National Campus News

MCGILL WON’T ALLOW SEX-PREF ADS

The McGill Daily, McGill University by Daron Westman

MONTREAL (CUP) -- McGill University’s off-campus housing service will no longer allow students to advertise their preference for lesbian and gay-positive roommates, despite the opposition of student councillors.

"This puts one more barrier in the way of students already dealing with discrimination," said Deborah Pentesco, a student council executive.

The policy change was not publicized, and only came to light in late August when a student complained to the post-graduate student council after being refused the right to include gay-positive information.

Council representative Eric Darier asked the university’s off-campus housing coordinator Meribah Aikens to reinstate the old policy. He said she refused, saying the decision was made because "there are a lot of bigoted parents out there."

"The off-campus housing service’s mandate should be to create a positive environment for all students, including lesbians and gays," said Darier.

Despite repeated attempts, Aikens would not return phone calis from a reporter.

Pentesco also called Aikens to complain about the policy change and said she was told it took place to avoid reverse discrimination against heterosexual students. She says Aikens gave her no examples of such discrimination.

"If that’s the reason, why isn’t the dean worried about reverse discrimination when people specify the gender of roommates or request non-smokers?", Pentesco said.

The listings policy still allows students to indicate preference for non-smokers or roommates of a certain gender.

Pentesco said Aikens also told her "we’re not running a dating service.” Aikens said phrases that "hint at" homosexuality without mentioning it directly are acceptable.

"They suggested alternative lifestyle’. That could mean, ’I brush my teeth with my feet,” Pentesco said. A

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September 27, 1990

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