LGBT Nuttiness

[PGD-GRAD]

I wasn't sure how to title this, but here goes. As an advisor to a fraternity in a small Midwestern school with members from coast to coast, I deal with all different sort of people from many creeds, races, lifestyles and backgrounds. Indiana is not exactly a panacea of LGBT acceptance, but we all do the best we can to deal, having gone through a mess last year with our own intolerant legislation.

Lately--at least from what the news reports--areas of the South have gone "plum crazy" with all the bathroom laws, anti-LGBT rantings, etc. As advisors, is or will this have any effect on how you deal with the issues as they might affect your chapters? I don't know how many out-of-state students Ole Miss or Miss State or U of Southern Miss admits, but I was wondering if that law might affect admissions and--ultimately--recruitment.

As for NC, certainly Duke, Wake Forest, UNC and NC State have vibrant student populations, although the state laws keep state schools filled with mostly NC natives.

I'm wondering how you--as advisors--are dealing with this. Are you fearful that admissions will be hurt with fewer out-of-state applications which would ultimately affect recruitment? Do your students worry about companies leaving which would affect their future employment? Do they worry about the future of their state and reputation of their schools? Or are they okay with it now--perhaps not thinking about the ultimate repercussions?

We have many advisors on here from the US South--just wondering how you all feel and are coping with these new laws. I'm not just calling out the South! Many other areas of the country are being affected by this new round of laws--it's just that the most recent ones affect NC, Miss, and Georgia, which backed off its legislation.