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Dear Editor,
As October came to a close, I couldn’t help but reflect back on such a remarkable month. Despite the strange weather, busy schedules, and H1N1 scares—the month was exciting and full of school spirit. Times like these, I really appreciate Bentley and everything this school has to offer.
One place where I definitely noticed the spirit was with PRIDE and their “National Coming Out Month” activities. The flyers, the events—their image on campus was absolutely profound. Students and staff alike were of great support.
And then last week’s issue of The Vanguard came out. Leslie Dias wrote a first-rate article on PRIDE and all their events. But then a few pages later I came across an article that just rubbed me the wrong way: “October: Only Good for Halloween.”
The columnist expressed his opinions on National Coming Out Month and how he believed it should be in June. My initial reaction to his thought process was just pure confusion—where was he going? But then I read it again; my confusion turned into disgust and anger when I realized, National Coming Out month had become the brunt end of the author’s joke. If this was the author’s attempt at satire, the joke missed the mark by a mile.
National Coming Out Month was something Bentley’s PRIDE decided to implement this year. The real holiday that is celebrated worldwide is National Coming Out Day—October 11. It all started back in 1987 when half a million people participated on the march on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Rights. Because of such an outcome on that day and the changes that march had on the community, the head of National Gay Rights Advocates at the time, Jean O’Leary, Rob Eichberg, a founder of the personal growth workshop, and The Experience decided to create a day to celebrate “coming out.” But a day—or a week for that matter —wasn’t enough for PRIDE.
I don’t need to go into detail about the PRIDE events of this past month (see Leslie Dias’ article from last week), but PRIDE planned and organized about ten events that had great outcomes and personally left me a feeling of ‘pride.’ I attended a majority of the events, and every single time, I left with a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that no other collection of events has given me on campus. I went to bed every night knowing that PRIDE made a difference in someone’s day—maybe allowing their “coming out” process a little easier and allowing people to feel like they really belong. I don’t need to be gay to know that this organization made a huge difference on campus this past month.
So to turn such a month—such an experience—into a joke and write about it in the campus wide newspaper just disgusts me. Lines such as “spen[ding] $50,000 a year so my son could turn gay” and “everyone’s awkward behavior towards you will last a lifetime in the form of a scarred psyche” are lines that are so inappropriate and offensive, not to mention utterly closed minded.
Not all families would consider “coming out” shameful or embarrassing. Not all families would put a seal of disproval on such a difficult time in someone’s life. Coming out doesn’t and shouldn’t ruin holidays for every family of a gay person. This article has not amused me, in any way shape or form. It has completely upset me. At a time where our country’s legislation and the President of the United States are showing support and encouraging equality, why is this acceptable? It goes beyond support just to the LGBTQ community; it’s about human rights and allowing people across the world to be individuals. It’s about allowing people to be comfortable in their own shoes and about promoting acceptance on a campus such as Bentley’s. Above everything, it’s about respect.
In the time the author took to write that article, he could have done some really life altering “field research.” Go view “A Jihad for Love” or take a trip to Provincetown, spend a day at Six Flags during “Out in the Park.” Attend the Rainbow Luncheon where our own Gloria Larsen expressed absolute support to the LGBTQ community, and finally, come to a PRIDE meeting at 7:30PM on Wednesday nights and feel the gratification and dedication that the club embodies… because you won’t find it anywhere else on this campus.
Liz Sisson
{ 1 comment }
Listen Liz,
What if it was Propose to Your Wife month, and the author said that it was the wrong month, because of the same reasonings. That if she said no “you’d suffer a scarred psyche”. Would you approach the situation with such vigor and misplaced passion. I doubt it. You are drastically generalizing and that is dangerous, because if we are not allowed to talk about sensitive issues they will always remain sensitive. We should be able to approach coming out with humor, because it should be a mainstream issue. Don’t put baby in the corner Liz.
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