"More people are taking into account sexual orientation when writing their rooming applications," Middleton says, "whether if they are gay themselves or saying that they wouldn't mind a gay roommate."

For many first-years, the question of what to reveal and how was a touchy one.

"My mother was against the idea of being out on my rooming application. I did put in slanted references, though nothing explicit," Hobbs says. "I just said I was looking for a group of rooming people who were open-minded and liberal and open to different modes of life. I didn't even use 'lifestyle,' I just used life." Saccente says he came out on his rooming application because he felt it would be only be fair to his roommates.

"I want to have a living environment which is comfortable for me and my roommates," he says. "If I were to be in a relationship with someone sometime during the year, I want them to be comfortable with it."

Uncomfortable Place

Despite the growing presence of openly gay students in the Class of 1998, many gay upper-class students and first-years say the College remains an uncomfortable place to be out.

"Screaming, bigotry--blatant stuff is pretty few. The subtler stuff is pretty prevalent," Duchin says.

Last year, one out student says she had her door defaced and several students say they face little incidences of bias on a day-to-day basis.

According to the Harvard entry in The Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Guide to Colleges, Universities and Graduate Schools, "Unanimously, students believe that homophobia is a serious problem on the campus. Those responding report being victims of verbal abuse, assault and harassment. Moreover, all of the students have knowledge of hate crimes committed on campus."

"There was one incident in Matthews where I was putting up a poster for the Out and About Dance and was called a 'cocksucker,'" Roddy says. "I never even got to see their faces. I couldn't believe that this happened at Harvard University."

The homophobia may not always be blatant, but students say it definitely exists.

"Harvard may seem more open because there's no bathroom grafitti that says 'Die fag' like there was at Hunter," says Garance Franke-Ruta '96, a transfer student from Hunter College in New York City. "But.... it doesn't necessarily mean that people aren't thinking it."

Gay undergraduates say they find a relatively conservative campus, despite the College's reputation.

"Harvard is conservative, but at the same time it's trying to be politically correct, which doesn't necessarily add up to liberal," says Emma Cheuse '98.

The greatest pressure here, however, may be students' career ambitions.