To the Editors:
In the November 20 issue, Craig Hardt wrote in his article ("A gender neutral housing policy is unnecessary and problematic"), "If living with members of an opposite sex is as important to Bowdoin students as some seem to make it out to be, I want to know how many students would actually want to do so...I'm all ears, Bowdoin."
Well, here we are: two straight people of opposite genders that have never dated. We would have lived together during our time so far at Bowdoin if Residential Life had a gender-neutral housing policy simply because we are friends. We don't base our friendships on gender and don't feel we should be forced to base our living decisions on gender either.
We think Bowdoin and Bowdoin's housing policies can get past the supposed wisdom we all learned from "When Harry Met Sally" when Harry said, "Men and women can't be friends because the sex part always gets in the way." If there is anything that Bowdoin should teach us, it is to explore the boundaries of our own definitions and realities, gender included. Given the chance, we would welcome the "added complication of gender" to our housing situation because we don't think it's much of a complication.
Sincerely,
Joseph Babler '10
Lindsey Thompson '10