Vandalism at W&L’s LGBTQ+ Resource Center
Vandalism at W&L’s LGBTQ+ Resource Center
President Dudley condemned the incident in an email statement.
(The graffiti after being erased | SOURCE: Anonymous Student)
On the morning of November 7, an act of vandalism was discovered in the Red House, W&L’s on-campus LGBTQ Resource Center. Spray painted graffiti was found on an inside wall and a door.
The exact content of the graffiti were erased and have not been released to the public.
In a message to the W&L community, President Dudley asked that the campus community support the “LGBTQ+ students, faculty and staff whose facility was targeted in [the] incident” and stated that “there is no place for harassment, intimidation, or vandalism at Washington and Lee.”
Public Safety requested that the Lexington Police Department conduct an investigation. Due to the nature of the ongoing investigation, the LPD declined The Spectator’s request for further information on the matter.
(The Red House, W&L’s LGBTQ+ Resource Center | SOURCE: The Columns)
According to W&L’s website, the goal of the LGBTQ Resource Center is “to affirm the existence and development of LGBTQ individuals at W&L, and to support a strong and welcoming community among them and allies within the larger institution.”
This includes working to “diminish the prejudice that limits the educational experience and safety of LGBTQ community members and others within the university,” serving as a “focal point for campus LGBTQ resources, services, and programs,” and “educating the campus community about issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.”
The Red House is not a residential building, according to W&L’s director of residence life.
(The graffiti after being erased | SOURCE: Anonymous Student)
In a statement provided to The Spectator, W&L spokesperson Drewry Sackett stated that “the university has increased security and asked anyone with information pertinent to the incident to please contact Public Safety.”
Sackett reiterated Dudley’s mission to ensure that W&L is a respectful and safe environment for all, adding that “anyone found responsible for this act will be held fully accountable in accordance with university policy and the law.”
This is a developing story. The Spectator will provide updates as more information is made available.
