28 —The Daily Collegian Friday, Dec. 5, 1986 Fear creates chilly climate for gays on campus Editor's Note: This is the last in a three-part series on gays and lesbian students at the University. Today’s article deals with homo phobia and the social problems facing homo sexuals. By ERIC SCHMIDT Collegian Staff Writer The signs are evident on campus. In Pattee, the graffiti on the walls includes the word “faggots” slashed out, and the party jokes about the students who make up an estimated 10 percent of the University population con tinue. One of the major problems facing Universi ty gays and lesbians is homophobia the fear of homosexuals or homosexuality, said Ray Bortner, a 1983 University alumnus who works for an AIDS task force in Pittsburgh. Bortner, who returns to the University occassionally to speak to groups about homo sexuality and homophobia, added that some times people understand these difficulties. “Occasionally you see a glimmer of light in ■someone’s eyes,” he said. “But it is rare.” People are homophobic because they don’t really understand homosexuals or homosex uality, Bortner said. Another reason, he said, is people’s inabili ty to deal with their own homosexual feelings. Because they are confused about themselves, they talje it out on others. Heidi, a sophomore who asked that her last name not be used, realized that she was a Satellite is launched; marks 4th straight CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) A powerful rocket propelled a $125 mil lion military communications satel lite into orbit Thursday night, logging a fourth straight U.S. space launch success after a string of disasters earlier this year. The 137-foot-tall Atlas-Centaur rocket blasted away from its launch pad at 9:30 p.m. EST and carved a fiery path in a cloudy night sky as it .hoisted a 5,200-pound payload de signed to link land, sea and air forces THE FIESTA BOWL* THE CALIFORNIA COAST AND LAS VEGAS Travel to the Fiesta in the ultimate of comfort and 'adventure; a fullyequipped, luxury motor home. All arrangements made by RV Adventures Inc. including accomodations, meals, transfers and other features. A Fiesta Bowl New Years, southern California beaches, Las Vegas excitement and the Arizona sun all in the comforts of your own motor home! $349 per person (four person group, Fiesta Bowl tickets available to students and alumni at the Penn State ticket office). For reservations and information, call RV Adventures l-800^ Stranded with No Place to U»e Next Semester? • 9 or 12 Month and Semester • Free Parking Leases • 24 Hr. Maintenance • $lOO.OO Security Deposit . • Free storage • Free Heat & Cable 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments Stitt Available Park Forest Apartments 901 E W, Aaron Dr. • 238-1443 Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9-5 _ - ' •' * •'i mi• • •*1 • ■ irin • lesbian about three months before coming to the University. Most of her friends in high school were women, Heidi said, "and I knew I would do anything for them. ... Hard as it is to tell other people, it’s so much harder to tell yourself.” The University environment is difficult for gay people to deal with, Heidi said, because of its structure. The Office of Housing puts students in residence halls at its own discre tion, leaving the individuals with limited control over where they live, Heidi said. “It’s where you put yourself,” she said. “At home, I put myself into this (lesbian) envi ronment. Here, I’m put into the dorm.” Because some homosexuals have to live in the residence hall environment, where others may react badly to their sexuality, they are forced to curb their lifestyles, Heidi said. Almost everything they do takes into account the opinions of their neighbors. The sheer number of students is also an issue. “There are so many people so much of the time that you notice the prejudice,” she said. At home, Heidi said, she can go to bars or other places where being openly lesbian is accepted. In State College, the number of places is limited, she added. Tracy Alderman, co-director of the Lesbian Gay Student Alliance, said gays must deal with a university whose statement of non discrimination lacks a specific clause nam ing gays and lesbians as a recognized minori- with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the National Command Authority and the president. Twenty-eight minutes later, NASA launch commentator George Diller reported the two-stage booster had done its job and hurled the satellite into a great elliptical orbit ranging from about 103 to 22,330 miles high. “All mission elements have been accomplished; we’ve had a very suc cessful mission,” Diller said. He re ported good data was' being received. ties. Another barrier is the fear of homosexuals on campus because people do not understand what it means to be homosex ual. Alderman said, however, that the Universi ty is not more hostile than most other areas to homosexuals. Moises J. Torrescano, assistant affirma tive action officer for the University, said no clause protecting homosexuals exists be cause in the absence of state and federal laws that protect homosexuals’ rights there is no way to enforce one. Although the Office of Affirmative Action will investigate any reported case of discrim ination against homosexuals, he added, there is no legal basis to enforce any code against those cases. Sim David Aberson, co-director of LGSA, said that while no laws exist specifically naming gays and lesbians as minorities, certain legal precedents help strengthen the legal standing of gays in discrimination cases. Among those precedents are a Philadelphia law banning discrimination against gays and lesbians, and an executive order from the governor’s office doing the same. He added that the University will look into cases of gay and lesbian discimination and deal with the discimination as an act of sexual harrassment. LGSA, in cooperation with the University, is conducting a survey to determine the India Parliament reacts to terrorism NEW DELHI India (AP) The government er measures such as those revealed Thursday. ers if they are believed to be aimed at inciting said yesterday it has begun opening private mail, The measures are intended to fight the terror- civil disorder. Foreigners found to have entered tannine telephones and restricting the entry of ism centered in northern Punjab state, where India illegally face up to five years in jail, while foreigners as part of its fight against Sikh terror- Sikhs predominate. communication with people assisting terrorists ism The new measures let police tap telephones is punishable by a five-year sentence. The announcement in Parliament said the lines, listen to conversations and take control of Punjab has been torn by four years of violence government had assumed the special powers telephones if they are “satisfied or have reasona- by Sikhs demanding greater autonomy. More Nov 13 under a provision of the Terrorists and ble grounds to suspect” a telephone is being used than 650 people have been killed there this year. Disruptive Activities Prevention Act. to aid terrorism, Parliament was told. and the government on Wednesday declared _. -1 ru« -Hoe nnri nnnnciiinn lawmak- Using a telephone to abet terrorism would be nearly half of Punjab disturbed, ers have condemned the law, passed in May. 1985, punishable up to seven years imprisonment and 0n Sunday, Sikhs massacred 24 Hindu bus because it permits detention of suspects for up to a ne - passengers in Punjab, sparking two days of two years without trial. It also lets the govern- The measures also let police search for and violent anti-Sikh demonstrations in New Delhi ment adopt, without Parliament’s approval, oth- confiscate letters or tape cassettes from travel- and other cities. nature of the environment for homosexuals here, Alderman said. The survey includes questions such as: “Do you know anyone who has been harassed, spit on, beaten up or called names because of their sexual orientiation?” Aberson said the survey is aimed at deter mining the effect that students’ sexual orien tations have on their grades and employment possiblities. LGSA meets the second and fourth Monday of each month and the meetings usually attract between 30 and 70 people, Alderman said. The numbers of organization members have remained much the same over the two years that it has existed, Alderman said, although the actual people who made up the group have changed. Those who want to attend a meeting can contact LGSA at the HUB desk or call the Gay, Lesbian Switchboard of State College from 6 to 9 p.m. at 237-1950. LGSA is not primarily a social group, Alderman said, but it is a place where homo sexuals can meet other homosexuals and not worry about their sexuality becoming an issue. “At the meetings, we just sort of assume that if you’re there, you’re gay,” Alderman said. Aberson agreed that the organization is not primarily a social group it has several purposes, including support and education. 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Heidi said the area has only two bars where homosexual students can socialize openly, and they are open only to students over 21. Students below the legal drinking age have almost nowhere to go, she said. LGSA provides a forum where gays and lesbians can interact socially. In addition, the group has an educational function, Alderman said. It sponsored a pro gram on AIDS at its last meeting, and other functions include sponsoring dances and movies. LGSA receives its funding from the Univer sity as a registered group, Alderman said, and has also received a $2,500 grant from the Chicago Resource Institute that it uses to rent movies as fund raisers. University funds cannot be used to raise money, she added. Aberson said the University has not grant ed the organizaton office space despite seve ral attempts by LGSA members to point out offices that could be used. LGSA finally approached the Free Univer sity without the help of University adminis tration, Abersori said, and is sharing office space with that organization in 223 HUB. Alderman disagreed, saying that the Uni versity administration has not given the organization office space because none is available, but that it has tried.
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