lust news Hom ophobia focus of cam pus ___________ c o n fe r e n c e _ _ _ J ^ ^ ^ M Continued visibility, coming out to heterosexual students, professors and administrators, is crucial to gay activism on campus — that it is not okay to yell ‘faggot’ or ‘dyke’ BY A N N D E E H O C H M A N across the campus, that it is not okay to put harassing notes on people’s doors. s more gay and lesbian students emerge “Harassment is intended to keep us invis­ from closeted life, campus-based homo­ ible and keep us in our place,” he said. “It’s phobia has also come out of hiding, a national when we are who we are, unapologetically, gay leader told Oregon students'at a confer­ with heterosexuals, that we have a measurable ence last month. impact on attitudes.” Kevin Berrill, director of campus and anti­ In an interview following the morning violence projects for the National Gay and session of the conference, Berrill acknowledg­ Lesbian Task Force, said that “visibility has a ed that being “who we are” can be especially price. Both on campus and off, there’s been a difficult at the college level, when many tremendous increase in anti-gay violence.” students are still making decisions about their About 50 students, including some from sexual identity. Campus gay and lesbian Reed College and Lewis and Clark College, groups often have trouble defining themselves joined others from Oregon State University at and deciding whether their primary goal is to the conference, held at the University of sponsor social events, provide support or act Oregon in Eugene. The one-day forum focus­ politically. ed on campus issues for lesbian and gay “Some students get all freaked out if they students, including responding to harassment, come into a meeting with lots of talk about developing leadership in lesbian organizations political activism when they’re still trying to and acting politically. decide if gay is okay,” he said. Berrill said that statistics gathered by the Successful gay student groups have made NGLTF from college campuses demonstrate alliances with the women’s community, increased visibility and action from gay people-of-color groups and Jewish groups to student groups as well as an accompanying combat sexism, racism, anti-Semitism and backlash. To date, more than 120 schools homophobia as linked issues, Berrill said. have added sexual orientation to their non­ His visits to Oregon campuses revealed a discrimination policies, he said; at the same range of awareness about gay and lesbian time, 34 schools reported a total of 1,400 anti­ issues. He conducted a training for 35 faculty gay incidents last year. and staff at the Universtiy of Oregon; a “As long as we’re invisible, the homo­ similar workshop at Lewis and Clark drew phobia is less visible as well,” he said. “As we only three people besides students — one become more vocal, more visible, the fearful resident adviser and two faculty members. members of the dominant group react Still, anti-gay violence is one of the few violently.” issues that draws consensus from both the gay Such incidents, Berrill said, aim to divide and straight community, Berrill said, and is a the community by making gay and lesbian productive avenue for legislation such as students fearful; they are intended to carry a message not only to the individual attacked, but to the group. For that reason, he said, the gay and lesbian community must support people who are victims of violence and edu­ Advertising in ju st: o u t: w orks... cate each other about violence prevention and "Our ads in ju s t o u t have brought response. the most favorable response of Brown University, for instance, has estab­ lished hotlines for communication about anti­ anything we’ve ever done." gay violence and given training to campus Ron Joy security staff about such incidents. BeniH stressed that continued visibility, Hal Jones Automotive particularly individual instances of coming out to heterosexual students, professors and administrators, is crucial to gay activism on campus. “You can’t change what people think and feel,” he said. “But you can focus on behavior A Oregon’s anti-intimidation bill, which passed in the 1989 session. With that bill, Oregon be­ came one of five states with laws addressing anti-gay violence. Berrill said the passage of a federal hate-crimes statistics bill, which would mandate data-collection on crimes against gays and lesbians as well as other minorities, is one priority for the task force this year. Berrill reminded the students that, in spite of the rise in anti-gay violence, gay men and lesbians have made huge gains over the last two decades. “When I entered adolescence 20 years ago ......................................... ........... ■ " ■ ■ ■ »■ ■ ... -- - .-I!-,, .......... .. Harassment: how d o you respond? . ou and a Mend are sitting in a restaurant. Three teenagers at a nearby table begin taunt-ing you — quietly at first, then louder. “Hey...faggot. Jook at those two. It’s disgust­ ing!” Do you taunt them in return, alert the head waiter, move to another table, leave the restaurant? In a workshop on responding to harass­ ment, Kevin Berrill of die National Gay and Lesbian Task Force offered no pat answers for such situations. Instead, he suggested ways to evaluate possible responses. People responding to harassment should keep in mind the following criteria, he said: 1) Does die response keep you safe, physically and emotionally? 2) Does the response challenge or deter the victimizing behavior? 3) Does it leave you feeling powerful and respectful of yourself? 4) Does it show respect for the basic Y in Brookfield, Connecticut, everything I’d ever heard in the media or in books was that gay and lesbian people were sinful, sick, de­ praved creatures. Ann Landers was still say­ ing we could change if we wanted to. “I vowed that I was going to change, and that if I was still queer by the time I was 17 I was going to hang myself with a necktie. "Well, I’m still here. And I’m still queer,” he said. “If this is the worst of times, it is in some respects the best of times as well.” .............■ ........................... ..... m............ ........................ •m m m m m mm human dignity of the harass«? When someone is harassing you, it rarely makes sense to engage in conversation about homosexuality and equal rights, he said. The Issue is not your sexuality or your behavior; the issue is harassment. Some ingredients of an effective and safe response are: 1) Name the behavior. Say “that is harassment” or “you are harassing me.” Be specific: “I heard you use the word ‘dyke’ and that is offensive to me.” 2) Let the person know how you feel, and that you’re not alone. Say something like: “I don’t like that behavior, and no one else in the restaurant does either.” • 3) Tell the person to stop. 4) Disengage from the conversation. 5) If you are with someone else, check in before you respond so you can support each other. “Every time we’re called dyke or faggot or queer, it’s a reminder to us that we’re hated,” Beirill said. “And it serves another purpose — to divide us from ourselves.” — Anndee Hochman ilHIlHHIIllimilliHlllHilllllllllllllia — ORIGINAL AMERICAN UGHS® — Made in the U.S.A. __ FA CTO RY O U TL ET STO RE — — Warm and comfortable Ughs Sheepskin Slippers and Boots We sell seconds and closeouts only. O p e n M o n d a y - S a tu r d a y 9 :0 0 - 5 :0 0 C O M E IN O F T E N A N D CH ECK OUR W EEKLY S P E C IA L S ! E — — ___ — E 2 5 3 6 S E 1 1 th ( J u s t S o u th o f D iv is io n ) IT a i i m m m m i i m i i i i i n n i i i i i m m r T £ I )iscover the Fine Ail of American Craft The Real Mother Goose A Shop m ill (,a ll cry • Portland. 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