1:111M3 opinions The door to the closet opens up to reveal a battlefield full of misconceptions My candidates for the Top 10 most offen sive epithets: Dago, Wop, Spic, Kike, Nig ger, Chink, Jap, Pollock, Wetback, Faggot. Tags that serve to reduce a person to a word, a stereotype. But one of these things is not like the others. One of these things just doesn't belong. Could it be the last one? When was the last time you heard someone yell - fag?" Queer? Homo? Chances are that it was probably fairly recently. Those monikers are OK, right? What's wrong with a little playful name-calling? But it's more than that, isn't it? The Top 10 is a top 10 of prejudiced insults. And what makes slurs like "faggot" commonplace is that they represent a socially acceptable prejudice. The prejudice most forgiven. Prejudice against homosexuals. Homopho bia. It's a sensitive topic to deal with because most people don't understand and don't want to make an effort to understand what it's like to have sexual preferences that differ from the prescribed norm: John loves Jane. But what happens when John admits he's attracted to Joe? Or Jane realizes that she can only live a life with Jean? GLASSES No extra charge for Scratch Resistant Plastic Lenses Wise Eyes unconditional Two Year Guarantee when you purchase a complete pair of glasses Offer Ends: 11/15/87 (does not include photochromatic lenses) State College u t2 in[At Bellefonte 234-1040 355-1354 125 S. Fraser St 315 W. High St. MAKE COL LEGIAN PRODUCTION'S RESUME SERVICE YOUR FIRST STOP WHEN PREPARING TO ENTER THE JOB MARKET. A RESUME BY COL LEGIAN PRODUCTION CAN BE ONE OF YOUR MOST VALUABLE TOOLS WHEN SEAR CHING FOR A JOB. 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FEEL FREE TO BROWSE THROUGH OUR PORTFOLIOS OF SAMPLE RESUMES AND SEE THE DIF FERENCE THAT QUALITY TYPESETTING CAN MAKE. 126 Carnegie Building University Park. PA 863-3215 collegian production 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p m Monday through Friday FREE TINT OPTICAL CENTER This enlightening message has been brought to you by Collegian Production Comments from a homophobe: "That's unnatural, goddamnit! Who do these people think they are, going against God and na ture and all that? It's Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!" Imagine what it must be like to live in fear of revealing your sexual preferences. The door to the "closet" opens up to reveal a battlefield. Come out and prepare for com bat. But conditions inside the closet aren't any better. Private wars, public lies. If you lie, then you won't be harassed. Verbal and physical abuse is a reality in the homosex ual world. "I can smell a queer a mile away. If one CONTACTS ever comes near me, I'll beat the shit out of him." Dealing with discrimination is never easy. Staying in the closet means avoiding being victimized. A gay man? Limp wristed, high-voiced, earringed. A lesbian? Short hair, rough-and-tough in flannel shirts and hiking boots. Professions for gays? Artists, hairstylists, actors, interior decora tors. Not lawyers, doctors, bankers or bro kers. "He made that decision. He could go straight if he wanted to. It'd make life much easier. Hell, a good woman could turn him around." That's like saying a good woman could turn me around. Changing a sexual prefer ence you were born with isn't like changing your socks. I think I'll trade the navy for the argyles. If it were that simple, don't you think there'd be a lot less homosexuals? There are easier ways to stage a rebellion. "I don't associate with fags." But what if you're roommate admitted he was gay? Yeah, the guy you play basketball with on weekends and party with until three in the morning. The guy you always thought was "normal." Does he automatically be- e 7.1 fi t. rzzza 11 Try the Sampler 4 3 toppings for the price of 1 ti \ • 'Whole wheat dough available - Expires 11/1/87 one coupon per customer ruts /1 one coupon per customer _ .O A 66 oz. of Coke FREE with any Large Pizza (". , Piiiall one coupon per customer On your way to and from the game stop at Liones East In Johnston Commons BEAVER STADIUM ----•• ..--- T. -3," - ; wi••• "we; - ...."' '""_ „,--- I: . 't , -,. '' • " ''__•••- ii - O•Te. e'r _ ' 2.__< ~ . , I __-• •E-- % ' ,-...;.,.;c0• --* IP, - ' ••" • --- -- ...A JOHNSTON -,—,,..., ____„.„,„„........ 70 -„,;,., .:.,----, -,......_ ---- --- ---., ..-- COMMONS . . "....-- , __;;.-- --. 4 ..-.;- - % - -- ; ;I—_ - ••-__Iir . 1 • . --.--.s+ .....v.,lNeg7- - ~,....4 - --, t . L . , ..-.. .......„. _.--, - - "..*--'--..... ,- -.Ji , -.....-, -..-- _ . 4 4 .......„ ..... .. " -••- •,• - - - ; 77 " 5".. " ---' •r?• 4 % '-' .' II , ; ~,...> ‘ ‹ ...,,,,ztcre - : ' , Z - Z • Vi :7 -- ,' -1 :-.-- ' ..- ••• , ...Uf r - "--: ---•-• v.....:-. -._,.... -<4l/44, _~~ We accept "A come a freak now that his secret is out in the opPil? Do you stop talking to someone you've been friends with for two years? And you thought you knew him. How could he be gay? Sexual preferences aren't easy to under ,,land. Atypical preferences can be disturb ing. frightening. People have very different ways of dealing with things they don't understand, things that they fear. Some choose to ignore. Some enjoy joking and name calling. Others resort to physical violence fag-bashing. Prejudice against homosexuals. Why do people go out of their way to abuse others for being different? It's an age-old problem. Now gays are the popular minori ty group to abuse. What do homophobes fear? It's a fear of the unknown. What goes on inside the closet? "Maybe they'll want me to be like them I'm not a queer." 1 FREE 32 oz. drink with any Stromboli p rc 0 1 ' r ~~~ P al vvsv' o• e" Gays aren't proselytizing. They're not out to sign up new members for their "club." They realize that just as they can't convert to a straight lifestyle, you can't convert to being gay. What do homosexuals want? The right to live their lives as they choose. The right to be able to be who they are, without pretend ing to be something they're not. The right to be able to live without being persecuted for their beliefs. The right to be able to live without the fear of verbal and physical violence. Rights that belong to all human beings. ~..... Pizza H WEEKENDER Whole wheat dough available Wear your Pizza7T T-Shirt into the store and receive one free topping ono slice our all new thick crust pizza DELIVERY STARTING AT 11AM own and Campus 234-0182 Oaks, Pork Forest, Toftrsss 238-2220 epe for 0 lc op e0 66.7#‘ f OV* es of` levo 0ba0tp......" ... • . S _ . .r-, --- _ .. :,.! - : '-- ' ' t '• • - ' ..." ~,...... . _-> :,..- • -•- r7-''''''l4llll- t -i r . . La Board" The Daily Collegian Friday, Oct. 30, 1987 "People don't think about what it's like to be gay when they make comments like 'fag' and 'queer.' They should be more consider ate of our feelings. Why do people go out of their way to abuse us? Why should I com promise the way I feel for their sake?" I'd like to thank the Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Social Support Group of East Halls for sharing their feelings on homophobia with me. You've enriched my understand ing. Paula J. Hnasko is a junior majoring in English and is a Collegian columnist. $1 Off any Large Pepperoni Pizza Exp.res 'B7 one coupon per customer Points CLIMIC
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