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Volume 128 Issue 103
kansan.com
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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The student voice since 1904
Gaypril 2015 kicks off with 'Queers in the Media' event
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ALLISON CRIST
@AllisonCristUDK
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Gaypril, a month-long celebration' of LGBTQ pride, kicked off last Thursday with a social gathering and a presentation," QUEERS and the Media." Events like these and more will continue throughout the entire month of April.
Rather than being outside like in the past, this year's show will be held in the Union Ballroom.
Mitchell Cota, president of Spectrum, the central organization behind the University's celebration of Gaypril, described it as a month in which all students who don't identify as straight can come together to feel included on campus.
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Despite the month being full of different discussion panels, trainings, presentations and more, there are a few different events Cota said are especially important.
Staying consistent with the previous years, though, is the host. Daisy Bucket, a Kansas City drag queen, will put on the show with University student performers.
One of these is the annual drag show, "Brown Bag Drag," set for April 29.
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"This is the most highly attended event throughout the entire year for Spectrum," Cota said. "It's a good way to put ourselves out there and create awareness about our purpose." Cota said after the show brings attention to the or
Cota said after the show brings attention to the or-
organization, it can begin to spread awareness about various issues that surround the LGBTQ communities.
On April 21, Sam Brinton, a survivor of conversion therapy, will speak at the University as part of the month-long program.
"He's going to speak about his experience with reparative therapy, and the process in general, which is important to discuss," Cota said.
Another important event covers feminism and queer intersexuality."JULIA SERANO: Making Feminist & Queer Movements Inclusive" will take place on April 29.
Serano, a trans-bi activist, writer, biologist and feminist will be a guest speaker at the event.
"Some might think that be ing queer doesn't mesh with feminism, but it can and it should." Cota said.
AbleHawks and Allies will host the event "Queering Disability" on April 28.
"One in seven students on campus has a disability, whether it be physical or mental," said Jennifer Marcinkowski, senior from Jefferson, Mo. and president of AbleHawks. "Given the importance of intersecting identities, I'm glad and honored that we're able to lead this discussion."
This discussion will delve into the intersectionality of queerness and disability.
Marcinkowski works in Human Resources for the University as an Americans with Disabilities Accommodation specialist. To highlight the importance of this event, her office decided to co-sponsor it.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
4/7: LGBTQIA+ career panel, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Big XII room,
Kansas Union
4/8: "RENT" How We Gonna Pay? 6:30-9 p.m. Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center classroom
4/9: Sexual Assault in Queer Relationships with SURGE and KCAVP 7 p.m., Smith 100
4/14: Faith, sexuality and gender panel, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center Classroom
4/16: Be you @ KU pride photo, 12:15-12:30 p.m., Campanile
4/22: Coming out gala, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center
4/21: Sam Brinton, You Can't Change What You Never Choose. 7-8:30 p.m., Spahr classroom
4/22: HIV/STI testing day, Kansas Union
4/25. Student safe zone training, 12:30-4 p.m., Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center
4/28. Queering Disability, 6:30 p.m., Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center
4/29: Brown Bag Drag, noon, Kansas Union ballroom
4/29: Julia Serano: Making Feminist and Queer Movements
Inclusive, 7 p.m., Spooner Hall
A bike route sign on the corner of Engel Road and Crescent Street in Lawrence urges cyclists and drivers to "share the ride." Kansas was ranked 46th in the nation for bicycle-friendliness by the League of American Bicyclists in 2014.
Though this is the only event AbleHawks is directly involved with, Marcinkowski encourages everyone to go to any and all of the events throughout the rest of the month.
"LGBTQ and non-heteronormative culture is for anyone who wants to be included," Marcinkowski said. "It's about inclusion, not exclusion. We want to give students a voice and allow them to identify as they are without any stigma."
— Edited by Valerie Haag
Cyclists say Lawrence remains bike-friendly despite low rankings
IFSSICA I FREI/KANSAN
JESSICA LEBEL
@jessica_lebel
Aaron Dittemore straps on his helmet and puts on his tennis shoes before making his way down Massachusetts Street to work every day. He is a Jimmy John's bike delivery man and said he feels it is easier to travel by bike than by car in Lawrence.
In 2014, Kansas was ranked 46th in the nation for bicycle-friendliness by The League of American Bicyclists, moving down six places from 2013. The ranking is based on legislation and enforcement, policies and programs, infrastructure and funding, education and encouragement, and evaluation and planning. In 2012, Lawrence was designated a bronze-level city for bicycle friendliness from the League.
However, some Lawrence cyclists say the city is more bicycle-friendly than the ranking reflects.
"I definitely think that Lawrence is biker-friendly, and that's one of the things I really love about it." Dittemore, a former KU student, said. "I can ride my bike anywhere I need to go, and you don't normally find that in other cities in Kansas."
In 2014, an estimated 400,000 cyclists rode 20 selected roads, according to the Lawrence Bike Count. Cyclists said they hope to see this number grow
in 2015 with bicycle-friendly programs in place such as Transportation 2040 and Lawrence Unchained.
"Lawrence is a terrific place to cycle. We have a diverse and dedicated cycling community, a knowledgeable bike shop (Sunflower), and varied biking experiences," said Leonard Kristhalka, director of the Natural History Museum and avid cyclist.
Kristalka said he loves how someone can ride in the city and then be out in the country within five or 10 minutes. It's a feeling he said to the "freedom
to become exhilarated in the Kansas landscape."
The Countywide Bikeway System Plan is working toward a goal called Transportation 2040; its vision is "To advance bicycling as a safe and efficient
SEE BIKING PAGE 2
THAD ALLTON/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rep. Valdenia Winn, D-Kansas City, listens as the House Select Investigative Committee held its first meeting April 1 in Topeka. Kansas legislators are reviewing a complaint against Winn during a legislative meeting.
Representative calls bill 'racist,' may face hearing
KELLY CORDINGLEY
@kellycordingley
"This is a racist, sexist, fear-mongering bill."
That is how Rep. Valdenia Winn (D-Kansas City), who is a professor of history at KCK Community College, characterized a bill in the House Education Committee that would repeal in-state tuition for people living in Kansas illegally.
Winn: "I have dreaded this day because this is a racist, sexist, fear-mongering bill. I would like first to apologize to the progressively-minded people of Kansas who are appalled that we are turning back the hands of to, and I'm going to use strong language, Jim Crow tactics. And, once again, making Kansas a laughing stock. I want to apologize to the students and parents whose lives are being hijacked by the racist bigots who support this b'll, because this bill—"
According to The Topeka Capital-Journal, the comments in committee were as follows:
Winn: "I said supporters. You know what, you can do anything you want, but I am going to say what I have to say."
Rep. John Barker (R-Abilene): "Mr. Chairman, I object. She just referred to this committee as racist."
Barker: "I object."
Winn: "If the shoe fits ... it fits. This is an example of institutional racism."
Her comments during the committee meeting on March 19 prompted nine of her Republican colleagues to file a complaint, landing her in the middle of what could be a historic House Select Investigative Committee.
The Investigative Committee met April 1 to organize and set ground rules. It will decide whether to move forward with the investigation when session reconvenes in late April. Rep. Brandon Whipple (D-Wichita) is one of the six members on the select committee and said this type of hearing is very unusual.
"This is only the fourth time in state history where a complaint like this has been brought up where they had
to form an investigative committee," he said. "The last two times dealt with corruption."
The committee is made up of three Democrats and three Republicans, all of whom are appointed by the Speaker of the House. Whipple said the first meeting was uneventful, though he did question which rule Winn violated.
Alcala also questioned why it was only a portion of committee members who filed the complaint, especially since the chairman of the committee never ordered Winn to stand down.
"My question was about the complaint," he said. "The chairwoman confirmed that there was actually no violation of a House rule cited in the complaint against Dr. Winn."
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Since no House rule was broken, Rep. John Alcala (D-Topeka) said this can be chalked up to politics and hurt feelings.
wny was it that there were only eight or nine people who filed the complaint and why was it all men and not women?" he said. "Why didn't they file a complaint against the chair? Barker said she was out of order, and not once did the chair gavel her. She was operating within the rules of the committee. Some of the people that signed this comp are senior politicians, and I'm surprised they're so thin-skinned."
Index
Winn, who declined to comment, also referred to people who support the bill as bigoted. Alcala said there's a misconception of who she was referring to.
"I've been an elected official for 16 years, and the first thing I've learned being an elected official is to have tough skin, thick skin," Alcala said. "As an elected official, you know you can't please everybody, and when you take it personally and file a complaint like they did, I think it's political."
"The comment that she called them racist and bigoted, that's not true," he said. "What she said is anyone who supports it is that. I've seen worse things said on a committee. I see no Demo-
CLASSIFIEDS 7
DAILY DEBATE 7
SEE STATE PAGE 2
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