When I first read about Texas Christian University‘s new DiversCity Q housing program for GLBT students my first reaction was, “Could this be some sort of sneaky program designed to brain-wash gays into turning straight?” After all, TCU’s middle name is… well, you know.

Instead, it turns out that the new program, first proposed by a young, gay student is being genuinely supported by TCU’s administration. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that:

The DiversCity Q community will open in the fall in a section of the Tom Brown-Pete Wright apartments. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender students and allies – heterosexual classmates who support them – will have the chance to live together. Eight students have committed to the community so far, said TCU sophomore Shelly Newkirk, who applied to create the program.

…

Newkirk, who is gay, helped lead the effort for the DiversCity Q housing area. She said her vision is that it will be a place where gay and straight students can interact and hang out.

She said she also plans to have programs for the general TCU community that will include speakers and maybe programs about gays in the media and gays in general.

So props to Shelly Newkirk, a “Horned Frog” (no pun intended) for taking a chance on creating a unique program.

This article appears in April 3 • 2009.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US