Ask anyone who knows me; I don’t complain or bitch about things much. But when column (specifically asked for) does not get published in this week’s paper and I’m offered no explanation, no confirmation, and no feedback, even I get a little pissed off.
I wouldnt be as irate if this was a first time offense, but this has been the 5th time this has happened. One column (I found out 5 days later) was too long and had been replaced by a god damned full page liquor store add (a horrible moral decision for a college newspaper mind you), and another column was ‘too controversial.’ It’s a freaking OPINION column! I don’t care that bad publicity is still publicity! WBC’s got a foot long metal spike shoved up their ass’s and people should be aware of it. That wasn’t even the main topic of what I was writing about! It was a passing comment at best!
Now, I know I’m being a little unfair, after all, I know the constraints of publishing a newspaper can be brutal. You have to fit in columns about why the next Spiderman movie is an insult to die-hard fans everywhere (no offense A.H., but it’s a movie. You don’t have to watch it.) But okay, fine, I totally understand why some things would take priority over something as insignificant as facts and opinions on the “Don’t ask, Don’t Tell” policy (an area I was SPECIFICALLY HIRED to write about). Yeah, I get it. Shrug it off. You can always look forward to further rejection Tara.
…I just had to get that off my chest. It was either blog about it or kick in the window in my dorm.
I in no way mean any offense or ill intent to the nice people who work at the Advocate. I guess it’s first come first serve and my article was either too long, too late, or too controversial…
Seriously though, no ill thoughts your way.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Chalk on the ground
published march 3, 11
As an art student, I make it a point to visit the CA Art Exhibit whenever there are new pieces being shown. This semesters BA exhibit displayed some wonderful and stimulating work created by MSUM students that showcase a wide range of talents, mediums, and ideas.
The day I attended, one piece in particular caught my eye though, or should I say, nearly caught my foot. Maia Kim Monke-Lundberg; Maia Kim for short, had made use of 3D media to render a crime scene body chalking on a black background. This piece titled “Bullied Teen,” was filled with about 200 ceramic dots that were painted to emulate the vivid colors of the rainbow, standing out brilliantly against the dark background. Around this ceramic dot body, clearly representing the presence of death, ran a long line of white ‘chalk’ text, relaying the names of teenage homosexual males and the fate that befell them.
I wanted to talk to Maia almost instantly after seeing this work, so I tracked down her email address and asked for an interview. Maia however, proved to be a very busy person indeed. An Art education major at MSUM with an emphasis in photography and ceramics and currently student teaching at Kennedy Elementary and Carl Ben Middle school, Maia was willing to meet me in person, but I didn’t want to detract from her free time so we relied on the wonders of technology and decided on an email interview.
I personally admire those who choose an education degree because kids, in all honesty, are not my forte, so already, even without the impact of her work being the reason for the interview, I already hold a good deal of respect for Maia. While I’m sure that student teaching introduces a whole slew of new time-consuming challenges, Maia says that; “As far as my artwork (is concerned), I will continue to do my own work in my spare time…. I am looking forward to being an art teacher and an artist as well!” Maia has big plans for the future and hopes to start teaching after she graduates in May. After having spent seven weeks in Korea, she hopes to live and teach there, and aims to someday teach at a college level.
Maia recognized that her work in the BA exhibit was LGBTQAI oriented she explained that it was her reaction to the severe bullying that has been going on among so many teens throughout the country. She specifically wanted to focus on what young teens were going through that ultimately led to their suicides. Oddly enough though, “Bullies Teen” was Maia’s first big piece of artwork that was focused on the LGBT community. She stated; “I have not made artwork based on sexuality issues because I think it is a very sensitive subject that needs to be taken with caution, clarity, and seriousness. If you create a piece of artwork based on topics such as suicide and that involve the LGBT community, it should make a statement. I wanted this piece to make people stop and think. I wanted them to become aware.”
Creating public awareness about the issues is indeed what Maia’s piece did, especially given the overtone of Fargo South High’s showing of the “Laramie Project” on February 20th, which Maia attended. Like this play, Maia wanted to create public awareness. She didn’t want to persuade someone’s view on the topic; she simply wanted to inform. “I wanted to create awareness of how harmful bullying is and the consequences of such hurtful words and actions towards others.”
After attending the “Laramie Project,” Maia hopes that pieces of artwork and plays continue to enable viewers to examine their beliefs about homosexuality and to become aware and confront these issues. She ended our interview with a inspiring quote from the play; "I hope what you take from this is that as world citizens, we are charged with the responsibility of compassion towards our fellow humans, compassionate thoughts, sentiments, words and actions."
As an art student, I make it a point to visit the CA Art Exhibit whenever there are new pieces being shown. This semesters BA exhibit displayed some wonderful and stimulating work created by MSUM students that showcase a wide range of talents, mediums, and ideas.
The day I attended, one piece in particular caught my eye though, or should I say, nearly caught my foot. Maia Kim Monke-Lundberg; Maia Kim for short, had made use of 3D media to render a crime scene body chalking on a black background. This piece titled “Bullied Teen,” was filled with about 200 ceramic dots that were painted to emulate the vivid colors of the rainbow, standing out brilliantly against the dark background. Around this ceramic dot body, clearly representing the presence of death, ran a long line of white ‘chalk’ text, relaying the names of teenage homosexual males and the fate that befell them.
I wanted to talk to Maia almost instantly after seeing this work, so I tracked down her email address and asked for an interview. Maia however, proved to be a very busy person indeed. An Art education major at MSUM with an emphasis in photography and ceramics and currently student teaching at Kennedy Elementary and Carl Ben Middle school, Maia was willing to meet me in person, but I didn’t want to detract from her free time so we relied on the wonders of technology and decided on an email interview.
I personally admire those who choose an education degree because kids, in all honesty, are not my forte, so already, even without the impact of her work being the reason for the interview, I already hold a good deal of respect for Maia. While I’m sure that student teaching introduces a whole slew of new time-consuming challenges, Maia says that; “As far as my artwork (is concerned), I will continue to do my own work in my spare time…. I am looking forward to being an art teacher and an artist as well!” Maia has big plans for the future and hopes to start teaching after she graduates in May. After having spent seven weeks in Korea, she hopes to live and teach there, and aims to someday teach at a college level.
Maia recognized that her work in the BA exhibit was LGBTQAI oriented she explained that it was her reaction to the severe bullying that has been going on among so many teens throughout the country. She specifically wanted to focus on what young teens were going through that ultimately led to their suicides. Oddly enough though, “Bullies Teen” was Maia’s first big piece of artwork that was focused on the LGBT community. She stated; “I have not made artwork based on sexuality issues because I think it is a very sensitive subject that needs to be taken with caution, clarity, and seriousness. If you create a piece of artwork based on topics such as suicide and that involve the LGBT community, it should make a statement. I wanted this piece to make people stop and think. I wanted them to become aware.”
Creating public awareness about the issues is indeed what Maia’s piece did, especially given the overtone of Fargo South High’s showing of the “Laramie Project” on February 20th, which Maia attended. Like this play, Maia wanted to create public awareness. She didn’t want to persuade someone’s view on the topic; she simply wanted to inform. “I wanted to create awareness of how harmful bullying is and the consequences of such hurtful words and actions towards others.”
After attending the “Laramie Project,” Maia hopes that pieces of artwork and plays continue to enable viewers to examine their beliefs about homosexuality and to become aware and confront these issues. She ended our interview with a inspiring quote from the play; "I hope what you take from this is that as world citizens, we are charged with the responsibility of compassion towards our fellow humans, compassionate thoughts, sentiments, words and actions."
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
V-Day Toxic
Published February 17th 2011
While I do get feedback from readers occasionally, once and a while someone comes to me with a question in need of answering. While emailing with an old high school friend about relationship troubles, he asked me this: “I really want to break up with my boyfriend of two years, but every time I’ve tried to, he makes the excuse that it’s because I’m not really gay and that I was just using him as an ‘experiment.’ I know I’m gay, but I end up hanging on because of some weird guilt trip. I don’t want the fact that I’m gay to be questioned. It’s Infuriating!”
Infuriating indeed my friend. Instead of giving him a little quip of an email as a response, I decided to take this Q&A to newsprint. First of all, I’ve seen many relationships where partner A is currently questioning their sexuality and partner B is already out of the closet. Many times these relationships don’t work out because of the initial doubt already in place before the relationship started. Partner B can eventually feel like they aren’t being taken seriously, and partner A can feel like they are being pushed into something that they aren’t ready for.
In this case, however, I know for a fact that my friend is 100% homosexual and that his boyfriend, “Sam,” is just refusing to let go. By saying that he is being considered as an ‘experiment’, “Sam” was perhaps already unsteady about the relationship in the first place and felt that neither of them was ever fully committed to making it work (odd for a relationship that has lasted for two years). However, when one person in a relationship wants to end it and the only way to keep them there is to ‘guilt trip’ them, the relationship has already tipped to the unhealthy side of the scale.
If my friend really wants to end things and is only afraid of leaving because “Sam” will think that he has been used, it’s not a good enough reason for him to stick around. My advice for my friend is to be taken with caution because I have not had the chance to speak with the other party involved, and it is always wise, before seeking advice of a third party or giving advice as the third party, to know the thoughts of others.
In the time impending Valentines celebrations, I say to my friend; it’s time to end the toxic association and move on. Be assertive when dealing with touchy subjects and be clear about what you feel. No one wants to be unhappy come Valentines Day after all. Signing off after what I hope is an informative column about relationship woes, yours truly –Stay curious!
While I do get feedback from readers occasionally, once and a while someone comes to me with a question in need of answering. While emailing with an old high school friend about relationship troubles, he asked me this: “I really want to break up with my boyfriend of two years, but every time I’ve tried to, he makes the excuse that it’s because I’m not really gay and that I was just using him as an ‘experiment.’ I know I’m gay, but I end up hanging on because of some weird guilt trip. I don’t want the fact that I’m gay to be questioned. It’s Infuriating!”
Infuriating indeed my friend. Instead of giving him a little quip of an email as a response, I decided to take this Q&A to newsprint. First of all, I’ve seen many relationships where partner A is currently questioning their sexuality and partner B is already out of the closet. Many times these relationships don’t work out because of the initial doubt already in place before the relationship started. Partner B can eventually feel like they aren’t being taken seriously, and partner A can feel like they are being pushed into something that they aren’t ready for.
In this case, however, I know for a fact that my friend is 100% homosexual and that his boyfriend, “Sam,” is just refusing to let go. By saying that he is being considered as an ‘experiment’, “Sam” was perhaps already unsteady about the relationship in the first place and felt that neither of them was ever fully committed to making it work (odd for a relationship that has lasted for two years). However, when one person in a relationship wants to end it and the only way to keep them there is to ‘guilt trip’ them, the relationship has already tipped to the unhealthy side of the scale.
If my friend really wants to end things and is only afraid of leaving because “Sam” will think that he has been used, it’s not a good enough reason for him to stick around. My advice for my friend is to be taken with caution because I have not had the chance to speak with the other party involved, and it is always wise, before seeking advice of a third party or giving advice as the third party, to know the thoughts of others.
In the time impending Valentines celebrations, I say to my friend; it’s time to end the toxic association and move on. Be assertive when dealing with touchy subjects and be clear about what you feel. No one wants to be unhappy come Valentines Day after all. Signing off after what I hope is an informative column about relationship woes, yours truly –Stay curious!
LGBTQAI events
Published Feb. 3, 2011
Learning about the different communities and cultures is an essential part of the college experience. It offers individuals a chance to grow considerably as human beings and grants rare insights into things one might not normally get to experience in their daily lives. MSUM offers a fantastic variety of programs, lectures, and colloquiums that cater to the ever-growing student and faculty hunger for knowledge, and on February 10, humanitarian awareness and intellectual expansion will get yet another boost from two events being held in the CMU.
The first event, taking place from 1pm-4pm in the CMU Ballroom, is MSUM Safe Zone Training, sponsored by the MSUM Office of Diversity and Inclusion. This informational meeting, led by Donna Brown, APV of student Affairs for Diversity and Inclusion, and Kyle Rausch, Admissions Councilor, aims to educate and inform individuals about LGBTQAI. “A Safe Zone,” Brown says, “is a place where someone can go and feel comfortable talking about LGBTQAI issues, or to talk about anything without fear of discrimination.” Those who attend the session will be provided with the resources they need to establish a safe and welcoming atmosphere for LGBTQAI persons. Brown feels that “the more people we can educate and assist with being comfortable discussing LGBTQAI issues the better.” Brown strongly urges students in leadership positions such as SOCs and RAs to attend the meeting. There are many faculty members throughout the MSUM campus whose offices already feature the colorful Safe Zone sticker on their doors. MSUM History professor Annette Morrow and Safe Zone ally who has been approached multiple times by students interested in finding information or counseling services, has this to say of the program; “The Safe Zone program provided me with information about how to handle situations –and about where to send students for help if they needed it. I am personally gratified when I have good answers for students who are questioning or in crisis.” Like Brown, Morrow believes that it is important that students know there are places they can go to chant freely without the worry of judgment
A full list of MSUM Safe Zone contact names and numbers can be found at http://www.mnstate.edu/safezone/contacts_dept.cfm.
During the second event, Rainbow Rice, held only on February 10 from 7pm-8pm in CMU 101, guest speaker Pamela Roy will talk about the complex and intersecting nature of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual orientation as it pertains to members of the Asian/Asian Diaspora communities. Roy holds a national leadership position as the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgendered Issues Knowledge Community Co-Chair for NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Brown, who knows Roy personally, believes that Roy will bring something unique to the table and leave attendees feeling that this “Wasn’t that same old lecture.” Brown feels that “We sometime skim the surface of topics such as the LGBTQAI community. We need to dig a little deeper and take more interest in the individuals and the individual situations.”
The context of the Rainbow Rice lecture will look at the experiences of South Asian lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer-identified student/administrators/faculty; South Asian transgender graduate students; Indian South African faculty in post colonial contexts, and students of color at faith-based institutions. While Rainbow Rice is open to everyone, the lecture would be particularly beneficial towards students interested in Multicultural, Gender, and Sociology studies.
A second Safe Zone informational meeting will also take place March 10 at the same time and place. For more information pertaining to either of these events, go to the Rainbow Room located in the CMU, contact Donna Brown at donna.brown@mnstate.edu, Kyle Rausch at kyle.rausch@mnstate.edu, or Anita Bender at anita.bender@mnstate.edu.
“Our true desire to be prepared to live and work in a diverse community,” Brown concluded, “is reflected in the attendance and participation of events of this type.”
Learning about the different communities and cultures is an essential part of the college experience. It offers individuals a chance to grow considerably as human beings and grants rare insights into things one might not normally get to experience in their daily lives. MSUM offers a fantastic variety of programs, lectures, and colloquiums that cater to the ever-growing student and faculty hunger for knowledge, and on February 10, humanitarian awareness and intellectual expansion will get yet another boost from two events being held in the CMU.
The first event, taking place from 1pm-4pm in the CMU Ballroom, is MSUM Safe Zone Training, sponsored by the MSUM Office of Diversity and Inclusion. This informational meeting, led by Donna Brown, APV of student Affairs for Diversity and Inclusion, and Kyle Rausch, Admissions Councilor, aims to educate and inform individuals about LGBTQAI. “A Safe Zone,” Brown says, “is a place where someone can go and feel comfortable talking about LGBTQAI issues, or to talk about anything without fear of discrimination.” Those who attend the session will be provided with the resources they need to establish a safe and welcoming atmosphere for LGBTQAI persons. Brown feels that “the more people we can educate and assist with being comfortable discussing LGBTQAI issues the better.” Brown strongly urges students in leadership positions such as SOCs and RAs to attend the meeting. There are many faculty members throughout the MSUM campus whose offices already feature the colorful Safe Zone sticker on their doors. MSUM History professor Annette Morrow and Safe Zone ally who has been approached multiple times by students interested in finding information or counseling services, has this to say of the program; “The Safe Zone program provided me with information about how to handle situations –and about where to send students for help if they needed it. I am personally gratified when I have good answers for students who are questioning or in crisis.” Like Brown, Morrow believes that it is important that students know there are places they can go to chant freely without the worry of judgment
A full list of MSUM Safe Zone contact names and numbers can be found at http://www.mnstate.edu/safezone/contacts_dept.cfm.
During the second event, Rainbow Rice, held only on February 10 from 7pm-8pm in CMU 101, guest speaker Pamela Roy will talk about the complex and intersecting nature of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual orientation as it pertains to members of the Asian/Asian Diaspora communities. Roy holds a national leadership position as the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgendered Issues Knowledge Community Co-Chair for NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Brown, who knows Roy personally, believes that Roy will bring something unique to the table and leave attendees feeling that this “Wasn’t that same old lecture.” Brown feels that “We sometime skim the surface of topics such as the LGBTQAI community. We need to dig a little deeper and take more interest in the individuals and the individual situations.”
The context of the Rainbow Rice lecture will look at the experiences of South Asian lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer-identified student/administrators/faculty; South Asian transgender graduate students; Indian South African faculty in post colonial contexts, and students of color at faith-based institutions. While Rainbow Rice is open to everyone, the lecture would be particularly beneficial towards students interested in Multicultural, Gender, and Sociology studies.
A second Safe Zone informational meeting will also take place March 10 at the same time and place. For more information pertaining to either of these events, go to the Rainbow Room located in the CMU, contact Donna Brown at donna.brown@mnstate.edu, Kyle Rausch at kyle.rausch@mnstate.edu, or Anita Bender at anita.bender@mnstate.edu.
“Our true desire to be prepared to live and work in a diverse community,” Brown concluded, “is reflected in the attendance and participation of events of this type.”
PFund Scholarship
Published....
There are so many scholarships and grants running amuck today that it seems there is one for just about everybody. Even though they are still incredibly hard to get, smaller scholarships are aimed at minorities who may need a helping hand when perusing their education. PFund is one such scholarship.
Founded in 1987 with a modest fund of $2000, the Philanthrofund Foundations vision was to become a catalyst in building communities in Minnesota where gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people live their lives free from discrimination, violence, invisibility, and isolation. The scholarship is designed to support and develop the LGBTQAI community in Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota. Today the PFund is still a non-profit organization that works hard to develop a strong base and support for community members by providing scholarships that range from $2,000 to $5,000.
Over the years, the PFund scholarship has gained recognition through awards such as the Twin Cities Pride Community Pride Award in 2010, and was a finalist for the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits' Nonprofit Mission Award for Anti-Racism Initiative in 2009. Such recognition has created many opportunities for students all over the country to be recognized for their contributions and efforts in the LGBT community.
A recent PFund applicant from MSUM states, “I know there are allot of people applying for this scholarship, but I think that it’s great opportunity to at least send in an application. Getting recognized for hard work is always nice, even if I don’t end up getting the scholarship.”
The judging criteria for the PFund scholarships is as follows: applicant’s must make an affirmation of LGBT or allied identity, there must be evidence of significant service and leadership in the LGBT community, and evidence of serving, leading and working for change in LGBT communities, including as a role model, mentor and/or adviser.
For testimonials of past recipients or for more information about this unique scholarship program, visit http://www.pfundonline.org/index.html, or come to the Rainbow Dragon Room in the CMU and pick up an application.
The deadline for the PFund scholarship is on February 1, so it’s coming up fast! If you are at all interested in applying, don’t hesitate. A little money can go a long way and a little effort can be recognized. Best of luck to you who have already applied! Stay tuned for more columns from your own personal LGBT MSUM source–Stay curious.
There are so many scholarships and grants running amuck today that it seems there is one for just about everybody. Even though they are still incredibly hard to get, smaller scholarships are aimed at minorities who may need a helping hand when perusing their education. PFund is one such scholarship.
Founded in 1987 with a modest fund of $2000, the Philanthrofund Foundations vision was to become a catalyst in building communities in Minnesota where gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people live their lives free from discrimination, violence, invisibility, and isolation. The scholarship is designed to support and develop the LGBTQAI community in Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota. Today the PFund is still a non-profit organization that works hard to develop a strong base and support for community members by providing scholarships that range from $2,000 to $5,000.
Over the years, the PFund scholarship has gained recognition through awards such as the Twin Cities Pride Community Pride Award in 2010, and was a finalist for the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits' Nonprofit Mission Award for Anti-Racism Initiative in 2009. Such recognition has created many opportunities for students all over the country to be recognized for their contributions and efforts in the LGBT community.
A recent PFund applicant from MSUM states, “I know there are allot of people applying for this scholarship, but I think that it’s great opportunity to at least send in an application. Getting recognized for hard work is always nice, even if I don’t end up getting the scholarship.”
The judging criteria for the PFund scholarships is as follows: applicant’s must make an affirmation of LGBT or allied identity, there must be evidence of significant service and leadership in the LGBT community, and evidence of serving, leading and working for change in LGBT communities, including as a role model, mentor and/or adviser.
For testimonials of past recipients or for more information about this unique scholarship program, visit http://www.pfundonline.org/index.html, or come to the Rainbow Dragon Room in the CMU and pick up an application.
The deadline for the PFund scholarship is on February 1, so it’s coming up fast! If you are at all interested in applying, don’t hesitate. A little money can go a long way and a little effort can be recognized. Best of luck to you who have already applied! Stay tuned for more columns from your own personal LGBT MSUM source–Stay curious.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
What Isn't in a name?
published January 13
You eat it, you try to spell your name in it, and it’s probably very high in sodium. Well, at least that’s one way of looking at Alphabet soup. Another way is through LGBTQIA; the far more wholesome alphabet soup that I‘m here to tell you about today. This mouthful of letters stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Questioning, Intersex, and Allies.
I was asked recently why such a ridiculously long and inclusive acronym is used to define a group. Believe it or not -note my sarcasm here please- the homosexual community and all their affiliates are still considered a pretty touchy subject to many people. Insert one of my life philosophies: people are like ostriches. They think that if they bury their head in the sand, they aren’t susceptible to the world outside. But if the world comes and bites the ostrich in its big feathered butt, surprise! Hello world, I’m listening now.
So why go to such lengths to include Intersex, Allies, Transgendered, and Questioning into the mix? Another astute inquiry. The answer, simply, is that if you call a person out by name, their conditioned response is to answer back or look. If a person on the street was shouting, “Everyone come to the party,” you may simply ignore them. But if they said, “(Insert your name), come to the party!” Wouldn’t you look?
Earlier in the year one of my articles stated that you don’t have to be gay to come to the GSA Rainbow room. Put simply, you don’t have to be in the rainbow to enjoy the refracted light. The inclusion of “S” in Gay Straight Alliance is so that even those individuals who are not homosexual know that they are welcome any time. This message, I believe, is mirrored in this long list of letters of Alphabet soup.
It is no secret that with sensitive issues like homosexuality and the LGBTQIA vista, many people won’t get involved unless they’re called out directly (I refer to my ‘world biting the ostrich in the butt” metaphor again). The reason that we go to such lengths to be inclusive, even reaching out to straight Allies, people currently Questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation, and Transgendered peoples, is because the very point and basis for the GSA community is to include EVERYONE in the effort for a more humanizing world.
I know it’s still a mouthful, and sure, I’d rather say the Everybody Club rather than LGBTQIA, but calling out each individual by name is a more effective way of getting people involved with a movement that really shouldn’t –after all this time- need to be a ‘movement’ at all.
There is no real difference between a gay person and a straight person (or transgendered, or questioning, or bisexual). We just like different thing, and is that really so different at all? That is my 101 on why the LGBTQIA acronym is so inclusive. No matter who you love, you’re just a person, like everybody else.
You eat it, you try to spell your name in it, and it’s probably very high in sodium. Well, at least that’s one way of looking at Alphabet soup. Another way is through LGBTQIA; the far more wholesome alphabet soup that I‘m here to tell you about today. This mouthful of letters stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Questioning, Intersex, and Allies.
I was asked recently why such a ridiculously long and inclusive acronym is used to define a group. Believe it or not -note my sarcasm here please- the homosexual community and all their affiliates are still considered a pretty touchy subject to many people. Insert one of my life philosophies: people are like ostriches. They think that if they bury their head in the sand, they aren’t susceptible to the world outside. But if the world comes and bites the ostrich in its big feathered butt, surprise! Hello world, I’m listening now.
So why go to such lengths to include Intersex, Allies, Transgendered, and Questioning into the mix? Another astute inquiry. The answer, simply, is that if you call a person out by name, their conditioned response is to answer back or look. If a person on the street was shouting, “Everyone come to the party,” you may simply ignore them. But if they said, “(Insert your name), come to the party!” Wouldn’t you look?
Earlier in the year one of my articles stated that you don’t have to be gay to come to the GSA Rainbow room. Put simply, you don’t have to be in the rainbow to enjoy the refracted light. The inclusion of “S” in Gay Straight Alliance is so that even those individuals who are not homosexual know that they are welcome any time. This message, I believe, is mirrored in this long list of letters of Alphabet soup.
It is no secret that with sensitive issues like homosexuality and the LGBTQIA vista, many people won’t get involved unless they’re called out directly (I refer to my ‘world biting the ostrich in the butt” metaphor again). The reason that we go to such lengths to be inclusive, even reaching out to straight Allies, people currently Questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation, and Transgendered peoples, is because the very point and basis for the GSA community is to include EVERYONE in the effort for a more humanizing world.
I know it’s still a mouthful, and sure, I’d rather say the Everybody Club rather than LGBTQIA, but calling out each individual by name is a more effective way of getting people involved with a movement that really shouldn’t –after all this time- need to be a ‘movement’ at all.
There is no real difference between a gay person and a straight person (or transgendered, or questioning, or bisexual). We just like different thing, and is that really so different at all? That is my 101 on why the LGBTQIA acronym is so inclusive. No matter who you love, you’re just a person, like everybody else.
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