In the process of constructing my "faq" and/or "afraid to ask" section, it occurred to me that rather than just answering the same old questions we are tired of hearing, it would be interesting to open up the discussion to novel, anonymous questions. I realize there is a certain amount of risk involved, but considering the fact that we can moderate comments as we see fit, I'm not very concerned about it.
So, if you've got a question, just hit the comment button. No subject is off-limits, but if we decide that you're being incredibly disrespectful, we'll delete it so that it doesn't cost another individual their brain cells.
As of the date of this posting, anonymous comments are allowed. We'll include it on the "Afraid to Ask" page as soon as we can come up with an answer.
-Emily, Treasurer and Webmaster
(X-linked from the "Afraid to Ask" Page)
Friday, October 24, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Coming Out Day Article in the Grizzly
The following article was submitted to the Grizzly on October 9th. It is meant to respond directly to the verbal harassment and comments overheard by students while chalking. Due to fall break, and the specific deadline of the Grizzly, this article was not published until October 23, 2008, when the situation had escalated to include "counter-chalking." This article, however, does not intend to address that issue, and a response to those incidences involve a very different tone should they ever be published.
As follows:
On October 8, the Ursinus College Gay-Straight Alliance sponsored an annual campus-wide event where Ursinus students use sidewalk chalk to write positive messages of encouragement to closeted members of the study body. The events marks the Ursinus celebration of National Coming Out Day, which seeks to encourage openness in the LGBTQA community. Unfortunately, Ursinus LGBTQA students were not the only ones coming out of the closet: underlying homophobia comes out as well. Homophobic sentiments are expressed loudly and clearly within ear-shot of students participating in the event and closeted students at whom the messages are directed. These homophobic sentiments discourage closeted and even openly LGBTQA individuals from expressing who they are as human beings. Although all of the participants and allies are proud to see support literally all over campus, this homophobia is extremely detrimental and demonstrates a lack of respect for fellow students and faculty members who are being honored on this day.
As the Gay-Straight Alliance of Ursinus, we are here to foster love, equality and acceptance between all people, and embrace all of our differences. However, on this day in particular, we seek to celebrate the differences in the LGBTQA community. It is disturbing that universal values like love, equality and acceptance would be demeaned on a campus that prides itself on being an enlightened liberal arts community, simply because they encourage and celebrate LGBTQA students.We ask you all to please remember the importance of these values, and the dignity of your fellow students as human beings, every day, but especially on those days we seek to celebrate them.
The Gay-Straight Alliance and its Exec Board
[discrepancies due to typos and/or Grizzly editting]
[direct link the to the Grizzly PDF here]
As follows:
On October 8, the Ursinus College Gay-Straight Alliance sponsored an annual campus-wide event where Ursinus students use sidewalk chalk to write positive messages of encouragement to closeted members of the study body. The events marks the Ursinus celebration of National Coming Out Day, which seeks to encourage openness in the LGBTQA community. Unfortunately, Ursinus LGBTQA students were not the only ones coming out of the closet: underlying homophobia comes out as well. Homophobic sentiments are expressed loudly and clearly within ear-shot of students participating in the event and closeted students at whom the messages are directed. These homophobic sentiments discourage closeted and even openly LGBTQA individuals from expressing who they are as human beings. Although all of the participants and allies are proud to see support literally all over campus, this homophobia is extremely detrimental and demonstrates a lack of respect for fellow students and faculty members who are being honored on this day.
As the Gay-Straight Alliance of Ursinus, we are here to foster love, equality and acceptance between all people, and embrace all of our differences. However, on this day in particular, we seek to celebrate the differences in the LGBTQA community. It is disturbing that universal values like love, equality and acceptance would be demeaned on a campus that prides itself on being an enlightened liberal arts community, simply because they encourage and celebrate LGBTQA students.We ask you all to please remember the importance of these values, and the dignity of your fellow students as human beings, every day, but especially on those days we seek to celebrate them.
The Gay-Straight Alliance and its Exec Board
[discrepancies due to typos and/or Grizzly editting]
[direct link the to the Grizzly PDF here]
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Town Hall and Coming Out Day
While I completely intend to do an entire page on this subject, complete with pictures, analysis and the various responses and events that occurred as a result, something should be said about recent events now.
Tonight, during the Town Hall meeting, we discussed the vandalism to the Coming Out Day chalk. This discussion was mostly one-sided, in that, as a whole, the community agreed that this was hate speech and unacceptable while acknowledging the gray areas using biblical quotes created. The opposition was small but present, and while I disagree with them completely, I do respect that they had the courage to do as we always must: stand as a minority in a room of an occasionally hostile majority. I hope they attend the Dessert and Discussion, but I sincerely doubt they will.
It appears that there will be no action by the administration in response, other than support for the discussions going on and the acknowledgment of the event in the e-mail. This is consistent with our discussion with the Dean. There really is only so much they can do, especially without someone to blame for what occurred and is punishable. However, that won't stop us from responding as a community- as anyone who has been to our recent meetings knows, we are planning multi-lateral responses, not in the least was our letter to the Grizzly, which we never imagined would be as important as it is now. Look for that tomorrow!
Upcoming Events:
Dessert and Discussion: 30 6th Ave, Next to Sturgis @ 6:30 on October 29th.
Upsilon Phi Delta Gay Movie Night: TBA
-Emily White, Treasurer and Webmaster
Tonight, during the Town Hall meeting, we discussed the vandalism to the Coming Out Day chalk. This discussion was mostly one-sided, in that, as a whole, the community agreed that this was hate speech and unacceptable while acknowledging the gray areas using biblical quotes created. The opposition was small but present, and while I disagree with them completely, I do respect that they had the courage to do as we always must: stand as a minority in a room of an occasionally hostile majority. I hope they attend the Dessert and Discussion, but I sincerely doubt they will.
It appears that there will be no action by the administration in response, other than support for the discussions going on and the acknowledgment of the event in the e-mail. This is consistent with our discussion with the Dean. There really is only so much they can do, especially without someone to blame for what occurred and is punishable. However, that won't stop us from responding as a community- as anyone who has been to our recent meetings knows, we are planning multi-lateral responses, not in the least was our letter to the Grizzly, which we never imagined would be as important as it is now. Look for that tomorrow!
Upcoming Events:
Dessert and Discussion: 30 6th Ave, Next to Sturgis @ 6:30 on October 29th.
Upsilon Phi Delta Gay Movie Night: TBA
-Emily White, Treasurer and Webmaster
The New Ursinus GSA Website!
In the process of deleting everything from the old website, I discovered it was from 2003. It's pathetic it took us that long to reconquer it, but considering how much bureaucracy was involved, who can blame anyone for not trying?
Either way, the website is up and running, but very much under construction. You will notice that almost everything is a broken link. This is unfortunate, but it takes time develop content and I really hate the way Ursinus has its FTP set up, so I am not going to stress out about broken links if it means that I don't have to go back and replug each page later. On that note, if you see something you would like to write, or rewrite, or think that I have forgotten, please feel free to e-mail me on my Ursinus account and I will definitely give credit where credit is due. I am also extremely recepetive to criticism, so feel free to let me know what you think if you feel inspired.
More updates later, potentially about the Town Hall meeting tonight.
-Emily, Treasurer and Webmaster
Either way, the website is up and running, but very much under construction. You will notice that almost everything is a broken link. This is unfortunate, but it takes time develop content and I really hate the way Ursinus has its FTP set up, so I am not going to stress out about broken links if it means that I don't have to go back and replug each page later. On that note, if you see something you would like to write, or rewrite, or think that I have forgotten, please feel free to e-mail me on my Ursinus account and I will definitely give credit where credit is due. I am also extremely recepetive to criticism, so feel free to let me know what you think if you feel inspired.
More updates later, potentially about the Town Hall meeting tonight.
-Emily, Treasurer and Webmaster
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