MTV forum raises gay issues
By Dave Stephens
Assistant
Campus Editor
How hard is it to be gay on Purdue's campus?
That was just one of the many questions that dominated
the discussion of MTV's Fight for Your Rights campaign, a program designed
to bring open debate about discrimination and hate crimes to campus.
"It's hard here, you can't enter a classroom without
thinking about how people will react to you," said Lindsey Pierce, a
senior in the School of Liberal Arts and one of the four openly homosexual
panel members who helped lead the discussion. "A lot of the campus is
pretty blunt about how they feel when it comes down to this issue."
The open forum, which lasted for almost two hours,
allowed people to address the issues facing the gay community, as well
as the topics of discrimination and hate crimes.
"When people use the words like 'fagot' or 'queer'
or say things like 'that's so gay,' they don’t realize about what
they are saying," said Breck Jones, a sophomore in the School of Liberal
Arts and co-founder of the Purdue Equality Alliance.
Students also wondered what the correct terminology
is when referring to those in the gay community.
"There's a big issue with terminology; it's usually
a personal issue," said Jones.
"The worst thing is being called a homosexual,"
said Ryan Hatton, a senior in the School of Management. "Sometimes people
make it sound like a disease."
Jones said she doesn't like it when people use
the term "lifestyle" to describe her sexual preference. "If you're a
heterosexual you have a life; if you are a homosexual you have a lifestyle,"
said Jones.
Another issue that was brought up by many in attendance
was the lack of diversity on the Purdue campus.
"Growing up in the Caribbean, I didn't see a whole
lot of discrimination between different races," said Grayson Clarke,
a junior in the School of Technology, "but there was a lot of discrimination
against people of different sexual orientation. When I came here, I
had those views, but now after experiencing different cultures, I've
changed."
Bryan Szyper, a senior in the School of Science
and co-founder of the Purdue Equality Alliance, said that education
is important so people learn to get along.
"Education of the masses, knowing where the resources
are to discuss what you are feeling, is the key to understanding," said
Szyper.
The forum took place after a showing of MTV's "Anatomy
of a Hate Crime," which tells the story of Matthew Shepard, a University
of Wyoming student who was murdered in 1998 because of his homosexuality.
Both the story and the open discussion were broadcast
live on BoilerTelevision.
Students who missed the broadcast on Thursday night
can watch for information about when the program will be re-aired, said
Jay Mermoud, manager of BoilerTelevision.
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