Accusations of censorship and homophobia have erupted at Trinity College after students were told to remove LGBT+ pride flags from their windows and allegedly told by a porter that the College “don’t want to be putting things in people’s faces”.

One student, who did not wish to be named, was told to remove a postcard-sized flag from display despite the fact her room is obscurely located and only overlooks another accommodation building. She told Varsity that it felt like a “personal attack” and made her feel “unwanted”, especially given the fact that Trinity is one of only two colleges, along with Trinity Hall, which have not flown the pride flag for LGBT+ History Month.

According to Trinity College Students’ Union LGBT+ officer, Anna Dimitriadis, who has now submitted a complaint to the senior tutor, porters justified the decision saying: “there’s a lot of people at this College with a lot of different opinions” and that Trinity policy bans the display of political symbols.

She added that a porter told her: “yeah, you can acknowledge your identity, but you don’t need to put a flag up”.

The College’s accommodation handbook specifies that “posters or notices should not be displayed in College windows or anywhere other than on recognised College noticeboards”.

CUSU LGBT+ has branded the move as “unacceptable” and said: “If the College is condoning the implied homophobia of the ‘different opinions’, it should be thinking seriously about their staff’s ability to care for all of their students”.

In recognition of LGBT+ History Month, most colleges have flown the rainbow flag. Some colleges, including Jesus, Clare, Hughes Hall, and Emmanuel, are also hosting themed formals.

The Trinity student, who is open about her bisexuality only in Cambridge, spoke of the emotional “gap” she feels “every time I walk back to College” which was only filled by the confiscated flag.

“And now even that has been deemed unacceptable by College. It’s lonely and it hurts. In my time here I have seen no LGBT+ events advertised around College, no socials, no mention of the CUSU LGBT+ events around college, let alone a [themed formal] of our own.”

“Cambridge is a place where I can finally be my complete self. I don’t want that taken away from me.”

In a statement, Trinity College said: “We are looking into this matter, which we take seriously, and will respond fully when that process is complete.”