Newspapers / Lambda. / June 1, 2004, edition 1 / Page 11
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
-T' ww\v.unc.cdu/glbtsa/lambda FEATURES Photo by Douglas Dukeman IAMBDA: GLBT-SA has gone through some changes in the past year. As one of its newly elected co-chairpersons for 2004 - 2005, can you explain a bit about the GLBT-SA and how it functions? AF: GI,BT-SA certainly has gone through quite a makeover this year, but I think 1 can synthesize a brief explanation of how things will run next year. Basically, GLBT-SA will simply serve as the um brella organization attempting to foster a more inclusive LGBTIQ campus com munity and work with other organizations in helping bring awareness to I.GBTIQ issues. Underneath the GLBT-SA, we \vill have three autonomous sub-organi- ''•ations dealing with more specific issues. I-AMBDA is our publication branch and will continue to promote visibility and act as the sole LGBTIQ voice among cam pus publications. The Committee for a Queerer Carolina will be our more radical activist branch of the group. They will be involved with direct action campaigns on campus and will also tackle progressive is sues in addition to specifically LGBTIQ nnes. The Unity Conference will also con tinue to work under the GLBT-SA as an annual gathering of the Southeast region, aiming to discuss the intersections of gender and sexuality with other identities, strategies for effective grassroots organiz ing and work that other LGBTQ activists are doing in the Southeast. bAMBDA: How do you envision the or ganization’s role on campus next year? 1 definitely envision the organization •remaining primarily as a force promoting 'visibility' of LGBTIQ issues on campus and working to improve the campus cli- niate. In our visibility work next year, I believe the organization needs to step up and make a concerted effort to educate more about marginalized identities in the group (Bs and Ts) rather than remain ing purely gay- and lesbian-focused. In my opinion, the organization must also look into devising a plan to include more straight allies in the group. We should make it clear how much we love our allies because w'e realfy do! LAMBDA; There has been some criti cism of the GLBT-SA in the past as not being able to adequately involve the entire LGBTIQ community on campus. How do you feel about these criticisms and what do you think can be done to wel come more people into the GLBT-SA? AF: I was on GLBT-SA board this past year, and I can definitely see how’ LGB TIQ community members could have had legitimate complaints about the orga nization’s exclusive set-up back in the fall. Fortunately, I believe we have responded to these grievances and managed to fix the root of those problems this past se mester. As long as 1 have been here, I have never seen a greater amount of op- pormnity for regular general body mem bers to become as hea\tily involved with the organization and make an impact. Case in point, the wonderful Celebration Week schedule this semester was created almost entirely by general body members. What we need to w'ork on as a group is extinguishing the idea that GLBT-S A is a clique and that the same individuals are the only ones participating semester af ter semester. This organization is for aU LGBTIQ students on campus and I be lieve the group as a whole has learned how valuable our general body mem bers can be. 1 promise if you have a fabulous idea you want to see come to fruition, need to vent about a current LGBTIQ issue in the press or simply want to sit down and mingle with other LGBTIQ individuals and straight allies, the GLBT-SA will be the place you want to be next semester. LAMBDA; Any plans to be a career ac tivist after college? AF: Hmmmm. Well, I have given it some thought, Gne of my career plans right now is actually going to law school and becoming a lawj'er where I could poten tially see myself training to continue the fight for LGBTIQ rights. I think I would absolutely love that, but you never know what might happen. No matter where I go though, I guarantee I’ll continue working for LGBTIQ rights, be it as small as sim ply creating visibility in my workplace or as large as fighting against internal policies established by my employer to discrimi nate based on sexual orientation. 0 Co-Yiditor in Chief and senior Douglas Dukeman, a religious studies and philosopl^ double major from Norton, Ohio, can be con tacted at lambda@unc.edu.
June 1, 2004, edition 1
11
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75