Group
seeks more acceptance with A.S.I. help
By
Zamná Ávila
On-line Forty-Niner
"I've
heard people [on campus] say things like
if you hang out with gay people, you'll
turn gay," said psychology major Enrique
(who requested to omit his last name). The
comment, says Enrique, 24, is one examples
of why he is not "out" at Cal
State Long Beach about his bisexuality,
he said it is same reason he is not "out"
to his family: fear of rejection. A collective
mind of gay and lesbian students, faculty
and staff are forming an alliance to help
ease similar sentiments they believe have
contributed to the lack of visibility of
their community at CSULB.
Leaders
of gay and lesbian groups said these fears
are not uncommon. According to Emmy González,
the Associated Students Inc. president's
chairwoman for lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender affairs, many people don't feel
comfortable participating in those affairs
because they may feel their job is jeopardy
or don't want certain people to know.
"It
makes it even more difficult, when people
deface and destroy flyers," González
said, referring to an occurrence when LGBT
flyers were brought down or defaced last
spring.
Some feel institutional inequity may
also factor into why CSULB situated in a
city known to be gay-friendly, may not seem
as welcoming to gay and lesbian groups as
expected.
"I
don't think that the institution is proactive
in making it that way as they are with other
minority groups on campus," said John
Trapper, media advisor for A.S.I.
Gay
and lesbian students and faculty recently
formed a LGBT caucus composed of the Rainbow
Alliance, the President's Cabinet Committee
for LGBT Affairs, Delta Lambda Phi, the
LGBT Resource Center, and faculty and staff
members are seeking to obtain recognition
and funding from student government and
the Board of Control. The funding
would be used to help sponsor events open
to the whole campus that would help promote
awareness and visibility to the community.
"Our
goal is to put a resolution to the Senate
to make sure we are recognized identity
on campus," González said, "there
is no voice on campus. So we are trying
to do something about it."
The
caucus is hoping to develop with a budget
within the next two weeks detailing their
currently unknown expenses to ask the Senate
and the Board of Control commitment from
the student population for all these groups
through the Rainbow Alliance. The caucus
plans to work together to obtain an annual
budget, similar to what other minority groups
on campus receive.
"With
the help of all these organization we could
become a huge voice on this campus,"
González said. "Events like
this can only help to unite everyone, not
just LGBT students and faculty."
Rholly
Rivera, president of Delta Lambda Phi, said
funding is available if someone requests
it and explains how the funds will benefit
the campus. According to Trapper and Enrique,
requesting the money has been a challenge
in the past for LGBT organizations, because
many individuals within these groups are
afraid to be seen.
"Some
people don't participate because they don't
feel it is worth being ostracized,"
Enrique said.
At core of the gay and lesbian community
on campus is the LGBT Resource Center, also
known as The Lounge, run by students on
a limited budget. The center is located
in Faculty Office 4-165, offers a comfortable
meeting place for Women's Rap, Men's Rap
and the Rainbow Alliance groups. Although
The Lounge is situated in a non-centralized
part of campus, students who may not be
ready for others to know they are gay or
lesbian feel more comfortable.
"The
center is a haven secluded from others that
might discriminate," Enrique said.
But
Julio López, the program coordinator
for the center, said "The fact that
it's an issue however, is one of the reasons
that we really need to promote events on
campus." However, promoting these projects
can be challenging.
"It's
hard because you may have a vision of what
you would like to do, but some people may
not understand that vision or may not be
ready to partake in that vision," López
said.
This
year, for example, the center is looking
to sponsor an open house week, a forum to
discuss domestic abuse in same-sex partners,
and a hate crime awareness week among other
projects.
On Oct.22, staff and faculty members
gathered to commemorate National Coming
Out month and promote the visibility of
the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
population at Cal State Long Beach. The
"Evening of Friendship," which
included food and karaoke is the first event
in what the caucus hopes will be one of
many.
"This
is not the last thing we are going to do,"
said Brian Steering, one of the organizers
of the event. "It's a kick-off for
all sorts of events to foster a safe and
gay-friendly environment for people."
"Our
goal is to put a resolution to the Senate
to make sure we are recognized identity
on campus. There is no voice on campus.
So we are trying to do something about it."
-- Emmy Gonzalez, A.S.I. chairwoman for
LGBT
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