Happy Pride, Fairfield!
Pride means different things to different people. Many modern June celebrations are rooted in a commemoration of the Stonewall Riots of 1969, when a group of defiant LGBTQ activists fought back against police harassment. That sense of defiance has ebbed and flowed over the decades, as our diverse LGBTQ community has confronted the question of what it means to be proud. Is the goal of acceptance one in which LGBTQ people are assimilated into mainstream culture, or does the movement necessarily represent a counter-culture, an intentional effort to not fit in, to celebrate who we are, rather than who we are not? Equality certainly does not have to mean losing the things that make us different and unique.
But not everyone is ready for a discussion about the appropriate level of conformity at Pride. Some of us are navigating quieter, more personal journeys related to gender identity and sexual orientation. Is it safe to come out of the closet? Will our family and friends accept us? Do we need to look, act, dress or talk a certain way to find our place within the larger LGBTQ community? Of course, there is no one correct way to be queer. The trailblazing politician Harvey Milk once said that “coming out is the most political thing you can do,” but coming out looks a little different for each of us. There is no blueprint. Take your time, and be true to yourself.
Here at Fairfield University, we have students at every point of that rainbow spectrum. Some are still quietly understanding their identity, while some are able to be more open and visible. Wherever you find yourself on your journey, we, the undersigned, want you to know that we support you. We celebrate you. We hope our visibility on campus as proud LGBTQ faculty and staff members reminds you that there is a world of love for you right here at Fairfield.
Happy Pride!
Sincerely,
Members of the LGBTQ Faculty & Staff Affinity Group (in alphabetical order):
Benjamin Bayers (he/him)
Assistant Director
Office of Undergraduate Admission
Paul Baginski (he/him)
Associate Professor
Mathematics
Niall Brennan
Assistant Professor
Communication
Michael A. Ciavaglia ‘04
Adjunct Faculty, Music History
Studio Instructor, Voice
Yifeng Fan
Assistant Professor
Management
Michael Flatto (he/they)
Assistant Registrar
Office of the Registrar
Johanna X. K. Garvey (she/her)
Associate Professor, English
Director, Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies
Kimberly Gunter
Director of Core Writing & Writing Across the Curriculum
Associate Professor of English
Erica Hartwell (she/her)
Associate Professor
Marriage & Family Therapy
Colin Hosten (he/him)
Adjunct Professor
English
Sonya Huber (she/her)
Professor
English
Nick Kapoor (he/him)
Instructor
Mathematics
Steven Kozlowski (he/him)
Assistant Professor
Finance
Anne Murray
Associate Head Coach
Women’s Lacrosse
Athletic Department
Kevin Molloy (he/him)
Adjunct Faculty
Religious Studies
Sally O’Driscoll
Professor
English
Lynne Porter (she/her)
Professor
Theatre
Walter Rankin (he/him)
Vice Provost for Graduate, Continuing & Professional Studies
Professor, Modern Languages Literatures
Jillian Smith-Carpenter (she/her)
Associate Professor
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Aaron Van Dyke
Associate Professor
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Brian Walker
Professor
Biology
Tiffany Wilgar
Assistant Professor of the Practice, English
Assistant Director of Core Writing
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