Members of the Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Friends painted the rocks by the Recreation Center on Sunday, which are set aside to be decorated by the public. By Monday morning, the rocks were defaced by a fraternity with slashed circles through GLBF’s painted messages, the organization’s co-director says.
October 9, 1995
This is the exact reason why we need to come out, to help dispel ignorance, Jeff Lucas, GLBF co-director, said.
Carbondale is a small piece of the spectrum, Erika Kohoutek, co-director of GLBF, said. It’s very disheartening to know that ignorance is alive and well.
Coming Out Week, where gays and lesbians can openly announce and accept their sexual orientation, is from Oct. 8-14. This is GLBF’s fifth year of participation and runs in correlation with Gay History Month.
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National Coming Out Day will be held nationwide on Oct. 11.
It’s a celebration of how gays, lesbians and bisexual people are coming out, Lucas said. It is a defining day in a person’s life because it is important for the individual to be able to accept it within themselves. All gays, lesbians and bisexuals go through this process, it’s a unifying point.
Lucas said there are levels of coming out that have to do with degrees of safety.
The process of coming out never ends, he said. You may have to tell your friends, relatives and so on.
Kohoutek said along with coming out, a visibility factor is involved.
There are phases to becoming visible, she said. People wear the pink triangles, freedom rings, which stand for unity through diversity. There’s a saying, visibility equals life.’
Just by me being open about coming out, people will come out to me. That’s very rewarding.
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GLBF has scheduled events for each day of the week such as movies that will be shown today and Thursday. And a rally and retreat are scheduled for Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
Kohoutek said the idea for the rally in front of Shryock and the retreat are both new this year.
We invite everyone to come out and participate in the events, Kohoutek said. We have invited USG, GPSC, BAC, the College Republicans and administration.
Last year, we forgot about the social aspects and just concentrated on the political ones, she said. This year, we are trying to find a balance.
The group will be handing out newsletters from St. Louis, as well as an SIUC based Inqueery and HIV awareness ribbons at the tables set up in the Student Center.
Info box:Today:Movie Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in the Mackinaw Room, Student Center, at 7 p.m.
Wednesday:Tables in the Old Main from 11-2 p.m.
Marchmeet at Student Center at 5 p.m. and
march to steps of Shryock
Rallyin front of Shryock in celebration of Coming
Out Day at 5:30 p.m.
Thursday:Movie Desert Hearts in the Troy/Corinth Room, Student Center, at 7 p.m.
Friday:Overnight Retreat at Touch of Nature at 6 p.m., with a meeting at Pagliai’s at 4 p.m.
For more information, contact GLBF at 453-5151
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