TOie (§utlf orbtan
Volume 77 Issue 6
Armed police to bolster security
w.>,
■. ■ Be! ■ a
■ •> ■■§ v
M Hit >
J H * " ■ **
f
i
Changes for Guilford's Security and Safety are currently
being considered by the administration.
Coming Out Day to be celebrated
Gail Kasun
Staff Writer
Guilford will be observing Na
tional Coming Out Day, the holi
day established in the mid-80's to
celebrate sexual freedom for gays,
lesbians and bisexuals, on Oct. 11.
The related Pride Week will be
observed in the same week.
"Coming out" is the term used
for the process in which an indi
vidual brings one's sexuality "out
of the closet."
Perspecttves...3
Features 8-9
News .2
Z, '
Association of Guilford College
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexuals and the
Straight Allies (GLBA) President
Alison Mee explains other aspects
of coming out.
She says, "Coming Out Day is a
celebratory time —not to be
ashamed, afraid, or worried about
making someone uncomfortable.
It gives people an opportunity to
talk."
There are social benefits to com
ing out, specifically promoting
positive change, according to
GLBA bookkeeper R.J. Nickels:
"Slowly changing public atti
tudes have a lot to do with coming
out. The public image of gays is
not a good one."
The high visibility of radicals in
groups such as Act-Up and Queer
Nation often promote this negative
image, explained Nickels.
The popular stereotypes of the
sexual minority lead to "the glares,
the looks, the sneers, and the roll
ing of eyes," says Mark Ferguson,
a GLBA member.
Having experienced overt dis
crimination on campus earlier this
year, he feels, "Those hurt more
than someone walking by me and
Guilford College, Greensboro, N.C.
Matthew Levy
News Editor
Provost Dan Potcct announced
the administration's decision to
bolster campus security with
armed off-duty police officers in
an Oct. 5 memo directed to the
entire Guilford community.
The officers, who will be su
pervised by Security and Safety,
will be on campus mainly at night.
According to the memo, "The
police supplement is temporary
while we review current college
security practices."
While Director of Security
Mary Ann Weedon was not avail
able for comment, Poteet ex
plained the reasons behind the
decision.
"Several of us think that there
have been incidents this fal 1 when
readily available professional
security backup for student secu
rity officers would have been
helpful.
"There have been some alter
cations on campus, there have
been a lot of automobile break
ins, probably involving people
Photo by Carl Bcehlcr
saying 'faggot'.
"People forget that other
people have feelings, too. Things
like that don't go unnoticed—it
really hurts."
Mee explained how coming
out has liberated her.
"When I was in the closet I
felt like it [my sexuality] was a
big issue, and I needed to tell
people.
from off-campus, and there has been
a mugging.
"There has been no ultimate catas
trophe, of course, as a result of these
situations, but they were serious...
"While this probably isn't a real
escalation from things that have hap
pened in the past... it just seemed that
the time has come to take a look at
the level of security that we provide
and review it, considering whether
to change it in some way.
"While weare thinking about that,
it made sense to bolster security in
the meantime rather than leave it as
it was."
The police are not intended to re
place student officers and will be
very much in the background, ac
cording to Poteet.
"These officers will be on the pe
rimeter, they're not going to be pa
trolling through dormitories or resi
dence halls—they will be under the
supervision and guidance of our own
security people; they will be sup
porting our people."
"This is not a negative reflection
on the skill of our employees, either
professional or student...". Our stu
dent security officers do a fine job of
"I can get past it now. On a per
sonal level, it is a much smaller is
sue. The lifting of guilt and the shame
is so necessary for my mental health."
Nickels looks to an increase in
gay visibility to eliminate preju
dice.
"On a social level, one of the
largest barriers is plain ignorance,"
he said.
Coming Out Day shows people
October 9, 1992
what the college ask's them to do.
It's just that there aren't very many
of them," said Poteet.
While most have expressed re
lief about the added security, Se
nior Mike Livingston did have a
negative reaction to the profes
sionals being armed.
"When I came to Guilford, I
thought I was joining a gun-free
community. The nonconsensual
decision to bring weapons onto
campus is a breach of contract," he
said.
Poteet pointed out that police
are required to carry weapons even
while off-duty and they have al
ways been armed when hired by
Guilford to patrol on special occa
sions.
"No one is thri 1 led about the idea
of having arms on campus," said
Poteet. "1 have to assume there are
some members of the community
who think this is absolutely the
wrong thing to do. But the response
has been unusually bland for some
thing of this nature.
"We didn't go out to look for
people with arms, we went out for
people who are already trained."
"there are people all around them
who are gay. Until people know
someone who is gay, it's very easy
to believe all the stereotypes and
promote them."
"The awareness [through Com
ing Out Day] still needs to be
raised," explains Mark Ferguson.
GLBA has many activities
planned for Coming Out Day and
Pride Week.
Blue Day will occur on Oct. 9.
Anyone wanting to show support
for the equality for gays, lesbians,
and bisexuals can wear blue cloth
ing.
On Oct. 10, a van will be going
to Washington D.C. to see the
NAMES Project AIDS quilt,
among other activities.
There will be a forum about com
ing out on Oct. 11. A potluck din
ner will be held beforehand at Pope
House. In addition, My Own Pri
vate Idaho, aUnion sponsored film,
will be shown. It is a movie with
gay themes relevant to all people
regardless of their sexuality.
Nickels comments, "If not ev
eryone is able to celebrate Coming
Out Day, then the point is lost"