September marks three years since a particularly dark time for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in the United States. We need to reflect on the past so we can move forward and prevent future tragedies.

In September 2010, Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi jumped off the George Washington Bridge after his roommate exposed his sexual encounters with another man using a hidden webcam, making a mockery of Clementi and his sexual orientation.

The same month Clementi died, at least four more gay teenagers committed suicide after being harassed by their peers, both in person and online. These stories went viral, leading to support campaigns such as the It Gets Better Project, aimed to create and inspire changes to make life easier for LGBT teens.

It’s important to lend support to LGBT individuals, but also we need to tackle the root of the problem: the bullies.

College is the first time many people are exposed to others different than themselves. Therefore, it’s extremely important for universities to encourage students to accept all sexualities and gender identities, as well as maintain a zero-tolerance policy for harassment and bullying.

It’s not easy to enact anti-bullying rules on a college campus, which is populated by young adults, rather than children. But name-calling and intolerance doesn’t stop after middle school. It can get worse as time goes on, especially with an increasing amount of social media platforms that allow for verbal bullying.

If students are expected to be sensitive and understanding, however, these types of tragedies should never happen.

Thankfully, Syracuse University has resources and programs that echo this mindset.

The university’s STOP Bias campaign encourages students to open their minds to create a safe and inclusive environment on campus. The latest incarnation of the movement was created a little more than two years ago. It provided the SU community with resources to help those who have been affected by bias incidents on and around campus.

The LGBT Resource Center, a partner with the campaign, also embodies awareness, community and social justice on campus. It offers services for those with marginalized genders and sexualities with programs, dialogue and education.

The Princeton Review, a college admissions consulting company, released its list of the 20 most LGBT-friendly colleges and universities in the United States in August. SU didn’t make the list, so there is room for improvement – and we can all do our part to contribute.

Certain celebrities have proven themselves as allies, and are using their platforms as a way to enlighten fans.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, for example, just won an MTV Video Music Award for the Best Video With a Social Message for their hit song “Same Love,” which featured openly lesbian singer Mary Lambert. The lyrics point out how LGBT people are treated unfairly by individuals, the hip-hop genre and our legal systems, and calls for overall acceptance and equality.

The duo will perform in the Carrier Dome in November. This activism through music and arts is certainly welcome on our campus.

The fight against LGBT bullying cannot be one-sided. It is not only up to the targeted individuals to combat bias – everyone can be an ally. We need to remember the tragic suicides that have resulted from homophobia, and always keep in mind how harmful intolerant words and actions can be.

With the beginning of a new school year, it’s crucial for SU students to embrace all forms of diversity. It’s necessary to respect our friends, roommates, professors and anyone else we meet.

We, as students, have the power to control the attitude of our campus – we can’t let it be one fueled by hate.

Laura Cohen is a junior magazine journalism and women’s and gender studies major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at [email protected].

Published on September 4, 2013 at 2:43 am