• 2004.02.05: February 5, 2004: Headlines: COS - Swaziland: Gay Issues: Declaration: A conversation with Swaziland RPCV Anna McCrerey, President of the Queer Student Union at University of Virginia  Tuesday, June 27, 2006 - 9:24 am [1]

• 2006.06.21: June 21, 2006: Headlines: COS - Swaziland: Gay Issues: University of Virginia: Swaziland RPCV Anna McCrery addresses the incoming first-year class as part of the Different Voices, Common Threads program to provide insight into what it’s like to be queer at the University  Friday, June 23, 2006 - 11:39 am [1]

When Swaziland RPCV Anna McCrerey came out as a lesbian in 2003, about 1,500 people were watching



Looking every bit the stereotypical co-ed in a Banana Republic skirt, the then-University of Virginia senior said she was petrified speaking to the freshman class in the school's "Different Voices, Common Threads" discussion. So she was surprised when she was later swamped by students thanking her for her speech. "It was nice to be appreciated, and not hated to my face," she said.

When Swaziland RPCV Anna McCrerey came out as a lesbian in 2003, about 1,500 people were watching

U.Va. graduate is Point scholar
She's one of 30 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender recipients

BY TIFFANY HSU
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Jun 21, 2006

When Anna McCrerey came out as a lesbian in 2003, about 1,500 people were watching.

Looking every bit the stereotypical co-ed in a Banana Republic skirt, the then-University of Virginia senior said she was petrified speaking to the freshman class in the school's "Different Voices, Common Threads" discussion.

So she was surprised when she was later swamped by students thanking her for her speech.

"It was nice to be appreciated, and not hated to my face," she said.

McCrerey, one of 30 lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender students from throughout the U.S. who were chosen for a national Point Scholarship last month, often takes bold steps for what she believes are the right causes.

She first read about the award in a Time magazine her mother sent to Swaziland, where McCrerey was working in community health and HIV/AIDS awareness for the Peace Corps.

"I was so excited, since there's really never been a scholarship for LGBT students," she said. "The things we can bring to the table are unique."

McCrerey and the other winners were selected from more than 1,300 applicants. Her award will cover financial needs as she pursues a master's of public health degree at Johns Hopkins University this fall, said scholarship spokeswoman Cathy Renna.

In addition to receiving the scholarship -- worth $12,500 on average each year -- Point scholars must develop projects benefiting the LGBT community.

McCrerey's sexuality was never a priority while at Maggie L. Walker Governor's School's original campus, she said. A liberal family and supportive friends meant she had no pivotal coming-out moment.

"Only now has that identity become really important," the 24-year-old said. "At age 16, when you're lifeguarding, you don't really care much."

As a women's studies major at the University of Virginia, McCrerey's increasing LGBT activism made her a public face on campus after she transferred from Catholic University.

"I was very out at U.Va., but more for the political implications," she said. "It was a volatile time for the school -- their diversity was questioned and they were revamping their image."

McCrerey helped spearhead a women's health festival attended by 3,000 people. She later led the Queer Student Union and pioneered the Safe Space program, which gave stickers touting tolerance to 2,500 faculty members.

But being a full-time spokeswoman for LGBT rights took its toll, leading McCrerey to take a hiatus in Africa.

"I was proud of my work, but my life was on display," she said. "I wanted to take a break."

In Swaziland, which has the world's highest HIV infection rate, McCrerey endured three grueling months of training and language lessons.

During the next 17 months, she helped construct a village care center providing food, health options and education to children in Nceka, where more than half the children are orphans.

With donations of supplies from Richmond residents, McCrerey said the project is a success.

But she had to hide her sexuality for safety purposes. "It was a homophobic environment," she said. "I had to play into assumptions."

Back in the states, many still mistake McCrerey as being heterosexual, she said.

"It's so painful to have people make those assumptions, but that'll happen for the rest of my life," she said.

Or maybe not. McCrerey, currently a River City roller girl for Richmond's derby, continues to dream of finding the right woman to marry, raising children and helping African orphans.

When she was flown to San Francisco recently to be interviewed for the scholarship, McCrerey said meeting LGBT mentors gave her hope for a future without stereotypes.

"There was such a sense of belonging," she said. "These people are going to make change and I want to do it with them."

Contact staff writer Tiffany Hsu at thsu@timesdispatch.com or (804) 649-6108.

When this story was posted in June 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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