, I also have never seen Spectrum stand so strong.”

Bias incidents can be submitted to the Equity Compliance Office.