The President of Auckland-based tertiary institute UNITEC, Dr John Webster, has been "distressed" to learn that homophobic incidents reported by a student to Express newspaper are not unique. Express last week published a letter from a UNITEC student, who did not wish to be named, who said he did not feel safe there and had been subject to a number of homophobic discussions and comments in classes which had been participated in by at least one tutor. GayNZ.com has since been informed that other gay students at UNITEC, past and present, have concealed their sexuality for fear of reprisals from students, and had had little or no success in seeking help or trying to form support groups for other gay students. Dr Webster says that steps are being taken to make sure other students do not have to go through similar experiences, and that the student who wrote to Express is now speaking with a UNITEC conciliator.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Wednesday, 15th October 2003 - 12:00pm