By YASHMIN PATEL
STAFF WRITER
A year after Tyler Clementi’s death, Rutgers University students have mixed feelings about how it has impacted their lives and the campus community.
Some students feel that Clementi’s death has changed Rutgers and has made people more tolerant and supportive of the LGBT community, while others believe that people’s outlooks haven’t changed.
Taissa Hamulak, a Rutgers sophomore, said the community is more supportive of gay rights than they were before, and she believes Rutgers wants to make everyone feel welcomed and not scared to go there.
“After the Tyler Clementi death, I realized more about how much of the struggle they have to go through like what the LGBT community has to go through in general,” said Hamulak.
Marié Rodriguez-Donahue, a Rutgers sophomore, saw changes more around the time of Clementi’s death but feels that people have become less judgmental.
Those affects, she said, have lasted a year later.
“It did impact me, I was really shocked, especially once I realized who he was and the fact that I had class with him and that I’ve worked with him before,” Donahue said. “It just really made me realize how much injustice can go on in the world.”
Sabrina Blackburn, a Rutgers senior, said Rutgers did a good job trying to help the situation because it was a very sensitive one that opened up everyone’s mind.
“I think it definitely helped people - it opened people’s eyes to what could happen if you have prejudice or hate in the world,” said Blackburn.
Students also say they have become more aware of what they say a year after Clementi’s death.
“I’m definitely careful like after that, I haven’t ever said anything bad about the gay community because why would I - I have no prejudice against them. Why would you hate someone just because of who they are,” Blackburn said.
Other students realized how much prejudice there continues to be in the world.
Donahue said it made her realize that a lot of people aren’t as tolerant and a lot of people don’t really have respect, which is very unfair.
“It’s not just something that people are just going to forget ... It’s something that’s brought people together,” she said.
Todd Rosman, a Rutgers sophomore, said the Rutgers community hasn’t really changed because people will always believe in what they believe in.
“Besides people not knowing what’s going on, I don’t think that people are too genuinely concerned because it’s like a psychological thing where if it’s not dealing with you it doesn’t matter to you, and I guess to many college kids are like that, “said Rosman.
One incoming student’s decision to come to Rutgers wasn’t influenced by Clementi’s death.
“I don’t think it would have affected my decision because I feel like you’ll find people like that anywhere, sadly. I don’t think it’s a reflection of Rutgers,” said Samara Rosner, a Rutgers freshman.
Clementi had jumped off the George Washington Bridge one year ago after he had been videotaped having an intimate encounter with another man. |
