I wanted to respond to a few topics in this conversation:
1. Lesbians: Most schools are lacking in the lesbian department. Last year, we only had 1 lesbian in the 1L class. Through a concerted effort to reach out to lesbian applicants and admits, we started out the year with 5 in this year's 1L class. This actually helped to bring some of the upper-years out of the woodwork. In working with HLS Lambda, we hope to continue this trend both to reach out to lesbian potential students and to make sure our organization is as relevant to the L as we are to the G.
2. Duke/Advocate: I remember laughing when I first read that article. Duke (UG) is NOT a top 20 school for LGBT students. I will admit that things have improved drastically in the five years since they were voted most homophobic. But I still felt like being gay was a bit of a detriment to my experience there. The law school is another world, so I can't really comment on that.
3. Out on the Application: I will agree that one shouldn't really add the equivalent of "btw, I'm gay too." But if it has shaped your experience, then it's certainly worth adding. And I would suggest to everyone that they come out once they are admitted. The admissions office at HLS passes on the names and emails of people who were out on their application, and we reach out to them and can answer questions about LGBT life at school.
4. Harvard: We do LGBT recruiting as well (look for a letter if you checked the CRS box). I feel like being gay has really enriched my experience at HLS. We have a great group at Lambda, and we're working to make it even better this year. Being a larger school, we actually have a critical mass of people and a community, rather than a small group. The administration is definitely behind us; they are instrumental in helping us plan a conference on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" this year, working to bring scholars, practitioners, military personnel, and congressional representatives to discuss and debate the issue. We also take advantage of the various graduate schools by having inter-school mixers.
Boston is also a great place to be LGBT. The area is really affirming, and college/university students make up about a quarter of the population. We host an annual dance party that brings together over 500 students from the Boston area. And, since we live in Massachusetts, two of our recent board members are engaged or married -- where else can you marry your law school sweetheart?
I should probably end my propaganda for now, but I'm more than happy to answer any questions about my current home. I really encourage all LGBT applicants to apply to HLS.