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Creating LGBT awareness with silence

As the rainbow flags went up and the tables were piled with informational fliers, students began to gather around the LGBT Resource Walk at the Speaker’s Platform.

Wednesday’s LGBT events began with the resource walk featuring gay-friendly resources both on- and off-campus. Off-campus organizations such as Comunidad, a Catholic ministry for lesbians and gays, and the Gay and Lesbian Center of Long Beach provided informational booths for students interested in community activities.

“There are homophobes in the Catholic church, and some people who are very friendly,” said a representative of St. Matthews Parish of Long Beach, David Kennedy. Other booths featured free condoms and counseling services.

Diversity Week aims to incorporate every minority and ethnicity, not only individually, but within the LGBT community as well.

“One of the missions of our campus is to maintain diversity,” said Matt Cabrera, Student Life and Development Resource Center coordinator. “We wanted to take LGBT education and awareness programming to the next level by not only focusing on LGBT issues, but focusing on and highlighting the diversity within the LGBT community.”

Student volunteers passed out purple bandanas next to an art gallery with the theme “Silence Speaks.”

“The silence itself speaks volumes for people,” said Melissa Gonzales, a junior communications major. “I am a member of the LGBT community so I appreciate and support these events.”

Those participating in the Day of Silence event were encouraged to decorate and wear purple bandanas, which were provided by the LGBT Resource Center on campus.

“We’re speaking for people who can’t speak through silence,” said Lisa Nakasone, a senior psychology major. “I know it’s an oxymoron, but it’s creating an awareness by being silent.”

Those who wore the bandanas gathered around the speaker’s platform in front of the University Bookstore at 12 p.m. to break the silence through yelling.

Following the yell, Masters of Ceremonies Dennis Trejo, a freshman communications major, and Ian Stone, a freshman pre-social work major, opened the speaking platform to the public.

All the volunteers had to “come out of the closet,” or walk through a provided wooden door, before speaking to the audience. Among the topics students discussed included coming out to families, being beaten by fellow classmates and being discriminated against by their own community.

The first volunteer spoke out about her experience in high school.

“After school one day, some girls said, ‘Come with us or we’re going to drag you out of the room,’ ” said Darlene Tinajero, a freshman psychology major. “They took me to the farthest side of the school and beat me up for being gay.”

Stereotypes were another common theme throughout the event.

“One thing about my family is that we are Mexican Catholics,” Trejo said. “It’s a lot harder to come out.”

The LGBTQIA Campus Public Forum was the second LGBT event on Wednesday. Secretary of LGBT Affairs Matthew Bates hosted the panel, which answered three questions about the campus climate. The three questions included what the LGBT students’ needs are, how the campus is meeting those needs and how is the campus falling short of meeting those needs.

The panel included two students, a graduate student, a member of the University Police and an American Indian studies professor.

“In terms of the classroom, we need a curriculum open to LGBT students,” said Gabriel Estrada, an American Indian studies professor.

Estrada works on the Task Force Curriculum Committee along with other faculty members in order to create LGBT-centered courses. He said he hoped to expand women’s studies to include gender and sexuality by next fall.

Another main topic was Safe-Zone Training, a faculty training session designed to promote the awareness of LGBT issues and how to become an advocate. The overall consensus of the panel agreed that the Safe-Zone Ally Program should be available to the student body, as well as staff, so that allies can better understand the LGBT community.

“Our job is to make a safe environment for all on campus,” said Corp. Ami Rzasa of the University Police.

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