We're Here to Recruit You

I care about every Bulletin we create. Deeply.

But this issue, inspired by and dedicated- to—but not restricted or exclusive to—lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning Swarthmoreans, means everything to me, especially in this time of political change, when the sands seem to be shifting under our feet.

I’ve lived and breathed our magazine so strongly this go-round not just because I am a gay man myself, but also because I have been moved to tears by the scope and power of your LGBTQ journeys. I am humbled by the silence of those who have been silenced and the suffering of those who have suffered. In all that I do, I swear to you that, even if I may sometimes fall short, I seek to hear and honor you—us—all.

We all do here. My dear friends and teammates at the Bulletin are yours, too. With a nod to Harvey Milk’s famous quote, we are here to recruit you, however you identify, to our shared team.

And so, my fellow LGBTQ folk: We want to hear from you, not just for this issue but forever. We want your documents for the College Archives (pg. 4). We want our pages brimming with your pictures and presence, your successes and stories, your class notes and even complaints. We want you represented as fully and visibly as possible in the ongoing Swarthmore story.

We hope this issue sparks heartfelt conversations and new connections. We hope that it serves as a beacon of unity and compassion in any storm.

But most of all, we hope that its collection of voices serves as a touchstone going forward: a reminder that our greatest weapon against injustice and our greatest opportunity for a better world are our shared voices raised together—LGBTQ and otherwise, Swarthmorean all.