Page 4 Gay frat stirs controversy An ad placed by Delta Lambda Phi , depicting nude men in an embrace, may undermind efforts to break stereotypes of homosexuals and party-animal fraternities MINNEAPOLIS-Delta Lambda Phi did much more than attract people to their party when they ran a risque ad in The Minnesota Daily recently. They created some controversial conversations. The fraternity, which is for gay and bisexual men, placed an ad for its Halloween party in the Daily. The ad featured two men, who appeared to be naked, hugging. The fraternity also placed an ad earlier in the quarter featuring a bare-chested man wearing a cowboy hat. In an interview for an article published about the fraternity. Delta Lambda Phi President Rusty Robertson said, the fraternity has to "combat" the stereotype that it is a "sex club" on top of stereotypes that other fraternities face. Because the fraternity ran a sexually explicit ad, some at the University question whether the fraternity is really trying to break stereotypes. The Manchester, England Arts and Humanities Study Abroad Program is now a fall semester (and not spring semester) program. Applications are due immediately lor Fall 1996. Stop by the Provost's Office, Glenhill Farmhouse. Submissions are now being accepted for Tempus literary magazine. Send manuscripts to Box 1020 or the Student Activities mailbox. Commencement: Commencement for Summer and Fait '95 graduates is Sat. January 6, 1996 at 11:00 a.m. in Erie Hall (snow date - Jan 7). TORONTO trip planned. Behrand honors program is offering a bus trip to Toronto, March 23-24. Payment is due Jan 31, Cali 898-6000 for Info. Trip is for ■Phantom of the Opera* performance. PARKING NOTICE: There will be no overnight parking permftted in the Jordan Road Lot (behind Police and Safety) to facilitate snow removal beginning Nov. 13, 1995. Thank Yog. That’s Friday folks. FUNDED BY SGA Jaque Lee, a senior in the Program for Individualized Learning, holds this view. "I don't see how the picture being published could help combat those stereotypes," she said. "It is hypocritical for them to say they are striving towards not being sexual when their ads arc so sexual." Lee, along with Glenn Byers, wrote a letter published in the Daily that elaborated on this viewpoint. Byers, a Civil Engineering senior who is a member of the fraternity Zeta Phi, said the contradiction is "blaring." If the fraternity's purpose is to break stereotypes, the ad does not succeed, Byers said. Robertson declined to comment on the apparent contradiction. Dan Whittaker, a resident in the Delta Lambda Phi house, said opinions vary within the fraternity about whether or not the ad is tasteful. The Council of Commonwealth Student Governments is sponsoring a Penn State wide petition drive against state cuts in funding for higher education. SGA is asking students, faculty, alumni, and friends of the Pennsylvania State University to sign the petition and show their support. The petition will be available in classrooms, dorms, dining areas, and the SGA office. The budget cuts in higher education compromise the availability of a quality education The Returning Adult Student Organization (RASO) will meet this essential to Pennsylvania's future. month on the 14th and 28th at noon in the Gorge. Please attend. f*¥*************AM^¥¥¥AM^AMMf^¥***-¥-****¥¥-»M HEREfe SOME 19 - Sunday Alpha Sigma Alpha Bowl-a-thon Protestant Campus Ministry Worship Service(lnterdenominational) 8:00pm Room 114 - Reed "Movie of the Week" "The Cure" News "To some it was in bad taste, others didn't think it would cause any problems," he said. While Whittaker said he believes the td is in poor taste, he doesn't think the ad represents the fraternity as a sex club. "The main intention of the ad was to get attention, not to outline our goals," Whittaker said. "Had the ad shown what really goes on at our parties, it would have shown a bunch of guys and girls dancing and talking." Nikki Kubista, treasurer of The Association of Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/ Transgender Student Organization and Their Friends, said she thinks Robertson may have set lofty goals when he said the fraternity was combating stereotypes. The fraternity members put themselves into a situation in which they must look at themselves using mainstream society's perspective rather than their own, she said. "I would rather say 'We're here, we're queer' and go without constraints," said Kubista. The ad also raised questions about whether there are double standards in advertising for traditional and gay fraternities. Byers said other fraternities would not be permitted such sexually explicit material. When other fraternities do things that some consider sexist, they are Student Events covered in the news media, he said. Yet Delta Lambda Phi has so far escaped critical coverage, he said. "It's a shame the standard is not applied equally to everyone," he said. The ad ran in the Daily only because it wasn’t presented to the newspaper's ad approval committee, said Amy Rynerson Markus, the Daily's business manager. If the committee had seen the ad, it would not have run, she said. "I don't think it's any better or worse than another fraternity using a woman. It's just as tasteless." -Jaque Lee Senior, Minnesota State University The ad would have been rejected because it was sexually suggestive, not because of the sexual orientation it implied, Rynerson Markus added. Kubista said she thinks the fraternity advertisement cannot be Anyone who wishes to help with the drive or has questions can contact any SGA representative, the SGA office, or John Butler at JSBls4@psu.edu. Thursday, November 16, 1995 compared to traditional fraternities running ads featuring risque pictures of women. Men do not experience the same objectification and submission as women do in sexually explicit pictures, said Kubista, a Women's Studies student. But Lee didn't agree. "I don't think it's any better or worse than another fraternity using a woman. It's just tasteless." Kubista said the picture is "stirring up people," whether it's offensive or not. "Like any other fraternity, they should be held accountable for what they do," Kubista said. But she also thinks it is good that the ad is getting people to talk about and learn about gay sexuality.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers