Nat Duca sits on the edge of his bed checking his e-mail. Dave Taylor sits on an office chair browsing the web. A white sheet of paper lays on a nightstand separating the two.
"Good morning, pup ... I will return," it read.
Welcome to Hopkins' gay and queer.
Jonny McGovern's "Soccer Practice" vibrates off the walls of Duca's room ... Hey dude, I was thinking that we could do something dirty ... like to do manly things. I was thinking that we could do something dirty -- soccer practice.
Duca, a Computer Science major, wears a hooded gray sweater, jeans and brown shoes. His jet black hair is combed to the side in a conservative manner. He fiddles with a couple of photographs on his desktop computer. Taylor, a Writing Seminars major, styles a black sweater, brown pants and shoulder-length, red-brown hair. Taylor laughs as he turns up the volume.
"[This song] is so stereotypical of what everybody believes gay culture to be," said Duca. Taylor shoots Duca a look as he increases the volume again.
"I'm going to kick your ass," Duca said. The two start to playfight. Taylor lets out a scream.
"Doesn't he scream like a girl?" Duca said as he kissed Taylor on the forehead.
Duca and Taylor are part of a growing trend in alternative relationships across college campuses in the United States.
"Ten years ago this [relationship] was not possible ... we didn't have the balls to demand queer marriage or a queer movement," Duca said. "In cities like Los Angeles or New York it might have been possible, but in small towns it would have been impossible."
As college campuses become more aware and accepting of their diverse populations, more support programs and student-run gay, lesbian and transgender clubs have sprung up across the country.
At Hopkins, the administration has worked closely with the Diverse Sexuality and Gender Alliance (DSAGA) to bring awareness of an alternative form of lifestyle to campus.
"It is important from an administrative perspective that the University is perceived as being supportive," said Susan Boswell, dean of student life. "[The University] needs to feel like a safe place."
Duca and Taylor stand in the center of Duca's room embracing each other. "Dave and I are complete polar opposites," Duca said. "I'm completely gay."
"And I'm bisexual," Taylor interjected.
"I guess our relationship is alternative in the sense that it is not man and woman," said Duca. "We all know how the standard relationship goes. We grew up that way ... we consider everything in that manner." Duca took Taylor's hand. "Look at it in another perspective, and it is a beautiful thing."
Coming out for Duca and Taylor was not an easy task; it was a journey in itself.
For Duca the problem was knowing he was gay versus accepting and acting on it. Since he was in the fifth-grade, Duca was emotionally attracted to males. However, it took him ten years of careful thought "to come to his senses," as he puts it.
Taylor, on the other hand, had always dated girls. However, he seemed to be attracted to men. After his five-year relationship with a woman, Taylor wondered what it would be like to fall in love with a man.
Duca and Taylor met at a DSAGA meeting last March.
"He was sitting on the opposite end of the table," said Taylor. "He was well-dressed and we started talking. He invited me over for lasagna. I was like, "This one can cook -- he's a keeper.' After that, we asked each other if we wanted to go out."
Since then, the two have been inseparable. When asked if they had any unpleasant experiences with people since they have started dating, Duca said, "There are a couple of things to do when meeting someone ... you don't want to go around acting gay. While I'm very out, I'm not the stereotypical flaming gay ... Some people think that it is okay to make fun of gays, or call one a fag. It is very hurtful to watch; it makes one feel bad."
Duca and Taylor sit on an office chair reminiscing about their first date. Above them hangs an Einstein poster: "One leaves all of one's life under constant tension until it is time to go for good."
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