Coming out loud and strong
BEN THORNE
Features Editor
Holding someone's hand doesn't seem like much: such
a simple token of affection can easily be taken for granted.
Unless you, too, are a man. Then a pleasant stroll around
the block becomes, for some, an exercise in caution.
Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Awareness and History
month, occuring this October, is an effort peformed across
the world to help end homophobia, instill pride in gays,
lesbians and bisexuals, and bring communities together.
Guilford plays its own role in this global spectacle, lead by
our student Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Alliance.
GLB A has a whole host of activities and events planned
for this month, including poetry readings, lectures, a Hal
loween drag-theme, and the infamous Coming Out Day Ball,
where you, your friends and loved ones can swap clothes
and good times.
Begun eight years
ago, GLBA has un
dergone several
transformations, but
has finally found a
working identity.
They hold a regular
working meeting in
the resource center
located in Dana.
"The center ... is a
space to work, play,
and communicate in
without being afriad of homophobic attitudes. It's a confi
dential referral service for students who are questioning their
sexuality or need information about AIDS or STD's," said
Jenny Crane, the manager of the resource center, the secre
tary of GLBA.
"This is an issue very close to my heart," she continued.
"I don't want my children to be taken away because of who
I have sex with. I want my relationships to be valid." Crane,
who has been "out" as a lesbian for three years, is un
ashamed of her orientation and wants everyone to know it,
a sentiment shared by most of GLBA's leaders. "I'm out to
every professor and administrator it comes to. If it comes
up, I'm out, in every facet of my life," she affirmed.
"I'd like to see GLBA more active, somewhat political,
somewhat activist. I'd also like to see more people con
cerned with gay rights," said Aimee Caron, the
organization's president.
Not all of the members of GLBA are gay or bisexual, of
course. There are many supportive, straight individuals
invloved in the club, including its treasurer, Jeremy Sebens.
"I'm a sympathetic straight who has been involved since I
was a kid. Its a question of unity for me," he said.
"Its because of the shit these people have to go through
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A rather unheated discussion in the GLB Resource Center
October 4,1996 features - The Guilfordian
Its time to come into our
own and to be recognized
as valid by everyone on
campus.
•Jenny Crane
that I'm involved. No decent person
can sit back and watch it happen,"
added Chris Murry, another straight
supporter.
One of the sources through which
GLB hopes to gain more active support
ers is the club newsletter, edited by Biz
Harrison. "My dream is to have it be
come more like a newspaper. I hope
that when people attend GLB month
activities, they'll write stories for me,"
she expressed.
Jessie White, a sophmore from
Philadelphia, is the first to hold a brand
new position in Senate, the gay. lesbian
and bisexual representative.
H "When I came to Guilford I was
excited about the very strong
queer community. But with a
school this diverse, there are go
ing to be people who anti-gay,"
she related.
"When I came to college I re
alized there are people here who
need my help, who had questions
and were late-bloomers. I see
myself in Senate as being the
~~ voice for a community that
doesn't always have the strength
to speak and bring GLB into the body
of discussion on campus," White ex
plained.
r . w ..ww.
Being such a public figure for so
controversial a group has its inherent problems, however.
One night while she was out, someone set fire to a collage
of articles on White's door, which created enough smoke to
set off Binford's fire alarm. Fortunately such acts of hostil
ity are rare at Guilford, but they attest to the presence of
prejudice within our community.
"I think as a whole Guilford is supportive of gay, les
bian, and bisexual relationships, but there are still those op
posed to homosexuals," stated Roy Jessup, a senior who is
gay. Few of the members of GLBA are gay males: most are
still in the closet.
While Guilford is supportive of its GLB community, there
are some noticeable signs that they have yet to become, in
the eyes of the administration, completely mainstream.
Members in GLBA pointed to a significant lack of expo
sure in Guilford's literature last year, and most importantly
their domestic-partner benefits for anyone on campus.
"It's been brought up several times but died because of
money issues. It's time to come into our own and to be
Hp
- n
ggr -
recognized as valid by ev
eryone on campus," Crane
insisted.
Nevertheless, gays, lesbi
ans and bisexuals feel safer
at Guilford than in the "real
world," and many thank
GLBA for helping them be
come secure in their own
sexuality.
"I encourage people who
are interested in GLB issues
to attend the events this
month. The people in GLBA
are freindly and helpful
folks, so if anyone ever has
any issues they need to deal
with it would be a good place
to start," urged Jessup.
Jessie White getting aesthetic
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
October 3
7:00 pm—Gay, lesbian & bisexual poetry reading.
The GLB Resource Center
October 5
9:00 pm—National Coming Out Day Ball. Dana
Auditorium lobby.
October 8
8:00 pm—Safer sex workshop with Triad Health
Project. GLB Resource Center.
October 10
8:00 pm—Piedmont Friends for Lesbian and Gay
concerns discussion on religion and homosexuality.
Gallery.
October 11
NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY
October 12
8:30 pm—GLB Coffeehouse. The Underground.
October 15
8:00 pm—Cindy Abel, co-director of NC Mobili
zation '96 (campaign to retire Jesse Helms) speaks
on the GLB civil rights movement. Dana Auditorium
October 30
8:30 pm—Ed Burroughs, Guilford professor of
History Emeritus, speaks on the history of GLB groups
at Guilford. The Gallery.
October 31
**Dress in drag for Halloween and in support of
gay, lesbian and bisexual civil rights**
7