The tragic suicides of gay students on college campuses in recent weeks are the latest striking reminders of the devastating consequences of harassment and of cyber bullying. College and university communities have seen electronic victimization on the basis of race, gender, sexual identity and religious and ethnic background in growing numbers. No university can claim to be welcoming and free from discrimination until all of its students, staff and faculty feel safe.
The Tufts community is no exception. While we have not had a tragedy on our campus, the examples of the last several weeks show how quickly and dramatically situations can change. Many of us know of friends or colleagues who have been victimized by invasive and irresponsible use of electronic communication. We know of some who have felt sufficiently humiliated or threatened by comments on online social forums like CollegeACB.com to consider leaving the university.
Clearly there are postings on the many new forms of electronic communication that no one would say to someone's face. The anonymity of the internet is not an excuse for cruelty. If something shouldn't be communicated directly — it probably shouldn't be communicated at all. And it will take all of us to be vigilant to avoid becoming enablers of what is really just plain, old−fashioned harassment and invasion of privacy — it makes no difference that it comes in a new electronic form.
I have already begun conversations with students, staff and faculty about how we can best encourage responsible use of the electronic resources of the community. Together, all of us need to consider not only how we use the tools of new technologies, but also how those tools are changing how we communicate and even who we are.
This Wednesday is Tufts' celebration of Coming Out Day — a day when lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students and allies gather to say, "You can be anyone you want to be in this community — you're one of us." Given what has happened in the last weeks, this will be an important opportunity to join others at the rally (noon at the Mayer Campus Center) and show our support.
