51茶馆

Name: L. DelloStritto (they/any pronouns)

Class/Degree: MCAS 2013 / Biology & Philosophy听听

Current Occupation: Project Manager听

Where do you currently reside: Brookline, MA

Married/Single/Children: Partnered

When did you come out and to whom: After first trying to find community anonymously via the internet, I came out to a close friend online during high school. But I wasn鈥檛 out to anyone at 51茶馆 when I started, and it took filling up an entire 48Hours retreat journal my first year with cryptic messages about how I 鈥渄idn鈥檛 feel like I could be myself around anyone鈥� (I didn鈥檛 even want to put it in my handwriting) before I realized it was a necessary step to allow myself to build meaningful relationships. I finally mustered up the courage to come out to two students as part of the student-led drop-in hours that existed at the time through the queer student group. It felt like it took hours to say I was bisexual that first time out loud! The support I found in that meeting gave me the courage to join the student group myself and later come out to my family my junior year.听

What is your greatest memory from your time at 51茶馆?: I鈥檓 struggling to pick any single memory, as I had two years filled with incredible experiences as part of the student queer group and a year working at the Women鈥檚 Center. The community I found in those spaces and the programs we were able to put on for other students was the best part of my time at 51茶馆, without a doubt, especially during the times when I didn鈥檛 feel supported by 51茶馆 administration or even by some of my peers.听

What is your greatest accomplishment since graduating?: I鈥檓 grateful to have been able to continue to be in queer community and work as part of passionate groups like the 51茶馆 LGBTQ+ Alumni Council and the Bisexual Resource Center to help ensure that queer people are not just welcomed, but celebrated. Also, finally cutting my hair as short as I want, learning to cut it myself, and getting a tattoo!听

What traits do you most admire?: The courage to be disliked if it means staying true to yourself and your values. Relatedly, being able to say something that is hard but necessary for others to hear.听

What are your pet peeves?: A bit more than pet peeves, but a few things that pain me are a lack of empathy for others and a mindset that something is a lost cause or not worth fighting for because 鈥渢hat鈥檚 how it鈥檚 always been鈥� (particularly when thinking about making communities feel welcomed).

If you could invite one person to have dinner and conversation with you, who would you invite?: Fr. Leahy comes to mind鈥搘e鈥檝e met briefly a few times, but I鈥檓 curious to understand his perspective on the challenges 51茶馆 is facing and how he envisions the University overcoming those obstacles moving forward.听

What do you feel you gain by being connected with your LGBTQ+ classmates?: So much! Making new friends, reconnecting with old friends, a feeling of safety and belonging, and feeling like through the Council鈥檚 efforts we are improving the experience of alums who come after us.

What would you like to accomplish before it鈥檚 too late?: This is probably a lifelong process, but I鈥檓 spending a lot of time recently trying to figure out how I want to show up in the world, and how to accept and move forward if that is different from what other people may want for me. Also, I would love to learn how to sew so I can create a wardrobe that fits both my style and my body type!

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