Higher Education LGBT
Articles Digest #125
#1
The Maine Campus, April 24, 2003
University of Maine, Orono, Maine
http://www.mainecampus.com/news/425425.html
(Web site requires free registration)
VANDALISM TO RAINBOW CENTER DEEMED HATE CRIME
SERIES OF INCIDENTS PLAGUE GLBT RESOURCE ROOM, PERPETRATOR STILL UNKNOWN
By Kyle Webster
Throughout the past month, the Rainbow Resource Center has found itself the
victim of several cases of vandalism that are being classified as hate
crimes.
Beginning just before spring break and occurring as recently as Pride Week,
April 7-12, there have been five incidents of words being written on the two
doors that open into the RRC, located in the basement of Memorial Union.
The words included variations of the word "fag" and are described
by Eryn Montgomery, the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender liaison, as getting
worse.
"There was a fear it's going to escalate," Montgomery said.
"The messages have gotten progressively more hateful."
Following the first two occurrences, March 7 and 10, University of Maine
Public Safety and the advisers for the RRC decided not to go public with the
information.
"We were trying to keep it on a low profile at first," Montgomery
said. "We wanted to figure out how we wanted to handle it before we
went public."
After the last three incidents, however, they determined it was time to
alert the university community of what had occurred. Dr. Robert Dana, Dean
of Students, issued a statement in regards to the events.
In his statement, Dana wrote, "In addition to violating the
non-discrimination policy and community standards of civility and decency,
this crime is a violation of the Student Conduct Code. If a student is
committing these acts then that person is subject to sanctions that could
include expulsion from the university. In addition to campus rules, these
acts are a violation of the State of Maine Hate Crimes Law and violators
will be subject to state prosecution."
Kristofor Broski, the president of Wilde Stein, a student organization for
gay, lesbian and bisexual education, issued a similar statement concerning
the events.
The statement was read at a Student Government meeting and encouraged anyone
with information to step forward, while also aiming to educate everyone of
what had happened.
"We have decided to take this issue public in the hopes that it will
not only help us catch the individual, but also to make the campus community
aware that this campus is still not safe for gay, lesbian, bisexual or
transgender people," Broski said.
Hate crimes involving sexual orientation occur
throughout the country. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in
2001 there were 1,592 known offenses of hate crime due to sexual
orientation. Of this number, 357 were damage or vandalism oriented crimes,
such as what occurred at the RRC.
Similar incidents have occurred on the UMaine campus before.
In the spring of 2002, statements such as "God hates fags" were
found written on the stalls of the first floor men's bathroom in Fogler
Library.
In light of these situations, Montgomery said she sees education on issues
of sexual diversity as essential.
"As this has happened more and more, it has showed that there's a lot
of education that needs to happen," she said. "We need to deal
with different issues of the differences on this campus. I don't think
people realize how much diversity we actually have."
[Photo Caption: Graffiti over the "safe zone" sign on the GLBT
resource center's door in Memorial Union over spring break (depicting the
word "FAG" in felt tip marker). ]
#2
The Daily Utah Chronicle, April 23, 2003
200 S Central Campus Dr #236
Salt Lake City UT 84112
801-581-6397
http://www.dailyutahchronicle.com/news/423772.html?mkey=452564
GAY UNIVERSITY OF UTAH SKIER BECOMES ROLE MODEL FOR OTHERS
By Sheena McFarland
Ryan Quinn describes coming out to his family and friends as
"terrifying," but the decision to come out to his fellow U ski
team members was even tougher.
Though the Alaska native realized he was attracted to males in high school,
he pushed those feelings aside and focused on sports.
Quinn didn't admit to himself that he was gay until his first year of
college, and then he took about a year to tell his parents and close
friends.
"I should have known earlier that I was gay, but I think being involved
with sports delayed that because being gay is not a social option,"
said Quinn, who is graduating this year with a degree in business
administration.
Quinn began living two lives-one with his gay friends and the other with his
team.
"I actually felt more uncomfortable being 'the jock' around my gay
friends than being gay around my teammates because my sexuality was just
something that I didn't share with the team," he said.
But after two years of being out to his friends and family, Quinn decided it
was time to merge his two lives. He first told his former male roommate and
current team member, and then told a couple of female members on the team.
Then, about a week later at a team party, Quinn took his teammates aside and
told each of them one-on-one.
"I didn't want anyone to find out from someone else on the team, and my
teammates really appreciated my honesty," he said. "Everyone [on
the team] was like 'We respect, know and like you,' and they were
immediately supportive."
The next morning, some of his teammates called him and asked if he was OK
with coming out, and reiterated their support for Quinn.
Kevin Sweeney, the ski team coach, also supported Quinn.
"Being supportive is not a problem for me or Ryan's fellow teammates.
We have a lot of respect for each other, and we spend a lot of time on the
road together and competing, so we have got to support each other,"
Sweeney said.
Quinn also notes the individual nature of cross country skiing.
"There's not a lot of awkwardness among the team because we respect
each other. We travel a lot together, but there are no locker-room
scenarios," he said.
Which may be why Quinn's coming out was easily accepted by his teammates.
But for other, more full-contact sports, that may not be the case.
Anthony White, a backup safety for the U football team, says he wouldn't
personally have a problem with a gay football player, but he could foresee
problems with the team.
"When I look at teammates, I think about how well they are playing,
which is what any good team does, but I think having a gay player on a
football team could be a distraction for the team, even if the individual
players were OK with it," he said.
White, who will serve as the Vice President of the Associated Students of
the University of Utah next year, says a gay football player would likely
face a lot more adversity than someone in Quinn's position.
"Football is probably looked at as the most
masculine sport, and so I think it would probably be three times as hard for
a football player to come out," he said.
White chalks up the fact that very few football players on all levels-from
high school to pro-are openly gay.
"Those guys are going to face a lot of pressure to not be on the team,
and that's got to be really hard," White said.
That pressure is one of the reasons Quinn decided to come out. He served on
the advisory board of the first National Gay and Lesbian Athletics
Conference, which was set up to start discussions around the nation about
making athletics a safe zone for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender
community.
"The conference gave us information so we could go back to our schools
and teams and help the athletics department be aware of homophobia and how
to counteract it," he said.
Earlier this month, Quinn gave a presentation at the Student Athlete Mentors
program, which is run by the U's athletics department.
This semester, the program has focused on respect of diversity, so Quinn was
a welcome speaker, said Mary Bowman, U assistant athletics director over
student athlete support services.
This is the first semester the program has focused on respecting diversity.
The subject didn't come up due to any specific incident, but rather a focus
on awareness and education, Bowman said.
Charles Milne, director of the LGBT Resource Center, supports the
department's program because of its emphasis on starting conversations that
breakdown stereotypes society has of the LGBT community.
"There are a lot of athletic people out there, and sexual orientation
doesn't dictate that," he said.
Quinn is a case in point.
Quinn participated on the Junior National Ski Team from 1996-2000. He won
second place in both 1997 and 1998 at the Alaska State Skiing Championships
and garnered the title of Junior National Champion in 2000.
He was a member of his high school cross country team, and won third place
in the 1998 Alaska State Championships.
That trend continued into college, with continued cross country skiing
success. Quinn is a two-time NCAA All-American, and in U.S. national
competition, he placed 11th in the 2002 sprint and 10th in the 2003 sprint.
Quinn was also the Utah 2003 top men's cross-country point scorer.
When successful athletes like Quinn decide to come out, it helps other gay
athletes feel more comfortable coming out, Milne said.
"The program creates an atmosphere where people are comfortable talking
about their feelings and problems," he said. "Through the
visibility of people like Ryan coming out, it shows everyone that a person
can be a good athlete and can be gay," he said.
While Quinn says activism was never a life goal, he says his experience has
made him want to share it with others. Quinn wrote an article about being a
gay athlete for the Web site outsports.com, an LGBT athletic site, and he
received e-mails from all over the country from athletes who were afraid to
come out. Quinn then realized the help he could provide to those in such a
situation.
"Activism was one way to help other athletes with the coming out
process," he said. "If I had known an openly gay athlete, I think
I would have come out a lot sooner."
smcfarland@chronicle.utah.edu
[Photo captions: #1: U skier Ryan Quinn works on a group project with
classmates in the CRCC. Media Credit: Dave Tada
#2: Quinn served as an Advisory Board member for the 1st annual National Gay
and Lesbian Athletics Conference.]
#3
Seattle Times, April 28, 2003
P. O. Box 70, Seattle, WA, 98111
(Fax: 206-382-6760 ) (E-Mail: opinion@seattletimes.com )
( http://www.seattletimes.com )
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/134684674_safezone28m.html
SAFE ZONES TO AID COLLEGE SEXUAL MINORITIES [AT HIGHLINE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN DES MOINES, WA]
By J.J. Jensen, Seattle Times staff reporter
At a recent meeting of lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
students in Highline Community College's Rainbow Pride Club, members
wrangled with the details of an upcoming drag fashion show and what to wear
to this year's Pride Parade.
But in talking about places on their
Des Moines campus where they
felt they could go for support or speak candidly about LGBT issues, the 20
members came to quicker agreement: There were none.
"It's good to have some place to
go or someone to talk to because you
can get pretty lonely sometimes," said club President Steve Martel, a
17-year-old student.
To provide that place, students turned
to a national program, Safe
Zones, which identifies classrooms as safe, accepting environments where
LGBT students can feel free to be themselves and talk with instructors and
staff members who are supportive.
The Safe Zones, identified with a pink
triangle or rainbow flag, date
back more than a decade and are found on more than 100 college campuses
nationwide, including Western Washington University and the University of
Puget Sound.
At noon today, over tea and finger
foods, the Rainbow Pride Club will
unveil the program at Highline and identify 12 staff members who have
volunteered their rooms and offices as Safe Zones. Club members will
also
give testimonials about how having someone to talk to about their sexual
orientations and feelings could have helped them in the past.
"When I was coming out, I would've
liked a place to talk," said
Martel, who left nearby Mount Rainier High School in favor of a more
understanding environment. "I was very confused. Was I
bisexual, gay,
straight, is this a phase? And for students from religious
backgrounds,
they think they might go to hell. It's kind of depressing and lonely,
pretending to be straight. You don't feel anyone else understands
you."
Verdena Gardner, a 28-year-old student,
said when she came out in
high school, her family kicked her out of her house.
"A lot of sexual-minority young
people go home to a family that is
hostile to what they are," she said. "That makes it that
much more
important to have safe spaces for sexual minorities because they may not
have that at home."
The Rainbow Pride Club, which formed
this year at the 10,000-student
college after some opposition from student government, says that on a daily
basis many students, perhaps unknowingly, promote a sense of homophobia by
using phrases such as "that's gay." Besides being places to
feel secure,
club members say the Safe Zones will promote diversity and raise awareness.
Randy Fisher, an openly gay staff
member and club adviser, said that
while teaching in Eastern Washington he saw the bigotry some gay students
faced, and he received a death threat.
He will gladly display a Safe Zone
sticker in his office.
"I admire their courage," he
said of the club members. "It takes a
lot for them to do this."
. J.J. Jensen: 206-464-2386
#4
Associated Press, April 28, 2003
http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20030428&Category=A
PN&ArtNo=304280693&Ref=AR&cachetime=5
DUKE STUDENTS USE T-SHIRTS TO SAY IT'S OK TO BE GAY
Hundreds of Duke University students
want to let others know that
it's OK to be gay.
In the past two weeks, hundreds of
students have been seen wearing
T-shirts that say, simply: "Gay? Fine by me."
Duke President Nan Keohane has one.
Duke basketball players Nick
Horvath and Shavlik Randolph have been spotted in the shirts.
"They're everywhere," said
senior Amanda Poston, who got hers last
week from the boxes of free shirts on a breezeway outside the student union.
"This is a peaceful, passive way we can express how we feel."
The trend was started by a group of
friends, gay and straight, who
decided something had to be done about the perception that Duke is a
homophobic place. A few years ago, the Princeton Review rated Duke as
the
most gay-unfriendly campus in the United States.
So the students thought up a slogan,
ordered 500 T-shirts and planned
to give them away to as many people as would take them.
The shirts were gone by noon the first
day. A rush order of an
additional 250 disappeared in about 15 minutes. In 10 days, 1,800 shirts
were snapped up.
Spring classes are over, but the group
has contacted college students
across North Carolina to suggest similar T-shirt giveaways in the fall.
N.C. State University, UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. Central University and Guilford
College have expressed interest.
#5
Athens News, April 28, 2003
14 N. Court Street, Athens, OH, 45701
(Fax: 740-592-5695) (E-Mail: news@athensnews.com )
( http://www.athensnews.com )
http://www.athensnews.com/issue/article.php3?story_id=12523
COLLEGE GREEN RALLY CELEBRATES LGBT PRIDE AT END OF WEEK OF CAMPUS EVENTS
By Lyndsey Johnson
The LGBT community wrapped-up
"Pride week 2003" with the support of
administrators, staff, parents and students at Friday's "Pride
Rally."
A crowd of 70-80 students gathered at
the West Portico on College
Green Friday afternoon to hear messages of celebration and concern for the
future of the LGBT community at Ohio University.
Heather Lanfranchi, LGBT commissioner
for OU Student Senate, emceed
the event, and boasted about the success of this year's Pride Week, an event
focusing on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
persons. Lanfranchi said that during this year's events, attendance
increased across the board, and that none if it would have been possible
without the sweat and tears of many dedicated students.
Among those who addressed the crowd
Friday afternoon was Susan
Burgess, director of the Women's Studies Program at OU. Burgess said
that
one of the important things about pride is knowing that you have a home.
Burgess said that the LGBT community does have a home here at OU, and that
academically, it is located in the Women's Studies program.
Burgess announced that starting in the
fall of 2004, the Women's
Studies Department should have their academic major program up and running,
and that the major will include a track in sexuality studies. "I
look
forward to a week of pride for the university, when we can all live in a
place as equal citizens of this community and of this university, and we can
all be proud of each other," Burgess said.
Burgess and many other speakers on
Friday expressed the urgent need
for partner benefits, and a full-time position for the LGBT coordinator.
During the rally, OU Provost Stephen
Kopp stepped to the microphone
and addressed some of these concerns. "It is true that we have
students on
this campus who confront hostility and live in fear of physical harm daily
because of their sexual orientation," Kopp said.
"Personally, I find this
unacceptable." Kopp stated that some university employees
confront some of
the same hostilities, and stressed the importance of accountability in the
personal fight against such injustices.
"We will know that our work is
done here at the university when we
have achieved true learning equality, meaning that every student has an
opportunity to learn in a supportive environment," Kopp said. He
challenged
students to become active in this calling, saying that now is the time to
act and to advance the unity of one community.
Further administrative support was
offered by VP of Student Affairs
Michael Sostarich, who reiterated his commitment to have the LGBT
coordinator position at full-time within the next two years.
Dean of Students Terry Hogan also
offered words of encouragement,
citing the large growth in university leadership involvement with the LGBT
community. Hogan stressed the importance of educating and involving
all
those who were not present at the rally.
Several active members within the LGBT
community addressed the crowd,
including LGBT coordinator Mickey Hart. He offered an emotional
message to
the crowd, urging members to reach out to those students who are afraid to
tell the truth about their sexuality. He cited the importance of
community
and unity within the movement, saying that improvements will come, but that
without unity, any positive changes will be in vain. "This is
your
university," Hart exclaimed. "This is your time. Leave
this university
better for the LGBT community than when you found it. Be out. Be
proud. Enjoy the journey."
#6
Daily Hampshire Gazette, April 28, 2003
(Smith College)
http://www.gazettenet.com/04282003/five_col/5472.htm
SMITH STUDENTS VOTE FOR GENDER NEUTRAL WORDING
By Sunshine Dewitt, Staff Writer
Monday, April 28, 2003 -- NORTHAMPTON - Smith College students earlier this
month made a decision some might find mystifying: Although Smith is a
women's college, the students voted to change the language of their student
constitution so that the pronouns "she" and "her" would
be replaced with gender-neutral terms.
The vote applies only to student government documents, and not to official
college publications, so none of the college's brochures will excise the
female pronouns.
The student government vote is an indication of a deeper issue facing Smith
College, and other same-sex institutions, which is that a growing number of
students identify themselves as transgender, and say they feel uncomfortable
with female pronouns.
"Smith College is a college for women, and within that there is a place
for all kinds of women," said Brenda Allen, director of institutional
diversity.
In addition to the issue of gender identity, within the transgendered
movement there is also the matter of sex-reassignment surgery, formerly
known as sex-change operations.
Dean of the College Maureen Mahoney said there is no policy in place at
Smith that prevents students from undergoing sex-reassignment surgery while
students are at the college. But she admits that the matter raises complex
issues that the college has yet to fully deal with.
She said that though Smith is a women's college and only accepts women, the
school has no intention of rejecting students who undergo a sex-reassignment
surgery while a student.
"There is no mechanism, nor would we want to go around monitoring
anyone," said Mahoney. "It's a complicated situation and we're
responding to it and learning at the same time."
Lindsay Watson, who recently ended her term as Student Government
Association president, said she introduced the initiative as a way to
attract a wider range of students to student government.
Watson said she was thinking particularly of students who identify
themselves as transgendered, and therefore may be uncomfortable using female
pronouns to describe themselves.
"One of the things I spent some time looking into is what is
discouraging people from getting involved (in student government),"
said Watson. "This was something that screamed really loudly."
The initiative, which was voted on over a three-day period April 15 through
April 17, passed by a 50- vote margin, with 1,115 students casting
electronic votes, according to Smith spokeswoman Laurie Fenlason.
The vote stirred enough controversy that the SGA held a special forum to
discuss the issue the weekend before the vote.
According to Watson, at that meeting some students expressed concerns that
the move could change Smith policy and open the door to turning Smith into a
coeducational institution.
However, according to Watson, this was never at issue. "I'm flattered
that people think the student government has that much influence, which we
don't," said Watson.
Toby Davis, a senior who is co-chair of what is called the "T"
committee, a transgendered students group on campus, expressed approval of
the vote.
"When Watson came and talked to us about it, we were of course pretty
psyched this would come from the head of the SGA," Davis said. "It
is making the SGA to me personally feel like a more welcoming
organization."
The vote means that as of next fall term, any instance in SGA constitution
of the word "she" will be replaced with the term "the
student," and the pronoun "her" will either be deleted or
changed to the word "the."
"I think that some students were concerned that the identity of Smith
as a single-sex institution - as a women's college - would be tainted in
some way," said Julie Mencher, a Northampton psychotherapist who was
recently hired to serve as transgender specialist at the college.
According to Mencher, most of the students she counsels do not see
themselves as transsexual - that is, they are not necessarily interested in
using medical means to change their bodies so that they appear as the
opposite sex. Rather, she said, they are exploring their gender.
"There are a lot of students here who identify as transgender but don't
identify as male. They identify in a more gender-ambiguous way,"
explained Mencher. "They have come to a campus where that's very much
supported."
Sunshine DeWitt can be reached at sdewitt@gazettenet.com.
#7
The GW Hatchet, April 29, 2003
George Washington University, 2140 G Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20052
(Fax: 202-994-1309) (E-Mail: letters@whatchet.com )
( http://www.gwhatchet.com )
http://www.gwhatchet.com/news/427288.html
COLUMN: NO ROOM FOR PREJUDICE IN GOVERNMENT
By Emily Horne
I'd gotten my hopes up after Trent
Lott's resignation as Senate
majority leader this winter. His own party's reactions to his comments
at
Strom Thurmond's birthday that vaguely, yet favorably, recalled the aging
senator's racist views in past years made me think that perhaps Republicans
would no longer tolerate intolerance. That perhaps the party currently
controlling both the legislative and executive branches, a party infamous
for its history of supporting state-sponsored segregation, sexism and
homophobia would finally begin to understand that their party line is no
longer acceptable to the American people.
Clearly, I was wrong. Sen. Rick
Santorum (R-Pa.) was quoted in an
Associated Press interview as saying that he "(has) a problem with
homosexual acts." Quickly realizing the lack of political
correctness in
his statement, he tried to backtrack, saying that "if that's their
orientation, then I accept that ... the question is, do you act on that
orientation?" So much for that whole "pursuit of
happiness" business they
made him quibble about at Dickinson Law School. His suggestion that
the act
and the individual can be considered separate entities ignores our basic
right as a people to pursue that which enhances and improves our lives,
providing it is not done at the expense of society. Santorum is simply
gay
bashing in a new way; one that he thinks will make him appear more tolerant
than his more conservative counterparts.
Santorum tries to argue that if law
sanctions homosexual acts, then
we are setting a precedent for all sorts of deviant behavior in the privacy
of our bedrooms. This U.S. senator actually had the gall to sit in
front of
a reporter and compare a gay or lesbian relationship to "man on
dog." The
problem with this, as anyone at GW who has suffered through logic will tell
you, is that it's a classic slippery slope. Let's apply this logic to
one
of Santorum's favorite issues - the Second Amendment. His logic says
that
because the Bill of Rights gives me the right to bear arms, I am legally
permitted to own assault rifles and manufacture bombs in my dorm room.
Yet,
in reality, I cannot do these things. We have laws that are carefully
defined to protect society while not infringing upon individual rights.
It
is ludicrous to presume that if we abolish outdated laws that infringe upon
the private lives of consenting adults, we are endorsing potentially harmful
and destructive acts. Santorum's comments are a perfect illustration
of why
"tolerance" is an outdated operating mechanism.
"Tolerance" merely means
the absence of outright malice and legalized prejudice. I understand
that
my personal views, and those of my party, are not the views of all
Americans. However, if we are to work well as business partners, as
neighbors, as citizens and as friends, "tolerance" of one another
is no
longer enough. As an elected figure, particularly one in a leadership
position, Santorum ought to be promoting harmony among his constituents and
working to make their lives better, not making sweeping judgements about a
lifestyle choice made by legal adults.
If Sen. Lott resigned from leadership
because of vague references to
a policy that ceased to exist 40 years ago, then Santorum's comments warrant
at least the same response. I am sorry to see that calls for
Santorum's
removal from his position as Senate Republican chairman - the third-highest
ranking position in the Senate - have been slow in coming. His
behavior and
his personal views are those of a man who is not only intolerant, but
seeking to distort the truth and twist logic to suit his own purposes.
This
is not a discussion of public policy; it is a clear attack on the lifestyles
of Americans. Small-minded and prejudiced people have no place in our
government. Santorum is unfit to hold a position of responsibility and
power. I am proud to add my voice to the chorus calling for his
resignation.
. The writer, a junior majoring in
history, is incoming president of the College Democrats.
#8
Oregon Daily Emerald, April 29, 2003
University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
(Fax: 541-346-5821 ) (E-Mail: ode@oregon.uoregon.edu )
http://www.dailyemerald.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/04/29/3eae8d92c8e7a
RICK SANTORUM GOES BEYOND GAY SLURS; HE'S LOST HOLD OF REALITY
Emerald editorial board
Once again a Republican senator has
spoken his mind about a group of
people, and once again tongues are wagging, calling for some sort of
sanction.
Rick Santorum, R-Pa., earlier this
month told The Associated Press,
"if the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual sex
within
your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to
polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery.
You
have the right to anything."
Santorum is referring to a Supreme
Court case currently under review
challenging a Texas law against "deviant sexual intercourse."
In the case,
Houston police received a false report of an armed intruder, entered a home,
found two men having sex and arrested them.
Gay rights groups, many Democrats and
two Republicans, so far, have
called Santorum's comments discriminatory, have said Santorum should be
removed from his No. 3 post in the Senate GOP leadership, and have said the
comments do not reflect the views of the Republican Party, respectively.
Santorum defended his comments and told CNN they "were taken out of
context." Actually, they weren't. Read the transcript at
http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/04/22/santorum.excerpts.ap/index.html.
Those challenging Santorum's comments
have focused on the quote
listed above. And yes, those comments are discriminatory. The
difference
is that sanctions against bigamy, polygamy, incest and adultery apply
equally to everyone. The Texas law, a throwback to zealous religious
rule,
can be applied to anything beyond vaginal-penile intercourse. But it
isn't.
This law isn't used to punish
heterosexual couples found doing dirty
things. It's used to pass judgment on homosexuality and punish gays.
Such
witch hunts shouldn't be allowed, and Santorum's words ignore the
distinction and keep bigotry alive.
There are more interesting bits in
Santorum's interview, though. He
actually blames the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal on liberals.
Here's
the quote:
"You have the problem within the
church. Again, it goes back to this
moral relativism, which is very accepting of a variety of different
lifestyles. And if you make the case that if you can do whatever you
want
to do, as long as it's in the privacy of your own home, this 'right to
privacy,' then why be surprised that people are doing things that are
deviant within their own home? If you say, there is no deviant as long
as
it's private, as long as it's consensual, then don't be surprised what you
get."
Wait a minute. It sounds like
he's saying that when Catholic priests
used their authority to force boys to have sex with them - it was
consensual? Here's more:
"In this case, what we're talking
about, basically, is priests who
were having sexual relations with post-pubescent men. We're not
talking
about priests with 3 year olds or 5 year olds. We're talking about a
basic
homosexual relationship."
No, actually, raping minors is not a
basic homosexual relationship.
And mainstream America recognizes that. The interview shows that
Santorum
doesn't simply hold bigoted views about gays - he's way out of touch with
reality. Forget sanctions; the GOP should cut its losses and drop him
entirely.
#9
Daily Times, April 30, 2003
41-N, Industrial Area, Gulberg II, Lahore, Pakistan
(Fax: 92-42-5878620) (E-Mail: editorial@dailytimes.com.pk )
( http://www.dailytimes.com.pk )
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_1-5-2003_pg7_13
PAKISTANI POET'S BOOK MADE REQUIRED READING AT U.S. COLLEGE
[TRUMAN COLLEGE]
Staff Report
WASHINGTON - Chicago-based poet and
author, Pakistani-born Ifti
Nasim, has had one of his books declared "required reading" for a
university
humanities course.
The book, a collection of his poem
covering the period 1980-2000 will
be used in the fall term for th Humanities 212 class at Truman College,
Chicago. The title of the book is 'Myrmecophile.'
Rudra Vilius Dundzila, professor of
humanities at Truman College, has
invited Ifti Nasim to speak to his class which will focus on Arab and
Islamic achievements in art and literature. "We're going to hear
from
minority voices from Islamic culture, and Ifti's book will give us the gay
perspective," said Dundzila, adding, "I thought it would be
perfect."
Nasim told Daily Times, "It's a
writer's dream come true." Nasim,
whose works include the first poetry collection on gay themes published in
Urdu, 'Narman' The book examined the ostracism of those disposed to a
different lifestyle and sexual orientation in Third World countries and
sparked a movement called Narmani, or honest poetry - as well as death
threats for the poet who says, "I'm basically a Muslim person. I
don't
practise, but I compensate by helping other people, by doing my
activism."
Ifti Nasim's books in Urdu include 'Mukhtalif', published by Sang-Meel
Publishers, Lahore.
#10
Penn State Collegian, April 30, 2003
Penn State University, 123 S. Burrowes St., University Park, Pa. 16801-3882.
(E-Mail: letters@psu.edu ) ( http://www.collegian.psu.edu/ )
http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2003/04/04-30-03tdc/04-30-03dnews-03.asp
[PENN STATE UNIVERSITY] LGBT GROUPS LOBBY STATE
Penn State University students with members of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender groups
visited Harrisburg to rally for equal rights.
By Meghan Gaffney, For The Collegian
Sen. Rick Santorum's recent remarks
gave lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender groups even more reason to attend the 5th Annual Ignite Rally
&
Legislative Education Day yesterday in Harrisburg.
The rally involved lobbying for a new
amendment that would guarantee
equal rights for all people, namely in workplaces and housing.
Manish Vaidya, co-chair of the Student
Mobilization Project, a youth
based group under the Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition (SPARC),
organized Penn State students for the rally. The schedule included an
educational workshop, a diverse group of speakers in support of the
amendment and meetings with individual legislators.
LGBT people are being evicted from
their houses and fired from their
jobs because of their identity, Vaidya said. He said that most people
are
unaware of how often the LGBT community experiences this type of
discrimination.
"It's a huge oversight that needs
to be corrected," he said.
"Legislators are responsible for making the effort to build an
inclusive Pennsylvania."
Kamilah Cole (sophomore-journalism)
agreed.
"We're just trying to secure basic
rights and a peace of mind," she said.
Student lobbyists who attended
yesterday's rally expected opposition
and disagreement with legislators, but many students said they thought the
majority of representatives and senators were responsive. However,
some
representatives still held strong to their personal beliefs.
"Some said flat out that they
would not support it," Vaidya said.
"They are still letting their personal misconceptions, stereotypes and
myths
dominate their thinking."
As for Sen. Santorum, he was challenged
to a debate by SPARC to
confront the comments he made, but he refused to accept the challenge.
Vaidya said he thought Santorum's
refusal to debate meant the senator
was uneducated on the issue.
"Whether or not Santorum
understands the facts, he fails to
acknowledge them," Vaidya said.
Cole said Santorum's comments only
prove the discrimination the LGBT
community faces, and although she said he has the right to his own opinions,
he represents everyone and should therefore respect his constituents.
Rally attendee Heather Whidden
(junior-psychology) said the laws are
important, no matter how legislators view the community.
"As long as there is
discrimination, we need laws to protect us," she
said. "We're only asking not to be discriminated against because
of the
people we love."
#11
Middlebury Campus, April 30, 2003
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753
( http://www.middleburycampus.com )
http://www.middleburycampus.com/news/429704.html?mkey=120957
EDITORIAL: SHUNNING SANTORUM, COMMEMORATING CIVIL UNIONS
By Devin Zatorski
The anniversary of Vermont's landmark
civil unions bill passed almost
unnoticed last week. The debate that three years ago polarized the
electorate has since faded into the mainstream, with even the most vocal
opponents accepting its place in Vermont's law books.
Vermont remains the sole state in the
union to grant loving,
committed gay and lesbian relationships the legitimacy of law.
Meanwhile, Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.)
reminded us of how much remains
to be done.
In an interview with the Associated
Press last week, Santorum said,
"If the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual [gay]
sex
within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to
polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery.
You
have the right to anything." The senator was commenting on the
U.S. Supreme
Court case that weighs Texas residents' right to engage in homosexual
relations in their own homes.
"All those things are antithetical
to a stable, healthy family," he concluded.
Santorum's remarks showcase his
ignorance, but also display contempt
for equal rights. His status as the Republican Party's number-three
man
also lends credence to a view that should have withered long ago - that
homosexuality is somehow equated with socially deviant behavior such as
incest.
Intolerance breeds intolerance.
The prominent Pennsylvania senator
belittled his office by using it to trumpet such archaic views. And he
delivered a forceful and frightening reminder of the bias that still lurks
in this country.
You needn't look far to find it.
Just ask Vermonters who witnessed
the civil unions drama unfold here three years ago.
To make matters worse, the Bush White
House raced to Santorum's
defense, labeling his politics "inclusive." The
administration thereby
called into question just how far America's equitable rhetoric extends.
At least Former Vermont Gov. Howard
Dean - who signed the civil
unions bill into law - had the political nerve to respond. He called
on
Santorum to resign from the Senate leadership, and added, "The
deafening
silence of President Bush and his party has become inexcusable."
The Middlebury College community must
not succumb to silence.
We must hold up the civil unions bill
as a model for other states to
follow. And we must shun the dated logic embedded in Santorum's words.
The anniversary of civil unions
legislation may have passed without
incident. Santorum's bigotry should not.
#12
Associated Press, May 1, 2003
SUPREME COURT'S DAY: GAY RIGHTS CASES UP
By Anne Gearan
WASHINGTON (AP) - Legal cases involving
the rights and treatment of
gay people are on the increase, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor
said Thursday, suggesting a major new focus for the nation's courts in the
21st century.
Asked to predict what issue might
define the work of the Supreme
Court in the 21st century, O'Connor said cases "relating to how
homosexuals
are treated legally" are one possibility.
"We see a lot of these,"
O'Connor said.
She did not mention a major gay rights
case now before the high
court. The court is considering whether states such as Texas may ban
sex
acts between homosexuals that are legal for heterosexuals.
At the same time, the Supreme Court is
still dealing with the legacy
of race, an issue that occupied the courts for much of
the 20th century,
O'Connor told high school students.
"I don't know that we've solved
everything on the race issue yet,"
O'Connor said. "We have to know we haven't, because we have cases
at the
court this term dealing with affirmative action in higher education."
A test of the constitutionality of
affirmative action in campus
admissions is the most closely watched issue before the Supreme Court this
term. The court is expected to rule by summer on whether
race-conscious
admissions policies at the University of Michigan and its law school
discriminate against white applicants.
"I don't think we've finished,
quite, the things from the last
century," O'Connor told students at Gonzaga College High School.
O'Connor predicted her court will
confront questions about civil
liberties and law enforcement in the war on terrorism, but suggested the
high court may not jump on the first Sept. 11-related case it sees.
"These issues are working their
way through the court system," and
the Supreme Court often waits to see how several lower courts view an issue
before it gets involved, she said.
"We're not the first ones to get
to the scene of the fire and put out
the flames," O'Connor said. "We're kind of the last."
O'Connor spoke and answered questions
as part of a monthlong
educational series televised by C-SPAN. Justice Clarence Thomas is
scheduled to make a similar appearance May 20 as part of the cable station's
program to being politicians, journalists, judges and others to schools
around Washington.
. On the Net:
C-SPAN speaking program site:
http://www.studentsandleaders.org
#13
Missoula Independent, May 1, 2003
P.O. Box 8275, Missoula, MT 59801
(Fax: 406/543-4367 ) ( http://www.missoulanews.com )
(Online Mailer: http://www.missoulanews.com/News/Letters/LetterTo.asp )
http://www.everyweek.com/News/News.asp?no=3208
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA'S LAMBDA ALLIANCE TURNS THE OTHER CHEEK
by Jed Gottlieb
Last week, members of the University of
Montana's Lambda Alliance
asked themselves the difficult question of how to respond to the malevolence
of Fred Phelps' upcoming picket in Missoula. If this were almost any
other
group, Lambda would consider a counter-protest. But when Phelps
equates
Missoula churches' support for the gay lifestyle with the events of Sept.
11, Lambda worries it will be just too difficult to keep counter-protesters
from hurling tomatoes, eggs or fists.
"I'm not going to lie," says
Lambda President Ernest Hergert. "It is
really hard for someone who is openly gay to hear things like, 'God hates
fags' and 'You are going to hell.' A person can only take so much of
that."
Last year, the Phelps clan and local
protestors verbally clashed as
expletives were hurled across Arthur Ave., and things almost got "out
of
control," says Hergert. The two parties didn't physically
quarrel, however
many were nervous that violence was just an epithet away. This year,
Lambda
came out of its strategy meeting with a new idea: don't bait, don't
fight,
and don't acknowledge.
"We all just decided as group that
there was really no point in
arguing with them," says Hergert.
Phelps and his Topeka, Kans.-based
Westboro Baptist Church plan to
protest the UM Department of Drama and Dance's performance of The Laramie
Project - a play about Laramie, Wyo.'s reaction to the murder of Matt
Shepard - but they won't be protesting on campus. This gave Lambda the
idea
to hold their response on campus, removed from Phelps.
Lambda will be encouraging the
anti-Phelps contingent to take part in
a "celebration of diversity." Organizers hope to form a line
from the law
school to the PARTV building - where the The Laramie Project will be
performed - made up of students and community members holding hands, wearing
rainbow shirts and listening and singing as local musicians strum guitars
and beat bongos.
"This will be so far away from
Phelps that people won't even see
them," says Lambda special events coordinator Kris Monson.
Hergert acknowledges that the plans
don't entirely ignore Phelps, but
says there is value in holding an event that's not directly related to the
provocateur.
"The problem with ignoring them
entirely is we will still have people
show up [to respond to Phelps] that I don't think truly represent the people
Phelps is attacking," he says.
Hergert worries that if no event is
held there will be no chance for
a public catharsis and an ad hoc protest will swell up that misrepresents
Lambda's message of tolerance and peace. Lambda's celebration will
provide
a healthy outlet for people, he says.
A dozen and a half students and
community members gathered in the
University Center last week to hear the result of Lambda's strategy session.
At first a few seemed surprised that there wouldn't be a direct
confrontation, but after Hergert's presentation the crowd voiced support for
Lambda's logic. As the presentation concluded, one member of the
audience
shouted out what he considered the most effective counter-protest:
"Go see
the play. Sell it out every night."
#14
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE
Position Listings Information
http://jobs.studentaffairs.com/listingDetail.asp?jobID=1178
posted 5/2/2003.
Position
Title: Coordinator of LGBTQA Resource Center and Program
Description: This position will coordinate the programmatic direction
for
the LGBTIQA Resource Center and Program at the University of
Southern Maine for the Portland/Gorham and LAC campuses;
advocates for and supports LGBTIQA student, staff and
faculty; design and implement a variety of trainings and
programs as they relate to the LGBTIQ topics; manage the
Safe Zone program and supervise student staff.
Qualifications: Baccalaureate degree with demonstrated
experience and commitment in working with and for LGBTIQA
individuals and the community. Must have excellent
communication and facilitation skills, collaborative
leadership style, knowledge of LGBTIQA issues and a
multi-knowledge of a wide range of areas that relate to
minority populations. Send materials (cover letter, resume,
three references) to: Christopher O'Connor, Search Chair,
Woodbury Campus Center, RE 101, Review of resumes will begin
May 23, 2003. For more information, contact Mary Kay Kasper
at 207-780-5767.
Requirements
Start Date:
8/1/2003 - Firm
Education:
Bachelor's Degree Required
Work Experience:
0-2 Years
Contact Information
Contact Info: Mary Kay Kasper, Assistant to the Vice President for
Intercultural Development
PO Box 9300
Portland, Maine 04104-9300
Kasper@maine.edu
207-780-5767
Submitted by: <mailto:Kasper@maine.edu?Subject=Response to your listing
on StudentAffairs.com>mary Kay Kasper (Kasper@maine.edu)