As we near the horizon of summer, many of us are in the job application process.
Employers are getting really nutty nowadays, and some even have the gall to ask for your Facebook password — the combination to our personal social universe. Some of us can’t even bear the thought of our bosses creeping through past Spring Break albums.
But before we fret about the real world — the one with jobs that pay a “sustainable” salary — let’s reflect on the seemingly tedious but realistically simple process of applying to college.
Think back to when you were, say, 17-going-on-18 and completing college applications. After all the dreadful financial paperwork and overhyped standardized testing came the mind-numbing part: the nitty-gritty details of race, ethnicity and gender.
Then, imagine, as a teenager on the verge of adulthood, coming across a box to check for sexual orientation.
Sexual orientation? What a very personal, invasive reality check.
Some have their sexual orientation figured out by senior year. But for others it’s not so easy. Some might not have come to terms with it yet, others haven’t discovered it yet. Some are simply confused. After all, they’re only teenager — it’s just a fraction of years in the long span of life.
Elmhurst College in Illinois meant well when it first popped the question on its application: Students who marked “yes” to being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender would be eligible for a diversity scholarship.
It’s sad to say that even in the “worldly” and “progressive” atmospheres some universities claim to have, there’s still a small, swirling cloud of homophobia. Perhaps creating a more diverse student body in terms of sexuality would make the college experience more inviting for questioning teens.
But as affirmative action is already divisive, I say we spare those who have suffered enough harassment. It would be wise to leave the sexual orientation factor at the door. Offering a scholarship would only be adding fuel to the fire of homosexual resentment, and, in the case of monetary aid, jealousy.
The option could hypothetically open the door to liars and freeloaders. Anyone can cry “gay” or “lesbian” for a lighter tuition tab. It’s straight-up insulting to those who truly are homosexual and those who have had to overcome the associated difficulties — not to mention it’s a shameless and cheap strategy.
What would happen to students who initially identify as heterosexual but then have a gay experience in college? Do they automatically qualify, or do they miss out on the golden opportunity? Before tackling such a touchy topic, the issues should be ironed out.
Considering another demographic for the sake of attractive statistics isn’t worth the potential fallout and controversy. In an honest effort to support the gay community, universities might just be weighing it down.
In the ongoing — and increasingly successful — fight for equality, I think homosexual students would prefer to be treated the same in the admissions process. Being gay shouldn’t make them any more or any less a qualified student. By no means should it be looked upon as a handicap.
Colleges (and the workforce) should try to keep the questions to the bare minimum. Irrelevant factors include, but are not limited to: race, gender, income, parental education and sexual orientation. Relevant factors are GPA, test scores and resumes.
Best of luck in the rat race of finding a job this summer, and may access to your Facebook be the most invasive question you’ll ever be faced with answering.
Colleen Wright is a journalism freshman at UF. Her column appears on Tuesdays.
