When Mather House resident tutor K. Kyriell Muhammad was a victim of repeated acts of homophobic vandalism earlier this year, the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender and Supporters' Alliance (BGLTSA) contacted journalists at The New York Times and The Boston Globe.

Press coverage was all lined up when, as BGLTSA Co-Chair Michael K. T. Tan '01 recounts it, Muhammad pulled the plug, saying he didn't want his situation publicized nationally.

"Just think of the headline: 'Gay tutor forced to resign because of Harvard homophobia,'" Tan says. "The BGLTSA would have been right there to say 'Gay students at Harvard think et cetera, et cetera...'"

BGLTSA leaders say visibility is important for the student group. One of the organization's most consistent strategies, dating back to its inception in the 1970s, has been to make gay and lesbian life as visible as possible on Harvard's campus. It's a strategy that holds that familiarity breeds acceptance.

But the image of gay unity that the group aims to foster can be illusory, board members say. The group increasingly has trouble attracting active members and has tempered its trademark outspokenness in recent months to appeal to a wider portion of the gay community at Harvard.

Dwindling Numbers

While BGLTSA's mailing list, the official gauge of its membership, includes about 500 students, this year's executive board was installed without a single vote being cast. So few students ran for spots on BGLTSA's board this fall that no position was contested.

Elections to BGLTSA's board have generally been competitive in the past, board members say, and some are concerned that they may not be able to fill all the vacant seats this spring.