On Wednesday, Jan. 10, a Bellevue College public safety officer found anti-transgender graffiti in a Lactation and All Gender bathroom on the school campus. The graffiti was removed immediately and was reported to the Office of Equity and Pluralism, and was also reported to the Title IX office.
Fawkes Aurelias of the LGBTQ Resource Center also commented on the incident. “I have heard of this transgender hate speech, but have not heard any specific details on what was said. It puts the community a little bit more on edge, but most of us are not very surprised. From what I have heard, this hate speech starts to act up closer to Spring and Winter so we somewhat expect this to happen. There is very little we can do to try and moderate this behavior unless we know the individuals at hand for these actions,” they said.
“We have events that are created in an attempt to educate individuals, but these people who often are posting hate speech are not in a position where they’re interested in being educated. They are less invested in trying to learn about the LGBTQ+ Community, and more invested in trying to make people feel bad for being ‘abnormal.’ It makes me much more wary of people who come in and out of the center, and has me keeping a close eye on new people who I have not met before. If I was to have more details on what happened, then maybe I could protect individuals more to ensure no one is being targeted, but alas there is a confidentiality issue there,” Aurelias explained.
When asked why she believes there are so many incidents like this involving the transgender community on campus, Bellevue College student Sara Icore explained, “It’s the same reason why people make graffiti targeting anyone or any group of people, because they want to have their thoughts and opinions heard but don’t actually want to be responsible for their opinions, and are hiding behind anonymous tagging.”
The Bellevue College president, Jerry Weber, sent a letter to the student body explaining the situation and how the school is reacting to it. “This college community shares the common goal of making our campus a welcoming and safe place for all, and I am personally committed to that goal,” he wrote. “Respecting and supporting diversity and inclusion strengthens all of us and improves the campus experience and culture for all students,” the president said.
Weber went on to explain that the “Office of Equity and Pluralism will meet with the LGBTQ Task Force to discuss this particular incident,” and that anyone with further questions should feel free to contact them.
“If you notice inappropriate fliers and graffiti, witness an incident of bias or hate, or have other concerns that you would like to report, please do so at https://www.bellevuecollege.edu/reportconcerns. We strive to ensure that all members of the campus community feel welcome to participate in the life of the college, free from harassment and discrimination,” Weber said in his letter to the students.