Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / Sept. 30, 1999, edition 1 / Page 10
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10 September 30, 1999 Focus THIS WEEK'S TOPIC: Homosexuality at Elon What you don't discuss Tisk, tisk. Shame on me. It’s common knowledge that there are three things you don’t discuss - religion, politics and homosexual ity. Oh well. I’ve never been very good at doing what I’m supposed to do anyway. The argument for not dis cussing such matters is that you won’t change anyone’s mind. But is that a valid reason for avoiding heated topics? Of course not. What fun would that be? College is supposed to be an environment where there can be a free exchange of ideas and opin ions. The idea is not necessarily to spark heated debates about the eth ics of sexual preferences or to con vert anyone, A two-page spread will hardly change anyone’s val ues or beliefs. Entire books have been written on this touchy sub ject. Two pages are barely enough to offer a cursory glance. Rather, the idea is simply to look at a percentage of Elon’s population. As for my personal belief concerning homosexuality, an ar row has nothing on me. And I am a Baptist. Enough said. Oh my. Another blunder. I am speaking of religion. But it is difficult to speak of homosexuality without tossing in a bit of religion. Allow me to clear up what I believe are a few misconceptions. Despite the adamant “you’re going to hell” statement many “religious people hurl at homosexuals, ho mosexuality is not the determining factor of entrance into heaven or hell. Now that I have hit upon two of the three unspeakable topics, I will offer one final argument for my defense. It is, at times, a journalist’s job to bring out things that make people uncomfortable, and to look at all sides of an issue. -Tammy Tripp Focus Editor Campus organization open to all kinds Lisa McChristiain The Pendulum When Elon says that they have an extracurricular organization for everyone they are not exaggerating. Since the spring of 1997 Spectrum, Elon’s Gay and Straight student organization, has worked to educate the Elon College commu nity and provide a place for stu dents to be themselves. Other than several opposing letters to the editor and the opinion of one former Pendulum colum nist, Spectrum has managed to avoid major opposition on campus. Most tension comes from con fusion in the religious community. Elon College has an affiliation with the United Church of Christ. The U.C.C. has a history of supporting gay and lesbian indi viduals including blessing same sex unions and the ordination of gay and lesbian clergy. In the last two years, the or ganization has grown from its origi nal 10 founders to approximately 45 members. The group sponsors a variety of activities from movie staff. “We are a group where people regardless of sexual orientation can feel comfort able. It’s a place where you can come and be exactly who you are” said Spectrum advisor Michael SPECTRUN peoiJ s are nights, campus speakers, clubbing, speaking to Elon 101 groups and discussions with Elon faculty and Ulrich. According to popular statis tics there are approximately 150- 350 gay and lesbian students on Elon’s campus. Ulrich explained that many heterosexual students have a prob lem coping someone in their life reveals that they are gay. “Together we can help abolish negative ste reotypes about any group of people,” Ulrich said. Spectrum will meet on Tues day Oct, 12 in Moseley 22IB for their second annual Heterosexual Appreciation Night, For more information on Spectrum visit their web page at www.elon.edu/spectrum. All stu dents are welcome to join and par ticipate in the organization. Sociology professor Kier says she's 'just being natural' Tammy Tripp The Pendulum Laurin Kier looks like any other professor on Elon’s campus. She lives a relatively normal life, has two children, and at the start of each class, cracks a joke. But she is not quite the ste reotypical mother and teacher. Kier is open about being a lesbian, and says that for her, it was the right thing to do. Despite the abundance of studies, no definitive conclusion has been reached deciding whether ho mosexuality can be attributed to chance or choice. But for Kier, As sistant Professor of Sociology and Assistant Director or Tutorial Ser vices, studies do not matter. “I can’t tell you every homo sexual person was bom homosexual, but this is who I am,” Kier said. “I can’t give you the words to make you understand what it’s like to be open after 30 years of not being who I am.” For the first 30 years, Kier complied with the ex pected lifestyle. She married and had a daughter, now 18, and a son, now 15. After realizing she was not happy, she divorced her husband and made the deci sion to come out. Educating her children on what it meant to be homo sexual helped them to be accepting of her decision, and she maintains a close re lationship with them. So far, many of Elon’s faculty and students have not ap peared to have a prob lem with her decision either, Kier has made it a policy to inform her students that she is a lesbian. Despite the perception of Next Week's Focus Topic: |(F ‘ 1 ♦ ♦ t *'t ♦ V * ^ V I- f \ Elon’s campus as relatively conser vative, the sociology professor said that she has not found that to be true. If anything, she has found that most of her students do not care one way or the other. “I think Elon is a very safe place for gays and lesbians to be out. I have not found Elon to be a conservative campus,” she said. Even though she is out, she does not believe that all gays or lesbians should necessarily follow her example. “My advice to those who are “in the closet” is to come out in your own time. We live in a society that condemns people,” Kier said, “There are very good reasons for not coming out,” Kier is familiar with all of the arguments against homosexuality. She is well aware of the qualms many religions have against her lifestyle; she grew up in a Southern Baptist church that did not hide its feelings toward homosexual!^. Even though Kier is a les bian, she says she is not a separatist and thinks men are very important in this society. But she feels to deny that part of her would be to deny who she is. “I am out, and I make no apologizes for who I am. Being gay isn’t just about sex. I am a lesbian because I connect with women in a way that I have never connected with a man,” Kier said, “Homo sexuality for us is natural. I am just being the natural me.”
Elon University Student Newspaper
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