By Rory McNelley, Education and Enrichment Coordinator

Last Wednesday, President Dr. Colleen Hanycz visited the THRIVE Center located in the Gallagher Student Center (GSC) to participate in a Q&A with Xavier’s LGBTQ+ Alliance. No sitting president at Xavier has ever done a Q&A with a club in this fashion. Questions were asked by Steve Yandell, English professor and co-advisor for the club. 

A wide array of topics were introduced including concerns about queer student safety against discrimination and bullying, questions about the inability to hold certain events and recommendations for how the president can better support Alliance.  

When asked about Alliance’s inability to hold their annual drag show, Hanycz cited the Ignatian value of Cura Personalis and more specifically the inherent dignity of the human person. 

“There is a certain objectification of the human person that takes place, I believe in a more hyper sexualized event, and I would put drag into that category,” Hanycz said.

“The conversation about drag is very disingenuous and implicative of an extreme misunderstanding of not just drag but queer culture as a whole,” sophomore psychology major Clancy Johnson,said after the event. “The root of the problems were not addressed by President Hanycz.”

In terms of queer student safety, Dr. Hanycz explained the different reporting systems in place for incidents students face. These different reporting platforms ensure anonymity of the person bringing forward the complaint but also limits the administration’s ability to contact the person if more information is needed. 

“Ensuring safety for any student on this campus is a hollow promise. We can’t guarantee that spaces will not be offensive or deny your identity,” Hanycz said. 

Hanycz explained the policy framework the administration has in place to protect students and expectations for students on campus. Manresa’s stress on inclusivity was also cited. 

Between formal questions students could bring up follow up questions and discussion between students and the president was facilitated. 

“Some of our questions were definitely answered and that fact that we were able to have a back and forth discussion, I’m really glad that could happen,” sophomore graphic design major Shu Gerber said. 

When asked why certain speakers are allowed on campus, citing an event with a transphobic speaker, Hanycz explained that she sees a strong difference between difficult speech and speech that denies humanity. She believes difficult speech is important on a college campus and that challenged ideas are stronger ideas. Alliance disagreed that transphobia was difficult speech, instead explaining that it denies their humanity. 

“It’s not enough to say I feel uncomfortable, but it is enough to say that the speech denies my existence and humanity,” Dr. Hanycz said. 

“I think the number one thing to remember is that there is nowhere near enough time to go over the amount of serious topics that we discussed today. I think there was an attempt to understand, and having that at the foundation is important,” Alliance president and junior psychology major E Brown stated. 

Hanycz stressed that she is available to hear the concerns of all students. Citing student government meetings as a good outlet, students can bring public comments to the floor of the senate during the first fifteen minutes of the 3 p.m. Monday meeting in GSC 210. She stated that she is also reachable by email at president@xavier.edu.