Public awareness and education about differing sexual orientations is important for eliminating homophobia, the faculty advisor for Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Friends says.

The GLBF Speaker’s Bureau sponsored a panel titled Family Values 101 Tuesday night in the Student Center Auditorium.

When we educate ourselves, we overcome our fears and our differences, Paulette Curkin, GLBF adviser and panelist on the Speaker’s Bureau, said.

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The panel-discussion was in celebration of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender History month.

Established about 15 years ago, the Speaker’s Bureau is a panel of speakers made up of GLBF members who provide information to the community on the function of GLBF and share their personal views and experiences. The Speaker’s Bureau gives members of the heterosexual community a chance to interact face-to-face with people of differing sexual orientations.

The presentations were comprised of a short introduction in which the speakers introduced themselves and shared their own stories, followed by a longer question-and-answer session, in which they answered the audience’s questions.

Each of the five panel members spoke briefly of their experience with coming out. About 25 people attended the discussion.

I always knew I was a lesbian. It was never a question to me, Curkin said. But, I came out before the modern gay movement, and there weren’t many resources available for me. I didn’t even know about the gay community.

The modern gay movement began in the United States after the Stonewall Riots in New York City. Police raided the Stonewall Inn and began harassing gay patrons of the bar. The gay community was tired of the constant harassment by the police, and the patrons proceeded to fight against the police, which began a riot that lasted for weeks afterward.

GLBF, one of the oldest gay student organizations on the SIUC campus, received its charter on April 14, 1971, 22 months after the modern gay movement began.

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GLBF has gone through several different name changes:Gay Liberation Organization, Gay People’s Union, and Gay and Lesbian People’s Union.

Curkin said the function of GLBF is two-fold:To provide support for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people on campus, as well as people in the community; and

To provide educational outreach to the heterosexual community to provide insight to eliminate homophobia.

The Speaker’s Bureau generally speaks to classes and residence halls on request. The panel speaks to about 100 groups a year and reaches about 1,000 students. Another campus-wide panel is being considered for the spring semester.

Fear of rejection is the hardest thing to face for someone who is coming out, Curkin said. It is frightening. It can be immobilizing, but if you attempt to live a lie it is very self-defeating.

At the end of the discussion, one audience member raised her hand, except this time it was not with a question.

I would just like to thank all of you for having the courage to sit up on that stage, in front of all of us and tell your stories. Your courage is really inspiring.