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Is the National Bar Association Ignoring Black LGBT Lawyers?

The National Bar Association was established in 1925 as the "Negro Bar Association" after Gertrude Rush, George H. Woodson, S. Joe Brown, James B. Morris were denied membership in the American Bar Association. But after almost 100 years, the nation's oldest and largest association of predominantly Black lawyers and judges apparently has fallen short of ensuring equality for its members.

The National Bar Association "overwhelmingly defeated" a measure to include LGBT nondiscrimination language in its constitution in a vote of 36-120," writes the National Black Justice Coalition's Kimberley McLeod at EBONY. "The amendment proposed that the NBA add five words to the document: 'disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.'"

"For nearly 90 years, the NBA has been a leader in the fight for civil rights and justice for all," said National Bar Association President John Page in written statement. "Like most other legal and civil rights organizations, we decided that our mission statement was not the appropriate document to express our unquestioned support of specific minority communities but as professionals and as lawyers we have a clear focus on access, rights, equality, justice and jurisprudence."

"For an organization that was formed as a harbor for Black Americans due to pervasive discrimination ... I would think the NBA would be in tune and open to other Black marginalized groups as well. If we aren't included in the policy, it is clear we aren't welcome," explians Kylar Broadus, attorney and founder of the Trans People of Color Coalition.

"How can an organization claiming to advocate on behalf of all Americans and cultivate strong legal leaders, refuse to acknowledge an entire segment of the Black community and its constituency?” asks Sharon Lettman-Hicks, Executive Director and CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition. "Black LGBT lawyers and judges are Black, too. Period. We’ve had several Black LGBT attorneys share with NBJC that they’ve never felt welcomed at NBA – now we see why."

You'll recall that Kylar Bradus made history in June as the first transgender person to testify before the U.S. Senate. Broadus testified at a hearing on the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

The American Bar Association has included explicit non-discrimination language in its bylaws. It's also worth noting that the National Black Law Students Association's bylaws explicitly include LGBT nondiscrimination language. The younger generation of Black lawyers is obviously much more progressive on this issue. The NBA's reluctance to include LGBT non-discrimination bylaws could be a generational gap.

Read the full op-ed HERE.

READ: NBJC Statement on Charges in Hazing Death of Robert Champion

The National Black Justice Coalition was one of the leading voices urging the Department of Justice to investigate FAMU drum major Robert Champion’s death. NBJC released this statement after today's news of criminal charges filed in the case:

This afternoon, prosecutors announced that thirteen Florida A&M University (FAMU) band members have been charged with hazing by death in the homicide of gay drum major, Robert Champion Jr. Last November, Champion, 26, was found unresponsive aboard a band bus after the school's biggest game of the year. Police ruled the death a homicide from hazing. Witnesses told the parents that Champion might have been hazed more severely because of his orientation. The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), the nation’s leading Black LGBT civil rights organization, was at the forefront urging the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Community Relations Service (CRS) to launch an investigation into Champion’s death as a potential anti-gay hate crime.

"What could possibly drive someone to pummel another human being to death?" asks Sharon Lettman-Hicks, NBJC Executive Director and CEO. "It was absolutely heart-wrenching to listen to State Attorney Lawson Lamar detail the brutal beating that killed this young man."

"There were thirty witnesses on that bus and it took six months to even tilt the scales of justice in Robert Champion Jr.’s favor," continues Lettman-Hicks. "The sad reality is that justice drags its feet when a Black life is at stake. There’s even less outcry when it is the life of someone Black and gay. That is why we must continue to proactively advocate on behalf of Black LGBT people who are victims of violent crimes."The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs has found that violence against LGBT people is up 23 percent, with people of color as the most likely targets. Of the victims murdered in 2010, 70 percent were people of color.

In addition to launching a petition to demand justice for Champion, NBJC has partnered with the Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service to host a Hate Crimes Prevention Act Forum at FAMU. The forum will include students, administration, faculty and staff, representatives from state and local LGBT advocacy organizations as well as local, state and federal law enforcement (including campus police) to provide a better understanding of the federal hate crimes law. Although this case was not ruled a federal hate crime, prevention education is needed more than ever to avoid the senseless and violent loss of another life.

"This is just the beginning," adds Lettman-Hicks. "Law enforcement alone will not address the systematic and societal realities around violence in our community. There are minimal, if any, policies or support structures for LGBT people within the 105 HBCUs around the country."

"These institutions develop many of our future leaders but fail to create safe and nurturing environments for all of our young people to thrive. Combined with legal protections, cultural shifts on these campuses are needed to literally save lives. Our work doesn’t end here."

Black LGBT people are at the intersection of laws like the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. That is why NBJC will be leading a discussion with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Justice to discuss prevention of hate crimes targeted at the LGBT population at HBCUs, and to identify opportunities to effectively address and respond to these incidents in a collaborative manner.

13 Face Criminal Charges in Hazing Death of FAMU's Robert Champion

Thirteen individuals face criminal charges in the brutal November 2010 hazing death of Robert Champion, the openly gay Florida A&M University drum major. Champion's parents are "disappointed" that manslaughter or murder counts were not filed, reports the Orlando Sentinel and AP.

Of the 13 defendants, prosecutors said, 11 face felony hazing charges. [Orange-Osceola State Attorney Lawson Lamar] said no names would be released until all are in custody [and] added that as many as 20 misdemeanor charges also are being filed that involve "different victims who were not seriously injured."

Christopher Chestnut, attorney Champion's family, said the Champions were disappointed because they had hoped for more serious charges. He said the family is devastated by news of the charges, which they learned about an hour before the announcement. "Their son is dead. He was beaten to death on a bus—that constitutes murder," Chestnut said.

Lamar said he pursued only hazing charges because they will be easier to prove. "His death does not link to one sole strike," Lamar said. "It's a very different burden of proof than we have in a homicide case. He said he will only have to prove two things—participation in hazing and that there was a death.

The felony hazing charge carries a maximum penalty of almost six years.

Champion died during a band trip to Orlando on 19 November 2011. The 26-year-old drum major suffered blunt trauma blows and died from shock caused by severe bleeding, according to the autopsy. Champion was reportedly vomiting before he was found unresponsive aboard the bus.

Champion's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the owner and driver of the charter bus where the hazing ritual took place. The lawsuit alleges that the bus company and its bus driver willingly participated in illegal hazing acts over many years. The lawsuit reveals graphic details of violence.

Champion's parents publicly revealed in January that their son was gay. In addition to being vocally opposed to hazing, Champion's sexuality—and his being a candidate for chief drum major—could have been among the reasons why he was viciously beaten during the attack, according to the family's attorney.

Champion's mother said she was pleased that charges were filed but disappointed they weren't more severe. "I thought there would be more serious charges," Pam Champion told The Associated Press. "It should send a harsher message."

National Black Justice Coalition Executive Director Sharon Lettman-Hicks expressed similar frustration. "There were thirty witnesses on that bus and it took six months to even tilt the scales of justice in Robert Champion Jr.’s favor," said the director of the nation’s leading Black LGBT civil rights organization. "The sad reality is that justice drags its feet when a Black life is at stake. There’s even less outcry when it is the life of someone Black and gay. That is why we must continue to advocate on behalf of Black LGBT people who are victims of violent crimes."

Hazing has long been a problem in marching bands at historically black colleges in the South, where spots are coveted and members are awarded as much status as athletes. FAMU has one of the most celebrated marching bands among HBCU. The school has been rocked by numerous violent hazing incidents. Seven members of the university's fabled Marching 100 band were recently arrested on hazing-related charges. Two faculty members were also implicated in hazing students. FAMU intends to fire both faculty members.

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National Black Justice Coalition Slams NOM's Racist Wedge Politics

Confidential memos have confirmed that the National Organization for Marriage has pursued a deliberate strategy to "split" the Democratic Party base by pitting Blacks and Latinos against gay-rights groups seeking marriage equality.

The National Black Justice Coalition:

NOM's memos detail its campaign to direct money to a handful of African American clergy in order to attack gay and lesbian couples that have made a lifelong promise to one another. The organization admits their key goal is to "drive a wedge between gays and blacks." The memo also outlines NOM's strategies for targeting Latino communities by "making support for marriage a key badge of Latino identity" and "to make opposition to gay marriage an identity marker, a badge of youth rebellion to conformist assimilation to the bad side of 'Anglo' culture."

"These documents expose NOM for what it really is-a hate group determined to use African American faith leaders as pawns to push their damaging agenda and as mouthpieces to amplify that hatred," says Sharon Lettman-Hicks, NBJC Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer. "NOM is fighting a losing battle," adds Lettman-Hicks. "With these memos made public, the black faith community must refuse to be exploited and refuse to deny their fellow brothers and sisters equal protections under the law."

The documents were written by the National Organization for Marriage and were kept from the public until this week when they were unsealed by court officials in Maine. "The strategic goal of this project is to drive a wedge between gays and blacks — two key Democratic constituencies," says one of the memos.

Internal emails published this week also prove that NOM has placed an emphasis on race. ThinkProgress has posted highlights of emails written by Maggie Gallagher that "repeatedly requests pictures of Black religious leaders participating in" anti-marriage equality protests. Read them HERE.

TODAY: 12th Annual National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Today is the 12th Annual National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. The day was conceived as a national platform to engage Black Americans about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in our communities. Find a nearby testing location HERE.

The statistics are grim. Blacks represent only 14 percent of the U.S. population but more than 45 percent percent of all new HIV infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Blacks are disproportionately impacted more than any other racial/ethnic group across all demographics—men, women, youth, and men who have sex with men—in all stages of the disease.

Young Black MSM aged 13 and 29 have experienced the greatest increases, with new infection rates soaring by over 48 percent. See our recent print/digital series  "Reversing the Alarming HIV Increase Among Black Gay Men Part 1" and "Part 2"

But there is some good news, reports Black AIDS Institute President Phill Wilson.

We are at a deciding moment in the trajectory of the AIDS epidemic; we now possess the tools we need to end the AIDS epidemic. With recent scientific breakthroughs the question is no longer "Can we end the AIDS epidemic?"  The question is "Will we?" It is time for bold and radical thinking about HIV testing, treatment and prevention. The report will lay out our strategy for ending the AIDS epidemic in Black America.

While we face opportunities and challenges, it's time for all of us to come together for the common good of our community.  It doesn’t matter whether you are gay or straight, male or female; live in an urban center or the rural south, whether you're a leader or someone who relishes anonymity. Our mission is to end the AIDS epidemic in Black America.

Across the Black community, educators, activists, faith, civic and political leaders are encouraging families to discuss HIV/AIDS and human sexuality. National Black Justice Coalition Executive Director Sharon Lettman-Hicks adds:

According to the CDC's most recent study, 55 percent of Black teen moms were not using birth control at the time they became pregnant. Almost one-third reported that they thought they couldn't get pregnant, and it stands to reason that they also thought they could not contract a sexually transmitted disease. Clearly, our young people are not getting the information that they need to make well-informed decisions.

Discussing human sexuality and prevention techniques is not the same as offering an endorsement of or enabling unsafe sexual behaviors. On the contrary, helping our children and church-goers protect themselves is an act of compassion and faith. As parents and clergy, it is our responsibility. We are offering a lifeline to people we love – aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, children, and friends – whom we want to keep healthy and alive, even if the choices they make about their bodies don't align with ours.

Learn. Educate. Get tested.

Roland Martin: Smack Any "Dude" Who Likes Beckham's Underwear Ad

CNN contributor Roland Martin has previously discussed his discomfort around the "gay lifestyle." Martin's thinly-veiled homophobia has again become a flash point—this time after a series of tweets during the Super Bowl that resulted in GLAAD demanding his removal from the cable news network.

Martin tweeted this to his 95,000 followers after the debut of an H&M commercial featuring a scantily clad David Beckham: "If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham's H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of him!"

GLAAD promptly responded:

@rolandsmartin Advocates of gay bashing have no place at @CNN #SuperBowl #LGBT

Martin's response:

@GLAAD @cnn well you're clearly out of touch and clueless with what I tweeted. Way to assume, but you're way off base.

Martin later released an "apology" that attempts to defend his series tweets as simple trash-talking:

I made several cracks about soccer as I do all the time. I was not referring to sexuality directly or indirectly regarding the David Beckham ad, and I’m sorry folks took it otherwise. It was meant to be a deliberately over the top and sarcastic crack about soccer; I do not advocate violence of any kind against anyone gay, or not.

GLAAD notes that this is only the latest in a series of homophobic behavior from a man who recently defended comedian Tracy Morgan's anti-gay rant: "Roland Martin has never compared being a soccer fan to being an alcoholic, the way he has compared being gay to being an alcoholic.  Roland Martin has never bragged that his wife has led men and women away from the “soccer lifestyle,” the way he claims she has with gay people. Roland Martin has never defended jokes about parents stabbing soccer-playing children, the way he defended jokes about parents stabbing gay children. "

Roland Martin's comments should come as no surprise to R20 readers. In a controversial CNN.com column "Miss California, Thanks for Being Honest," the radio host and CNN personality slammed "gay-focused blogs" and defended anti-gay Miss California Carrie Prejean because "she has been savagely attacked" for speaking the "truth."

Martin also attends the Chicago mega-church of anti-gay pastor and State. Sen. Rev. James Meeks. eeks has called homosexuality "an evil sickness" and was the only black legislator voting against Illinois' civil unions bill. Martin has defended Meeks' positions on gays. M

More recently: Actor and LGBT ally Boris Kodjoe sent a fantastic series of tweets slamming Eddie Long and the Black church's hypocrisy on gays—and criticizing Roland Martin for describing same-sex behavior as a choice or  "gay lifestyle."

Martin has a major platform in Black media—radio, television and magazines—and his words are particularly harmful to Black LGBTs. "Even if he meant it in a jovial manner, Roland Martin’s words carry a real impact on the everyday lives of Black LGBT people, especially our youth," says National Black Justice Coalition Executive Director Sharon Lettman. "Given the number of rash murders, attacks and violent acts involving LGBT people of color, we cannot let statements such as this go unchecked. Silence is a form of acceptance and only perpetuates the problem."

Read GLAAD's complaint HERE
SIGN the petition at Change.org.

VIDEO: LGBT Celebration at Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial

Black LGBT activists and leaders from across the country were in Washington DC for an historic reception and dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial. National Black Justice Coalition Executive Director Sharon Lettman-Hicks said Black LGBTs must press for equality. "We must be proud enough to claim that we are a part of the civil rights movement. And dare anyone to challenge us on that."

"Gay activists who participated on the historic March on Washington were also recognized at the event. The evening concluded with a push to honor Dr. King’s trusted openly gay advisor Bayard Rustin with a postage stamp," notes NoMoreDownLow.

"Everyone remembers Dr. Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech from 1963. So few people know that [openly gay] Bayard Rustin was responsible for organizing the march," adds North Carolina-based activist Mandy Carter.

There has been a renewed focus on MLK's strategist as the nation prepared to dedicate the King Memorial. The Washington Post recently published an excellent profile of Rustin that stressed that most civil rights leaders and historians have ignored Rustin's legacy because of his sexuality.

Watch NoMoreDownLowTV's report AFTER THE JUMP ...

Did FAMU Student's Sexuality Lead to Violent Hazing Death?

Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion was gay and that could have been one of several reasons why he was viciously beaten during a hazing attack in November, the family and its attorneys told the Orlando Sentinel.

Attorney Christopher Chestnut, speaking at a news conference with Champion's parents in Orlando, said the parents came forward to discuss their son's sexuality because rumors had been swirling that the 26-year-old student was hazed specifically because of his "alternative lifestyle."

Though Champion's sexual orientation may have been a factor, Chestnut said, his own investigation indicates that it was probably one of several that caused students to beat him so violently that he died. He insisted, however, that the overriding motivation that likely led to such a brutal attack was Champion's outspoken resistance to hazing within FAMU's famed marching band. "Our investigation is very clear: This was hazing, not a hate crime," Chestnut said.

The New York Times adds:

That Mr. Champion was gay was “a private thing, not something he advertised publicly,” his mother, Pam Champion, said in an interview. Instead, she said at a press conference in Orlando, Fla., on Tuesday, her son had been targeted as retribution for his well-known stance against hazing. [...]

Many former Florida A&M band members have alleged that the prestigious university band, the Marching 100, has a culture of musicians punching, slapping, paddling and forcing one another to perform degrading acts. ... The former band director, Julian White, who was fired after Mr. Champion’s death, suggested on Tuesday that this might have been an isolated case of homophobia. He said the bullying “could not have been predicted or prevented.”

"It is entirely possible that Champion’s tragic death was less about any ritualistic hazing and more tantamount to a hateful and fully conscious attempt to batter a young man because of his sexual orientation," said Dr. White’s lawyer, Chuck Hobbs.

The line between hazing and homophobia is often blurry, said Shane L. Windmeyer, the executive director of Campus Pride, a national group for gay students, and author of several books about gay life on college campuses. "Hazing often gets taken to a new level when its against someone who is gay," he said.

Police have ruled Champion's death a homicide from hazing. The university and police are trying to determine which students were responsible. The Champion family intends to sue the university but that lawsuit must wait for about six months. Meanwhile, the family has just filed a negligence lawsuit against the bus line that transported the FAMU band, reports the Orlando Sentinel.

FAMU's celebrated band boasts an unfortunate and violent hazing tradition. Students were hospitalized in 1998 and 2001 following severe paddling. One student was hospitalized in 2001 with kidney damage following paddling. And in December, three band students were arrested and charged with hazing a freshman student in November by severely beating her legs.

The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is urging the federal government to launch an investigation into Champion’s death as a potential anti-gay hate crime. "Anti-gay violence is not only a civil rights issue; it is a Black issue," said NBJC Executive Director Sharon Lettman-Hicks.  "It is a Black issue because violence against gay and transgender individuals is disproportionately affecting our Black youth. The civil rights community can no longer stand on the sidelines while our sons and daughters continue to suffer in silence."

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REPORT: Black Trans Community Faces "Extreme" Discrimination

Black transgender men and women face "extreme discrimination and poverty", are more than likely to suffer from violence, physical or sexual abuse, police brutality, HIV/AIDS and bullying in school. Those are the conclusions of a first of its kind survey conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Black Justice Coalition.

Kellee Terrell is the news editor at TheBody.com. Terrell frequently reports on gender, sexuality and health for digital media and analyzes the report in an excellent article for The Root.

Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey collected data from more than 6,500 transgender Americans and found that all transgender people face severe bias ranging from housing and health care to education and employment.

But when researchers took a deeper look at the discrimination that the black respondents faced (pdf) -- all 381 of them -- the data jumped out at them. "What was really poignant were these stark differences. In every case, black respondents fared worse than the nonblack respondents in the national survey," says Darlene Nipper, deputy executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "This is because black transgender people face anti-transgender bias coupled with structural and institutionalized racism."

Monica Roberts, a 49-year-old black transgender activist and founder of the award-winning blog TransGriot, wasn't shocked by Injustice at Every Turn's findings -- they reflect what advocates have been saying for years. "There is this saying that when white America has a cold, black America has a fever. Well, when black America has a fever, black transgender America has pneumonia."

The employment-discrimination data alone support Roberts' train of thought. Overall, black unemployment is at an all-time high at 16.7 percent, but 26 percent of black transgender people are unemployed -- that's three times the rate of the general public and twice that of the rest of the transgender community. And while a crippling economy is a serious factor behind the statistics, it's important to note that current laws -- in 35 states it's perfectly legal to fire or not hire someone because he or she is transgender -- exacerbate these unemployment numbers.

The disparities are sobering.

20 percent of black respondents are HIV positive (the general black population's HIV prevalence rate is 2.4 percent); 21 percent of those who were attending school as transgender people had to leave because the harassment was so severe; 41 percent have been homeless in the past (five times the rate of the general U.S. population); 29 percent of those who had been in jail or prison reported being physically assaulted, and 32 percent reported being sexually assaulted; and 34 percent reported not seeking medical attention when injured or sick for fear of being discriminated against in health care settings.

One of the most shocking findings was that nearly half of the black respondents reported having attempted suicide at least once in their lives -- this rate was higher than that of any other racial group in the survey. ...

Sharon J. Lettman, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, is confident that the report will be a wake-up call for what African Americans need to do as a community. "Our black transgender sisters and brothers are black people, too, and we have to love them better."

Terrell adds: "Despite the increase in positive media coverage around LGBT issues -- and shows such as Glee, Modern Family and True Blood that raise the national consciousness around what it means to be gay or lesbian -- it's hard to deny that transgender people, especially African Americans, are somewhat left out of that national conversation."

The vast majority of anti-trans violence in the U.S. targets Black and Latina trans women. Most cases of  homicide of Black and Latina trans women remain unsolved. In recent  years on R20, we've seen plenty of the cases, such as the horrific daylight stabbing of Nana Boo Mack, Lateisha Green case, a transgender shooting in Milawukee, the fatal shooting in New Orleans, and several recent shootings in Memphis.

This summer witnessed  a series of anti-trans attacks in our nation's capital,  such as the tragic killing of Lashai McLean, the 23-year-old transgender woman brutally gunned down on a Washington DC street. Police have made no arrests.

Read the full article at The Root ...

Spelman Hosts First LGBT Summit for Historically Black Colleges

Many historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) have not been especially welcoming to openly LGBT students. Only a handful of HBCUs recognize LGBT student groups. In some cases, the colleges outright prevent gay students from forming groups. The plight of LGBT youth on HBCU campuses becomes all the more critical in the wake of recent news stories, such as violent attacks against gay students At Morehouse College and its controversial new dress code.

An all-day summit on Friday at Atlanta's Spelman College opened a dialogue on LGBT issues. The conference was the first of its kind for HBCUs. Participants from nine HBCUs attended several panel discussions on campus about LGBT issues, reports BET.com.

  Black colleges as a whole have been slower to take on this public dialogue on lesbian and gay issues for a few reasons. "Some [schools] were founded with religious affiliation," Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, the founding director of the Women’s Research and Resource Center at Spelman explained. In addition, the relative silence on the issue seems to mirror the Black community’s attitude as a whole. "Black colleges are not different from African-American communities in general."

Guy-Sheftall says she’s seen other campuses have issues surrounding dress code. “But the biggest issue we’re facing on our campuses is [the lack of] open public dialogue,” she said. The suicide last year by a gay Rutgers University student, who jumped off a bridge last September after his sexual encounter with another man was streamed live unbeknownst to him, made the project more urgent, she continued, and the hope is to tackle intolerance on HBCU campuses, before it reaches that point.

In addition to Spelman, the other participating colleges included Bennett College of Women, Clark Atlanta University, Howard University, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, North Carolina Central University, Philander Smith College and Southern University.

The Human Rights Campaign's Deputy Director for Diversity Donna Payne paneled a session on LGBT organizing with National Black Justice Coalition CEO Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks. "I was satisfied with the turnout. About 115 people attended," Payne tells Rod 2.0. "However, I was not satisfied with the lack of participation from HBCU presidents. There was only one President there—Spelman President Beverly Daniel Tatum."

Payne writes:

"Anthony Pinder, a gay HBCU alumnus, documented stories of 28 male HBCU alumni and the cost of hiding their true identity. The president of Spelman College, Dr. Beverly D. Tatum, was on the Administrators’ panel—originally the "Presidents’" panel. Dr. Tatum pointed out that the panel had to be renamed because other presidents declined to participate. National Black Justice Coalition Executive Director Sharon Lettman-Hicks spoke about her discussion with 12 presidents in 2010. Shockingly, one president told her he believed he didn’t have any gay students!"

HRC launched an interactive website for LGBT HBCU students in late 2009. Six HBCU students attended the White House LGBT Pride Reception in 2010.

Spelman College has taken the lead in addressing LGBT issues among HBCUs. Not so much at neighboring all-male Morehouse College. The 142-year-old college has boasted a thriving yet mostly closeted Black gay subculture. Morehouse has seen several well-publicized cases of homophobia, harassment and anti-gay violence in recent years. In May 2010, three gay students were carjacked, kidnapped, robbed at gunpoint and called "faggots." In October 2009, a controversial dress code was enacted that banned womens' attire, accessories or makeup. The code was endorsed by the campus' sole gay student group.

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