Cominq Out Day addresses homosexual issues
By Jennifer Cosgrove
As microcosms of society,
university environments contin
ue to reflect issues and
opinions regarding homosexu
aliiy wnetner
they are pre
sented in n
classroom. a
campus liar, res
idence halls, off
campus living
arrangements or
student organi
zations
The Universi
ty's Campus
Coming Out
uny. in con|ur»:tion witn Hit*
national Coming Out Day tradi
tionally hold eat:h v«ar on Octo
bor 10, is an ovont designed to
recognize the right to bo proud
as a homosexual and promote
awareness about homosexuality
to others.
Another purpose of the Uni
versity's Campus Coming Out
Day is to address homosexual
topics that exist nationwide in
campus settings, including
homophobia, homosexual iden
tities of students of color or dif
ferent religious backgrounds,
peer counseling and social out
lets on campus for homosexual
students.
On a local level, many gays,
lesbians and bisexuals have dif
ferent views about what the day
should mean. Although no for
mal report has been made at the
university to establish the num
ber of gay students on campus,
the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual
Alliance estimates that close to
300 students are openly homo
sexual.
Group backs Coming Out Day
By Jennifer Cosgrove
For Pm Cmgrrt Oa*ty PWV.W
The University of Oregon's lesbian, Gay and
Bisexual Alliance will 1m? sponsoring UO's
Campus Corning Out Day today, scheduled to
begin with a student rally at noon in the EMU
courtyard.
Speakers at the rally will include the dean of
students Jane DeGidio, director of the office of
student advocacy Marlene Drescher. UO law
professor Dorn Vetri and Chris Cullinan from
the department of human resources. An open
microphone will be present for students to con
duct a forum and a mock closet door will be set
up before the event for participants to walk
through.
After the rally, local gay and lesbian musi
cians and singers will be performing throughout
the afternoon Information tables and vendors
will be located throughout the < ourtyard as part
of the Coming Out Day event as well.
At 3 p m., a student discussion panel will l>«
held in the EMU’s Ben Linder Room covering
topics such as bisexuals and homosexuals com
ing out in diverse communities, job security,
changes in the gay and lesbian community and
challenges Ihnt occur in noth personal and inti
mate relationship* when coming out
*‘VV»> would like to encourage lo all students
that our office serves a* a reference center for
anyone, regardless of their orientation," said
deMille. "Regardless of whatever people's age,
color, religious beliefs and other personality
traits may be, we want anyone to feel comfort
able to contact the LGBA and realize these
should not be an issue at all."
Mai continued: "The LGBA is meant to bo
helpful for anything: open questions, paper top
ics. borrowing library books or just learning
about the gay community and its members.
We re an education center and a support ser
vice. not a political campaign office."
Mai also commented on how it is difficult to
make homosexual students aware that the office
has a list of contacts and resources for any ques
tions or situations students have.
"Coming out. being gay or leading a homo
sexual lifestyle will always have lots of new
dilemmas, personal experiences and present
unexpected things to face, just like anything
else in life." she said. "It's good to lie aware that
there am many programs, services and support
systems offered here to contact in Kugeno "
"A closet is not easily de
fined, let alone determined by
what it means to i>e 'in' or 'out."'
said Traci, a bisexual sopho
more who wished to remain
anonymous. "Every gay and
every straight person has a dif
ferent answer to these questions.
Being out of the closet to me
means not having to think, about
it at all when you're in public or
in private, (ust l>e who you are."
One student, a 25-year-old gay
male named Romeo, who nlslf
you can l>e honest with yourself,
tell vour nearest ami dearest,
stand up for what you believe in
and respect yourself, then you
can control lining out of the clos
et in public, without officially
having to come out
"Coming out is a lifetime
proc ess." said senior Jodi Mai.
co-director of the Lesbian. Gay
and Bisexual Alliance "I don’t
think straight students can
apprec iate how muc h heterosex
ual i t \ is enforced as the order of
soc ietal things we all engage in;
holding a lover's hand, embrac
ing. going out to soc ml func tions
— even walking between c lasses
i rentes a message to those afraid
or hesitant to come out that
homosexuality isn’t normal
Many lesbian and gay stu
dents agreed that once someone
has come out. explanations
about why he or she is ga\ will
never cease
"Homosexuals and bisexuals
still constantly justify their
lifestyles," said Colin, a junior.
I find that even when I look at
others out. I respect those who
do not wont to be all the way
out. because it's hard to let go
and not (.are about what other
people think about you," he
said. "The day encourages that
everyone is on a different level
of being out' for their own per
sonal reasons."
Other homosexual students
frow n on the idea of a campus
coming out day. believing it to
fie an invasion of pnvm v
"The event implies pressure
situations because people
expei I you to be involved in
supporting the gay community
in any issue, which tuny be one
you disagree with,” Komeo said.
"I think it's really disturbing
that we even have to take a
dav." said Km hel Uueker, 21, a
lesbian "There's a lot of limits
staving in the closet We should
realize it's not only one dav to
tie proud of yourself to lie out. it
should be every day. until
homophobia is i ompletelv abol
ished
Troy Shields, also a senior,
said that homosexual and bisex
ual students who come out also
have different experiences in
store if they .ire from another
ethnic background or religion
that does not openlv support
homosexuality.
While gay, lesbian and bisex
ual students at the university
disagree on how to dismantle a
homosexual closet that mav
exist for someone, most agree
that there is no question that it
should lie broken down, despite
any fears.
“There are so many support
ive services here at UQ and
social outlets and even i ounsel
mg for those remaining inside a
closet, it's really important to
reach out to those you may sus
pect are in denial or vice versa,"
said Mai
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