I Belong
LGBTQIA+ Affirmation and Belonging
M. Scott Knox spoke about his identity as a queer man and how, over time, he found a sense of belonging. Knox grew up in Hingham, Massachusetts, and graduated from Boston College in 1996 with a B.A. in political science. He said he did not openly identify as a queer man until he was 25. Throughout high school and college, he carved a space to fit the image of a “perfect” person, doing well academically, being a member of different student organizations, and attending BC.
Knox said that during his time at BC, there weren’t a lot of resources/space for LGBTQIA+ students; the only place available was Murray House, which separates students from BC’s main campus and makes them feel othered. It wasn’t until he moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, for his role at Habitat for Humanity that he was able to explore his queer identity. However, he realized that as a white queer man, there was a lot that he had to learn since his lived experiences had been drastically different from other LGBTQIA+ people.
After he came out and understood the negative narratives around queer people, he made sure to make his identity known from the start to avoid any issues. Knox said that he would overemphasize other personal traits so that people could assign one specific characteristic to him besides his queerness. He knew there was more to him than his queer identity and wanted to normalize it in a way where it felt like something in the rearview mirror.
Initially, Knox didn’t believe in putting the pride flag on his office door because he felt he was putting it out there too much and didn’t think it was necessary. But then, he understood that if he didn’t, he was closing off potential networking opportunities with people, which was the opposite of his goal. He also put a picture of him and his partner on his desk. Doing this, he said, created an open and safe space for LGBTQIA+ people; it let them know that this was a welcoming space for them. And it combatted the misconceptions that people have of the queer community.
Knox then shifted the discussion to the queer space at BC today. Students shared that while there has been an increase in queer students’ presence on campus, it feels decentralized since there’s not one main resource center for LGBTQIA+ students.
Knox closed the conversation with some hopeful remarks. He said that whatever your identity is, queer or not, and acknowledging the layers that make us who we are, we should share if we feel comfortable. He also said that we shouldn’t worry about oversignaling or overemphasizing our identity because it will help us connect with others.
Kevin Lux Ven, Carroll School Undergraduate Program Assistant
Removing the Stigma of Mental Illness
Kevin Lynch, founder, president, and CEO of The Quell Foundation, spoke about the stigma around mental illness and his motive for creating a space so people can talk about the different mental health challenges in their lives. Lynch began his story by talking about someone in his personal life. This person was in jail for eight years, had gone back a few times, and struggled immensely with mental health. When this loved one returned to jail in 2021, Lynch called the suicide hotline because he didn’t understand what he did “wrong” with this person. As a result of this experience, it led him to do further research on mental illness and figure out why people don’t talk about it.
The Quell Foundation provides scholarships for students who have a mental illness diagnosis, lost a parent or sibling to suicide, or are aspiring mental health care providers. The foundation has given out approximately $2.6 million in the past six years. The term “quell” means bringing balance and order to chaos, which is what Lynch ultimately wants to do for these people. In starting this foundation, he hoped to normalize mental health issues and help people understand that they can cultivate a space to talk about their different struggles. Doing so would reduce the stigma around them.
An interesting point that Lynch made was that his generation isn’t so welcoming of mental illness. For instance, he was diagnosed with clinical depression, but he didn’t think his friends from the Navy would understand since no one ever talked about it. When he told them, Lynch was surprised that many of his friends and peers understood where he was coming from and began to share their experiences too. Just by sharing his story, he created a safe space for everyone to talk about what was going on in their lives. Additionally, he said that the good thing about today’s generation is that because there’s a huge acknowledgment of mental illness, it knows how to help and protect each other.
As part of leading his foundation, Lynch calls the recipients of its scholarships. He said that these students are often surprised that they’re receiving money for their mental illness diagnosis. But he tells them, no, that’s not it; instead, it’s because they’re still willing to pursue a college education despite their mental health issues. In his efforts to normalize mental illness and break the stigma around it, he created a documentary titled Portraits of Life with Mental Illness. The film centers around people from diverse backgrounds and different age ranges to illustrate that mental illness doesn’t fit a specific mold. He ultimately hopes that the film impacts people to where they realize they’re not alone and can seek out help if needed. Lynch concluded by stating that people feeling more welcomed into a space where they can comfortably share their mental health struggles is part of a preventive measure. Mental illness doesn’t define or dictate our future, but it can shape us, and Lynch helps people overcome their struggles.
Kevin Lux Ven, Carroll School Undergraduate Program Assistant