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Allied Faces
by Tommy Rimbach
It is exciting to introduce the University
community to the newly elected secretary
and board member of the Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual, Transgender - Straight Alli
ance. Jessica Danielle Stewart is a junior
biology and Spanish major from Wilson,
N. C. Jessica maintains a busy life at the
University as an active member of the
GLBT-SA, the Black Student Move
ment, and the Minority Association of
Pre-Health Students, General Alumni
Association, and Carolina Fever. She
also is a volunteer at UNC Hospitals
and is a member of the servicelhonors
organization Sigma Alpha Lambda.
So tell our readers about Jessica
Stewart, stuiF that we don’t know
already.
I’m an AOL Instant Mes
senger addict, and it’s so sad. One of
my favorite things to do, other than
to go running and to read a good,
long book, is to put quotes from my
friends on my AIM or Thefacebook
profile. In fact, I want people to face-
book me and look at my AIM profile.
Outside of schoolwork, it is my life
— ha.
Why did you decide to become in
volved with GLBT-SA?
I actually didn’t know much
about GLBT-SA until the forum dur
ing the fall semester hosted by the
Black Student Movement and GLBT-
SA. Personally, it affected me because
I knew that I couldn’t just be passive
about my commitment to equality
for all minority groups. I really have
to thank one particular person who I
talked to after the meeting because he
actually invited me to my first GLBT-
SA meeting. He didn’t know me, but
he really reached out to me, and I’m
very grateful for that.
So I hear you’ve just been elected
as GLBT-SA’s new secretary! What
are your hopes for next year while
serving on the board of GLBT-SA?
I hope that I can work to
make GLBT-SA a more accepting
place. This year, there was a lot of
discussion about the inclusiveness
of GLBT-SA or lack thereof I think
that a lot of valid arguments were
brought up. I also believe that there
is a real desire to change this image.
How do you feel about the cli
mate on the University’s campus
for LGBTIQ and allied students,
professors, administrators, etc?
Overall, the University is
accepting of the LGBTIQ and their
allies. I think part of the reason peo
ple choose to come to this school is
because it is seen as an accepting
place which encourages diversity of
all kinds. However, I think that the
hate crime this year shows that we
cannot become complacent because
of the image others have of us. I think
it is important, especially as an ally,
that I be proactive in my commit
ments to the LGBTIQ community.
There has been much discussion
and debate over inclusion, rac
ism, and sexism within the orga
nization. How do you envision
the organization adequately in
volving the entire LGBTIQ and
allied community in 2005-2006?
As I said, the first step has
already been taken. In order to fix a
problem, you have to admit that it ex
ists, and I think this has been done.
I think the formation of new groups
such as U.N.I.T.E.D, WLW, and Gen
der Mutiny is very important as well
because it gives a voice to people who
may or may not be comfortable in
the GLBT-SA. I think that if GLBT-
SA wants to send a strong message,
then we need to work with all of these
groups to achieve our common goals.
It mentions on your profile on the
Web site http.7/www.thefacebook.
com something about fag hags.
Can you explain what that means?
Well, I only recently
learned what a fag hag was, but a
fag hag is a female who identifies
as straight and who has a lot of gay
male friends. My comment on The
facebook was said by my good friend
Bernard in reference to the “magi
cal powers” we hags seem to possess.
be
an ac-
college?
Any plans to
tivist after
In a perfect world, I will
go straight from undergrad to medi
cal school, preferably in New York
or Washington, D.C. But I do plan
to continue to be active, not just
in the LGBTIQ community, but
also in the black and Latino com
munities while I serve as a doctor.
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