Robert W. Mack '71, a former co-chair of the Open Gate, the organization for gay Harvard alumni, says that as recently as five years ago, BGLTSA was surprisingly bold in its dealings with the college administration.

Mack recounted that there was concern among gay students that randomization would break up gay communities in Adams and Mather Houses, destroying the critical mass of students that created a safe space for other students to come out of the closet.

To create an alternative safe space for gay students, Josh Oppenheimer, one of BGLTSA's co-chairs at the time, requested space from former Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III.

"Dean Epps said 'If I don't give you this space, you're going to come in and take over my office, aren't you?' and Josh said 'Yes,'" Mack says.

But in many ways, the organization's success in combating homophobia has now given it to a much less central role in the gay community.

"We're in a difficult time now," says Tan. "Certain segments of the [gay] community can be safe, and so are not interested in working for change."

With most gay students on campus feeling relatively safe and comfortable despite a string of homophobic incidents on campus earlier this year, BGLTSA is seeing support for its political activism fading away. At the same time, another organization--BOND--is solidifying its control of organized social activities for gay students.

BOND's social events--usually parties or trips to clubs in Boston--consistently draw around 60 students.