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In Our Words...
"I made the
conscious decision that my relationship was going to be stronger leaving
the GSB than it was coming in…and I’m thrilled to report that it
definitely is! So many great things happened in my two years at Stanford
and it was wonderful to get to share them together."
- Christian Edvardsen, MBA '06 Read more of our quotes
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Environment for LGBT Students at the GSB
We are proud of the extremely gay-friendly environment at the GSB, but
we recognize that much work lies ahead. Indeed, LGBT students use their visibility in the student community to educate classmates, raise awareness,
and break down barriers of difference. That said, it is remarkable how well integrated the LGBT
students are into the mainstream GSB community.
- Most O4B members are completely out at GSB, most are out from day one, others come out over time.
- Some O4B members are only out to the group, and some gay students are only out to a select few friends.
This is a matter of personal choice, and confidentiality will be assured if you ask for it.
Out4Biz Allies
Nearly 100 of our straight classmates signed up as Out4Biz allies in the past school year. Recent Allies events include a
trip to see the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and a number
of nights of cocktails and clubbing in San Francisco.
- Out4Biz hosts one of the most popular happy hours of the
year, attracting more than 200 of our classmates and sponsorship
by Bain & Company.
- Gay issues come up in a number of class discussions.
- Jeffrey Pfeffer, one of our famous professors, recently
wrote a case on Keith Ferrazzi, openly gay CEO of YaYa Media. Ferrazzi was a popular guest speaker in two sections of that
course, where he spoke at length about being gay in the business world, and also spoke to a standing-room-only audience during
the lunch hour.
- Professor James Baron encouraged discussion of gay and
lesbian issues in his over-subscribed Human Resources class.
During that particular session, several gay and lesbian students
argued that there is a very real connection between creating a
work environment that is comfortable for gays and lesbians and
enabling job performance that positively impacts the company's
bottom line.
- In Spring 2004, as gay and lesbian couples lined up at San Francisco's City Hall to marry, Out4Biz and the Government
& Politics Club hosted a panel and discussion that drew a large, supportive audience.
For another perspective, read the August, 2004 Business Week
article that discusses improving acceptance for GLBT students at business schools and quotes multiple GSB alumni.
Also read a great 1998 article from the GSB Reporter written by a then-student about the atmosphere
at the GSB.
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