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PSU BRANDYWINE
The Lion’s Eyes
Vol. 1, Issue 4.
Penn State Brandywine
Media, Pennsylvania
October 18, 2010
“That’s So Gay!”
National Coming Out Week Kicks Off With
Academic Discussion Forum
By daniel j. taylor
Lion's Eye World and Local Editor — djt5036@psu.edu
National Coming Out Week was commemorated in
highly academic fashion on Monday, October 11, during Com-
mon Hour in the Lion’s Den. The round-table discussion was in
regard to homosexuality in America.
The discussion opened with a pair of internet Pub-
lic Service Announcements referencing the use of the phrase
“that’s so gay!” showing that he purpose of the discussion was
to take a look at the treatment of the Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-
Transgendered community with regard to the use of language.
Ronika Money, the Coordinator of Student Affairs,
set the ground rules, emphasizing that there were no experts in
the room and that the room was a safe place for the expression
of opinions. Lastly, there was a request for honesty from all
participants.
A list of true/false statements about students’ percep-
tions of sexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, and humanity in
general. It quickly became clear that the list was comprised
completely of stereotypes to be challenged. As a testament to
the widespread disbelief of at least one of the statements by the
students in attendance, giggling could be heard throughout the
audience.
During the gathering, there were times when the lives
of fellow Americans were offered up as examples to the suffer-
ings of homosexuals in the United States. The tragic invasion
of privacy-turned-suicide case of Tyler Clementi was among
the first examples used. In addition to being timely, the case
illustrated both the negative views towards gays as well as the
shame felt by many closet-homosexuals.
In discussing disrespect towards homosexuals, the
topic then arose about the attitudes about homosexuality in
high schools. Repeated testimonies of abuse and bullying were
brought forth, with students saying that homosexuals were
reportedly called “juicy,” “sissies,” “muff divers,” “sweet,
low biters,” “faggots,” and “dykes.” Furthermore, they were
said to be “light in the loafers” or “have a little sugar in their
tank.”
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The use of blatantly offensive language was both
intentional and expected. The purpose of the discussion was
to honestly lay all of the cards onto the table, and then analyze
those cards carefully.
The most common slanders of homosexuals, it was dis-
covered, came at the expense of their gender-identity. Societal
expectations, it was said, teach boys to wear blue and play with
action figures, while girls wear pink and play with dolls. Most
importantly of all, however, was the expectation that boys grow
up to like girls and, likewise, girls grow up to like boys. Be-
cause homosexuals challenge these traditional societal expecta-
tions, they are often met with difficulties.
It was mentioned by one student that the use’ of the
phrase “that’s so gay” is not meant to be a commentary on
homosexuality, but a word-substitute for “stupid,” “dumb,” or
“lame.” Upon further discussion, it then became generally ac-
cepted within the forum that such use of language is offensive,
regardless of the intent of the speaker. Dr. Matthew Shupp, the
Director of Student Affairs also raised the questions of legality
regarding the rights of speakers to say harmful things.
“If offensive words can cause young people to kill
themselves,” he stated, “isn’t it a disservice by the framers of
the Constitution to protect the speakers responsible for such
hatred”
Although no hard lines were drawn in reference to the
freedom of speech, students seemed intrigued at the contrasting
moral implications of protecting the speakers, as opposed to
the listeners, of hateful speech. It was not long thereafter when
one female student inadvertently remarked that a society must
change its beliefs about homosexuality before the legal system
can be changed.
In the closing moments of the forum, one student, La-
mont Jackson (Freshman, Business Law) claimed that the forum
was enjoyable, and though his thoughts on the issue remained
unchanged, that it was good to hear the opinions of others.
Bobbi Laprice (Sophomore, HDFS) stated that she believed that
the forum was a bit short but well-organized and that it was suc-
cessful in raising awareness about the hurtful nature of phrases
such as “that’s so gay.”
More ethical discussions are being planned, according
to Ronika Money as a jumping off event for Multicultural Week
on campus.
By Justin Le Pore -
Lion's Eye Staff Writer - jt15081@psu.edu
Campus safety—we all know the media’s
ortrayal, which goes a little something like this: it
egins with the misguided loner who decides to bring
weapon on campus, then terrorizes the campus with
aid weapon, and ends with victims, panic, and grief.
he media then shows interviews of students talking
bout how they ‘would have never thought in a million
ears that something like that could occur on campus.’
When in reality it is something that is very
ossible.
The question of the decade among college
ampuses nationally has increasingly become how
afe do you feel on campus? The potential threat of an
mergency occurring on this campus, the Brandywine
ampus, is very real and very probable.
In the past ten years the issue of campus
afety and the creation of safety protocols for emer-
encies have grown exponentially—in part because of
ampus shootings. :
These shootings have occurred all over the
ation from the University of Arkansas, University of
owa, University of Arizona, Virginia Tech, and most
ecently, University of Texas at Austin.
On September 21, 2010 another shooting
ccurred at the University of Texas when sophomore
olton Tooley opened fire on fellow students and then
ommitted suicide.
This recent shooting has sparked an interest
in our own campus and on what measures are being
aken to ensure our safety here at Penn State Brandy-
ine. Our campus has an emergency management
eam which plans and creates protocol for any sort of
emergency that could happen—from electrical fires and
omb threats to active gunmen on campus.
The Director of Student Affairs here at
randywine, Matthew Shupp, is on the emergency
anagement team, which is made up of division heads
and governed by Chancellor Dr. Sophia T. Wisniewska.
ccording to Shupp, the team comes up with different
esponse plans depending on the emergency, and each
of the members has their own particular role in each
plan.
Depending on the situation the emergency
management team must decide who communicates to
the students (through the PSUTXT or web news), who
communicates to the police, and so on.
For example, Campus Security is responsible for the
protection of life, and preservation of peace, the Direc-
tor of Information Technology is responsible for secur-
ing data and voice communications, and the Director of
Student Affairs is responsible for ensuring the safety of
students and to serve as a point of contact for students
and their families. Each designated role’s involvement
is determined by the extent and type of emergency that
foccurs.
Since our campus is an open public institution
it is vulnerable. Shupp explained that with three bus
routes coming to and from our campus, and with vari-
ous entry points to our buildings, we are at any given
time at risk. However, this is true for the majority of
public buildings all across the nation.
“[Brandywine] is a safe campus but we can
never be too safe,” says Shupp.
Because we cannot guarantee one hundred
percent safety we must be prepared and cautious. Stu-
dents who see anyone suspicious lingering on campus,
or who feel that a particular individual is dangerous,
are advised to find a faculty member and inform them.
If a faculty member cannot be reached the student
should then contact 9-1-1.
Security for the Brandywine Campus, David
Horevay, said that if there were a shooter on campus
this would be the protocol:
“Once Security is notified of a possible
Campus Safety:
Is Any Campus Truly Safe?
shooter or any type of weapon on campus, Security is
to notify the State Police, then the Director of Business
Services—who initiates the emergency procedures plan
and secures in place protocol. The response time for
the State Police for an emergency on campus has been
excellent.
The responding Penn State Security Officer
would monitor the area until the arrival of the State Po-
lice. Upon arrival of the State Police, the officer would
advise the responding troopers of the incident and give
a description of the event.”
The Brandywine campus has always taken
campus safety very seriously. In March 2009 the
campus tested its emergency response time with an
‘emergency preparedness drill’. The exercise simu-
lated an active gunman on campus. The emergency
management team partnered with state police, campus
security, and Riddle Memorial Hospital paramedics.
This gave the team feedback as to what the
Brandywine campus was good at and what needs to be
fixed. The Brandywine website states that the team’s
planning is ‘ongoing and continuous’. Emergency Pro-
cedures flyers have been placed in each of the rooms
on campus for students and faculty to observe. These
flyers give instructions on what to do in any sort of
emergencies that may occur.
Aside from all the potential risk Brandywine
and any other public institution have for these sorts
of emergencies, Shupp and Horevay feel very safe on
campus.
“I feel very safe...Brandywine has been an
extremely safe campus and our goal is that it will con-
tinue to be so,” says Shupp.
Horevay added this about his own feeling of
safety:
“At this time, I feel that the campus is safe.
During the time that I have worked here, there have
been no major incidents on campus.”
For more information on campus safety at
Penn State Brandywine please visit http://www.bran-
dywine.psu.edu/Information/Safety/default.htm. To
report any incidents of violence, theft, or emergencies
Security can be reached at 610-496-2522 or ext. 496
from any campus phone.