For Pride Week, gay means happy
By Lisa Svanevik
Emerald Contributor
The Cay and lesbian Alli
ance will kick off its annual
Cay Pride Week on Monday
with a banquet that will cele
brate the week's theme — "Gay
Still Means Happy."
The banquet will be held
from 6:30 p.m. to B p.m. at
Seymour's Greenery Restau
rant. 996 Willamette St. Tickets
are $4 at the door and include
admission and dinner.
Other activities on the sched
ule include several workshops
and film presentations.
"I really want to stress that
these are available to everyone:
we invito everyone to come,"
said GALA co-director Ryan
Kennedy "The workshops are
not debates ... they are for peo
ple who are gay or lesbian, but
everyone is welcome to come
and learn."
Kennedy said “the big thing
this year” will be Jeans Day on
Thursday.
"Wearing jeans or denim on
that day is an overt statement
that one supports gay and lesbi
an rights” in addition to ull
civil rights. Kennedy said, add
ing that he hopes people will
"consciously wear jeans or
not,” depending on their posi
tion on the issue
Kennedy and fellow co-direc
tor Jennifer Hills both noted
that the function of GALA and
of Pride Week has shifted away
from educating the heterosexu
al community about gays and
toward celebrating the gay life
style and gay pride in recant
years.
The emphasis now, Kennedy
said, is as much on education
as on simply having a good
time.
I.ast year's co-director Tim
Hughes said the event "creates
a safe space for people to come
out (of the closet)" and that the
number of participants in
creases every year.
Pride Week daytime events
begin Monday afternoon at
12:30 with "Kipe Fruits and
budding Flowers." a perspec
tive of older and younger lesbi
ans and gay* in the communi
ty. It wili In: held at the
Koinonia Center, 1414 Kincaid
St.
The Willamette AIDS Coun
cil will present a "Safe Sex Ex
travaganza" at 10:30 a in. on
Tuesday, also at the Koinonia
Center.
A workshop on building and
maintaining healthy gay and
lesbian relationships will fol
low at 1 p.m. at the Center
A look at diversity in the gay
and lesbian community entitled
"Through Another's Eyes" will
take place at noon on Wednes
day in the KMl) Forum Room.
“Dispelling the Fear," a pan
el discussion on sadomaso
chism will begin at 10 a m
Thursday in the Forum Room.
Weekday events conclude
Friday with a noon rally in the
KMl! courtyard.
Weeknighl entertainment in
cludes a full slate of films with
gay themes. Before Stonewall
and Maurice pluy on Tuesday.
The Life and Times of llarvey
Milk and Parting Glances on
Wednesday, and Hailing Tor
the Moon on Thursday.
All films begin at 7 p m. in
the Forum Room, and a $2 do
nation is appreciated.
The week concludes with the
lavender Rhythm Rituaf.
GALA'S Pride Week dance,
from 8 p m to midnight at the
laurelwood Golf Course. 2700
Columbia St. Admission is $4
Saturday features are a gay
and lesbian parenting work
shop at ] 1 a m at the Koinonia
Center, and the showing of
Torch Song Trilogy at 7:15
p.m. and 9:45 p.m. in 150 Ge
ology
Tickets for the movie an* $2
for students and $2.50 for gen
eral admission.
Sunday is "Gay Day." which
will fie celebrated with Pride
Brunches at three local restau
rants Participants are encour
aged to wear black and white
with lavender or purple accents
while brunching at the Bagel
Bakery (Eighth Avenue and
Monroe Street), the Great Soci
ety Cafe (11th Avenue and Pat
terson Street) or Starlet
O'Heifer's (13th and Ijiw
rence).
Partial proceeds from tire
brunch will benefit the new
Gay and Lesbian Helpline.
The week's big event will be
a "l-ate-Night Double Feature"
concert of Romanovsky A Phil
lips together with the Washing
ton Sisters at 8 p.m. Sunday in
the EMU Ballroom
Tickets are $10 only in ad
vance and may be purchased at
the EMU Main Desk or Mother
Kali's Bookstore. GAI*A will
have an information table in
the EMI! from 9:30 a m to 4
p.m. during Pride Week to an
swer questions.
Want to be cast as a P.A.?
Need to know more? Come to a mandatory meeting in
the Carson Gold Room on Tuesday, April 18 at 6:30 p.m.
l>o whal?
Dim-1 and produce
educational and cultural
programs in I' of O
Residence llalls
C'ompen\alion?^^|
Kimiiii and Board
and Irlrphonr
kin a mulilplr
Program Assistant
in U of O Residence Halls
\n f qujl Opportunity. Afftrmstor AHn»« ln\tituth*n
Applications now available at Carson, Hamilton and University
Inn Area Desks and University Housing. Walton Hall
Application deadline: 5 p.m. Monday April 24,
University Housing Office
New GALA co-director
promises inclusiveness
By Sing Chan
Emerald Contributor
An agenda emphasizing cultural, educational and politi
oil activities is the lop priority of the Gay and lesbian Alli
ance's (GALA) new co-director. Ryan Kennedy.
"My goal is to make the GALA office a safe place for peo
ple who are having questions about their sexuality and for
people who are looking for a safe place to stay and to meet
other people," Kennedy said. "GALA is for people who want
to become aware of the political and social issues that circle
around the gay community and around minorities in gener
al."
GALA is a diverse organization that welcomes everyone.
Kennedy said "We want to be inclusive to gays, lesbians.
bisexuals and straight peo
ple."
Kennedy is a senior psy
chology major originally
from Maker. Ho spent a
year in Belgium as an ex
change student and was re
cently in Pennsylvania on
the National Exchange Pro
gram. A transfer student
from Eastern Oregon State
College, Kennedy has been
at the University for a year.
Along with Jennifer
Mills. GALA’S other co-di
rector, Kennedy will plan
cultural and political
events for the gay and les
bian community. He will
also coordinate activities
between GALA and other
Ryan Kennedy
student groups sucn as students Against Apartheid and Stu
dents for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
C.AI,A's youth group provides a forum for young people
(21 and under) to talk about various issues and problems that
affect their lives.
“There are a lot of questions about gay bashing and vio
lence against women. We also discuss coming out to parents
and coming out on the job.” Kennedy said, adding that de
spite these serious topics, the youth group is also a way for
people to get together and have fun.
Although GALA is respected as a politically active organ
ization. there are people who feel threatened and uncomfort
able with the group. "There is a lot of hate and misunder
standing towards our group because of what we represent -
sexual diversity. A lot of people are afraid to come here (the
GALA office)," Kennedy said. The office has received several
harassing phone calls.
One of the main reasons Kennedy wanted to become co
director of GALA was to insure that Gay and Lesbian Pride
Week (April 24-30) was a success. Workshops on gay and les
bian relationships, gay and lesbian parenting and safe sex
will be presented. A banquet, discussion panels, and a film
festival are also planned.
Anyone who wants additional information about GALA is
encouraged to call the GALA Helpline at 686-3360 or to stop
by the office in EMU Room 319.
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