Carver Interviews David Calder '08

This week, Carver interviews David Calder, a French Major originally from Vancouver, Canada.

Carver Diserens: I know, in the past, you have taken issue with various constructs at Trinity College, so we're going to start off on a high note, what is the greatest gift that Trinity has bestowed upon you?

David Calder: The friends I've met here and my interactions with the faculty. I have formed some incredible relationships with people here. A lot of people think I don't like "Trinity people" but the people are Trinity's strength. Especially the faculty, I really think this faculty is incredible. They're not just published, they're excellent teachers.

Carver: Graduation day, is it a sad day or a relief for you?

David: I think it's always both when you are ending one part of your life and moving onto something else. I've gotten into graduate school, so that part is very happy, because I know what I'm doing, and that will help me enjoy graduation. There are definitely things I'll miss, not the food, but it is time to move on.

Carver: Where are you going to graduate school?

David: Probably Northwestern University for their Theatre and Drama Ph.D program.

Carver: If you could point to one event that has epitomized your time here at Trinity, what would it be?

David: There are two events of the same category. While I've been at Trinity, I have written and staged two plays, which have really been the culmination of a lot of my intellectual work and also, my practical theatrical work. I think the process reflects very well, the Trinity experience; trying to get something off the ground from scratch. Trying to find support for it, trying to find space for it, the frustrations, the red tape, the brick walls, et cetera. Then ultimately getting past that and creating something that, I think, went very well. Jimmy Jones said he was a fan of my work.

Carver: What were the productions called?

David: The first was "Dinner Games," in my sophomore spring. The most recent was "Daddy," last semester.

Carver: Before we talk about the social problems at this school, what do you think is at the root of all of them?

David: It gets back to classism, because yes, there is racism on campus, yes there is sexism on campus and yes, there sure as hell is homophobia on campus but ultimately, it gets back to at the root, the feeling of privilege that is here at Trinity but also in the world in general. I don't think racism, sexism and homophobia can be separated from social and economic issues.

Carver: You are in a relatively small minority at this school, and I know that Trinity has been criticized for not being a welcoming environment for people who share the same background as you.

David: By which you mean homosexual?

Carver: Actually I meant Canadian.

David: [Laughs] I have to say, often people with leftist views are told to, "Go back to Canada." It's hard to hear that. People don't think about that when they say that and don't think about what it might mean to me, as a Canadian.

Carver: How long did you live there?

David: I was only there until I was about five. I actually started taking French because I wanted to be as Canadian as possible. I'm over that now, simply because I know much more about U.S. politics than Canadian politics.

Carver: Okay, seriously now, you are in an even smaller minority at this school by being an openly gay male. What kind of an environment has Trinity been in that respect?

David: Well there is manifest homophobia, and then there is latent homophobia. Most people at this school would not raise their hands and say, "Oh yeah, I'm a homophobe. I hate gay people." Some of them might, those are the manifest homophobes. Then there is latent homophobia running through campus culture, national and international culture. We made the joke about anti-Canadian sentiments in the language, but in all seriousness, there is homophobia in the language that I hear, walking around campus every day. People don't think anything of saying "Dude that's so gay" or "God, you're such a fag." But when pressed, many people have admitted, you know, "Wow, I didn't even think about that." And they talk about having gay friends or at least not having any problems with gay people, and yet, they're using this language. They're not bad people, they need to think about what they're saying. The same is true of sexist language. We don't think anything of dropping the word, "bitch" but that is a gendered insult. We're not attacking people, in fact, I shouldn't even use the pronoun "we." There is no "we," there is no gay community, I really don't believe it. Just like I don't believe there is a community of women or blacks or white men. None of these groups constitute a monolith, that's an absurd assumption.

Carver: Speaking as a heterosexual male, I personally find homosexual sex to be aesthetically unappealing, am I a homophobe?

David: [Laughs] Well, the shot answer is "no." The long answer is, well, what are you going to do with that personal distaste? If you don't like the idea of a dude "blowing" another dude or a dude taking it in the ass from another dude, what am I supposed to do? I'm not going to try and convince you because frankly, that's edging dangerously close to sexual harassment or sexual assault. But you do have to respect what I do and my right to do what I do. The sentiment you expressed, a lot of people turn that into a kind of, "I don't want to see that" mentality, where if two guys are holding hands and walking across campus they are "shoving" their sexuality in your face. If I had a boyfriend, and I gave him a kiss in public before sending him off to class, that would constitute harassment for many straight men. They would feel like I somehow invaded their heterosexual, masculinist space. I could turn it around and say that when you kiss your girlfriend in public, I feel invaded, and I feel that you are shoving your heterosexuality in my face. People need to understand the fact that, if that is how people express their love, then it's really no one else's business.