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Page 6 LAMBPA Editorials Nov. '97 The Other Side by Jennifer Poorbaugh When my parents told me that my aunt was gay, they said it in hush- hush tones. “This is a family secret, Jen nifer,” they said, which meant don’t tell your friends. Maybe they were trying to protect me from the fanatical Christian family on the street with whose children I was friends. Maybe they thought the children wouldn’t be allowed to be friends with me anymore if they knew my aunt was a lesbian. I was only 10 or so at the time so I didn’t think much about it, and I kept the secret. Why did I need to go around talking about my aunt, whom I didn’t know very well anyway? She has always been on the back of my mind, though, and I have questions I want to ask. But I felt I was supposed to ig nore the fact that her sexuality was dif ferent than mine. Never mind that she’d been out for years, it was still one of those ‘family secrets. I met Ian Palmquist several years ago, but only last year did I get to know him as a friend. Ian was the first fnends of mine who was gay, and I think I knew Ian was gay before I ever met him (I have been friends with his brother for longer), and from what I could tell he wouldn’t mind me asking questions. So I started up a long chain of email between us and got many of my basic questions about homosexuality answered. Still, my aunt remains out of reach. And then I joined B-GLAD. Many people, especially my suitemates, began asking me why I had joined when I am straight. My roommate, whom I have known for three years, even sud denly questioned my sexuaUty. Never mind that she knew many of my boy friends; maybe she thought I had just hid den a bisexual side from her. Many of the people I met in B-GLAD assumed I was lesbian or bisexual, and when they discovered I was straight, they also asked me why I had joined the club. I never had a good answer. Now I am thinking that I joined B-GLAD for several reasons. One could be that I am trying to get to know my aunt by meeting a lot of different homo sexual people. Another is that if I weren’t straight, I would want support from the straight community. My sexuality is not completely set in stone, either. While I am sure I will ultimately spend the rest of the my life with a man, I am still open to new experiences. I joined B-GLAD because I have friends in the club and going to meetings was one way to spend time with them. I get to be one of the co editors for too. Mostly, though, I joined B-GLAD for reasons unknown to even myself. If you were to ask me why I joined B-GLAD, even after I have had a lot of time to think it over, I would still only be able to shrug my shoulders. So, now I ask, why did you join? X' Another Ophelia by Kristen Williams Love makes a mockery of me: love gained, love lost, leaves me caught between. I dance on the edge, seeking sweet simple release from the pain. And aren’t the flowers beautiful on the other side? Blooming despite the weather. The blue reflects images, distorts, swirls around me, and I am another Ophelia, drowning. . . drowning. lAc eU^ *7^^ five twt,. eitAcn, UeJi if4utA>^iCC iUc ktuuu- uJUnc Akiuia- wAccA (ucca, uU(t iitc, *7Ac dif- ictUACCK OMci mcH> tAa^’ HAVE YOU EVED WONDEQED ABOUT O hopping freight trains^ ebonies O beat poets O meditating the Harlem Renaissance ft psychadelic shamanism ft the art of erotic massage ft Afro-Caribbean jazz ft organic gardening ft Black Panthers ft Arabic feminists ft the Stonewall rebellion ft post-modern French philosophy ft vegetarian cooking ft drag queens ft the Chinese cultural revolution ft herbal medicine Oyou can find it all and more, atO MEPNMONAUSTEOO: 405 WEST FE2ANKL1N STDEET CHAPEL HILL 919094201740 MONDAY-SATUPDAY 11-8 SUNDAY 12-6 OAVOLUNTEED-PUN, NOT-FOP-PPOnT. COMMUNITY PESOUPCE CENTEPO
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