Section A·Page 4
The University Daily Kansan
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Tuesday, October 14. 1997
Town meeting geared to stop violence against lesbigaytrans community
By Ryan Koerner rkoerner@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, in conjunction with several campus and local organizations, will host "Coming Out to Stop the Violence," a town meeting at 7:30 tonight in the Lawrence Public Library Auditorium. 707 Vermont Street.
Topics at the meeting will focus on antigay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender violence. Information from the meeting will be presented to President Bill Clinton for use at a national summit on hate crimes in Washington, D.C.. in November.
"The main thing is to shed some light on a really gruesome problem," said Mark Johnson, Task Force media director.
The Task Force is a progressive civil rights organization that has supported grassroots organizations since 1973. It serves as the national resource center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organizations that face a variety of battles at the state and local level.
Local sponsors of the meeting include the Freedom Coalition, Lawrence National Organization for Women, KU Queers and Allies, Delta Force, Topeka Unity and Pride Alliance, and Lawrence/Topeka Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays.
As a member of Freedom Coalition, Queers and Allies, and Gay and Lesbian Academic and Staff Advocates, Christine Robinson has been involved in the meeting's planning.
"Hate crimes are one of the most under-reported crimes," Robinson said. "This meeting will allow us to bring together a community of people to talk and do some brainstorming about what we can do."
Prior to the town meeting, the Freedom Coalition is hosting a reception for Kerry Lobel, Task Force executive director. It will be held at 5:30 p.m. today at 754 Sunset Drive. A donation of $10 is suggested.
At the meeting, Rob MacRae-McKie of KU Queers and Allies, Charlene Smith of Washburn University and Lobel will conduct a forum on hate crimes. Lobel will also speak about hate crimes in the United States.
Come on out
Reception to meet the executive director of 11 National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Where: 754 Sunset Drive
When: 5:30 to 7 p.m. tonight
Cost: Suggested donation of $10
Coming Out to Stop the Violence Where: Lawrence Public Library Auditorium
When: 7:30 to 9 p.m. tonight
Cost: Admission is free
For more information contact:
Lawrence Freedom Coalition 841-0992
or http://www.turnleft.com/freedom
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force web site at: http://www.nglf.org
The meeting will be the second of nine town meetings held across the country and the first of two in Kansas. The second meeting will be on Wednesday in Wichita.
Lobel will also speak with city leaders in Topeka and Emporia during the week, Robinson said.
"I know Lawrence was not on the Task Force's original itinerary," Robinson said. "But I think it was a good choice because Lawrence is one of the most progressive cities in the state about lesbigaytrans issues."
The Task Force will provide petitions for participants to share their hate-crime experience. The Task Force will give the information from all nine meetings to President Clinton.
Clinton will then present the information Nov. 10 at a national hate-crimes summit in Washington, D.C. Lobel will serve as the official spokesperson for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community at the summit.
"There is a lot of anti-gay and lesbian out there," Johnson said. "We want to be able to take a list of hopefully thousands of victims to the president and say this is not right. This is not the America that you speak about. It should be a dramatic way of highlighting an ugly problem."
Feminist Union publishes magazine to dispel negative view of feminism
Club uses "zine' to share opinions, raise awareness
The Feminist Union's first issue of "zine" aims to dispel the belief that feminism is a dirty word.
By Rachelle Dotweiler
rdetweiler@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
Two weeks ago members of the group pooled their resources and picked up their pens to produce their first feminist publication, "zine," which is short for magazine.
The group stirs awareness of gender inequalities in an interesting and off-beat way, said Joan Benefiel, Wichita senior and contact person for the magazine.
"We tell it like it is," Benefiel said. "We can't cover up gender inequalities anymore. We won't gloss it over and make it nice, even though it might offend someone."
The first issue attempts to educate readers on concerns about reproductive rights and rape, though not all the articles have such sensitive tonics.
One of the feature stories lists the top five Barbies the group would like to market. The Blue Collar Barbie wears overalls, protective goggles and fights for equal pay for men and women. Transgender, Barbie wants readers to know she was formerly called G.I. Joe.
Writers also debunk stereotypes of feminism. Benefiel said that articles in each issue explained the different forms of feminist thought.
Every degree of feminism endorses a unique perspective, and problems occur when groups - such as the radical feminist - draw negative attention through extreme behavior.
Benefiel said.
"Some radical feminists don't want anything to do with men," Benefiel said. "They're loud and make people feel alienated. People now take radical feminism as a blanket term against all forms of feminism."
Other stories contributed by club members highlight different perceptions of gender issues.
Maria Buszek, Lawrence graduate student and club member, said her column had helped her refocus her views while breaking apart the outdated feminist image of a sexless woman with an unshaved body and bushy eyebrows.
"I was letting myself be honest and not go back on my thoughts," Buszek said. "I get so wrapped up in such an academic, scholarly side of feminism that I forget that has nothing to do with why I got involved."
Group members say that "zine" spreads their message to a wide range of people who would otherwise be inaccessible. To increase readership and help spread feminist ideas, they are planning a Web page.
The circulation of the magazine is doing well, members said. "zine" is available at locally owned businesses in Lawrence and the women's studies department, 2120 Wescock Hall.
Mario Hey, Winfield graduate student, wrote a story about equal pay for women. He said that his view of feminism recognized the illegitimate and socially problematic subordination between the sexes.
The story aggressively confronted socially degrading policies and then offered a solution, he said.
"People might read it and say to themselves 'I always thought feminism was this, this and this, but they're saying something different that I can identify with.' "Hey said. "And that's the best thing about the "zine." We can define words how we want to without some dictionary or corporate media trying to define them for us."
Retreat endeavors to unite greek community
By Sarah McWilliams
Kansan staff writer
smcwilliams@kansan.com
It was a time for understanding and sharing. It was Greek Endeavor, a weekend retreat in which 125 fraternity and sorority pledges discussed their ideas and attempted to break down stereotypes.
The retreat, held at Camp Chippewa in Ottawa, was sponsored by the KU Interfraternity Council and the KU Panhellenic Association.
Erin Fox, Garden City senior and co-chairwoman of the retreat, said the retreat included three members from each fraternity and four members from each sorority. The sororities sent more members because there were 23 fraternities and only 13 sororites represented at the retreat.
An important part of breaking down stereotypes among houses was that the leaders and pledges did not reveal their house affiliation until the last day of the retreat, Fox said.
"It allowed students to see themselves as part of not just one house but as part of an entire Greek community," she said.
Another purpose of the retreat was to educate new members about leadership opportunities available at the University of Kansas, said Andy Klein, St. Louis senior and Greek Endeavor co-chairman.
Eight organizations from the University and Lawrence presented 45-minute informational sessions to show the students how to become more involved in campus activities. Groups represented included the Center for Community Outreach, Student Senate, the Center for Peer Health Promotion and KU Queers and Allies.
The KU Queers and Allies presentation, which was given three times, received a good response at each session. Fox said.
She said that 50 leaders in the Greek system attended the retreat along with the pledges. The leaders included chapter presidents or members of the Panhellenic Association or Interfraternity Council.
Ashley Gerald, Overland Park freshman and Sigma Kappa pledge, said she learned a lot of leadership skills that she would share with fellow pledges.
"It got rid of a lot of the stereotypes of different houses and what kind of people you'd expect to live there," Gerald said.
KU NIGHT AT THE BLADES!
Saturday, October 25th 7:35 PM KEMPFR ARENA INDIANAPOLIS
KANSAS CITY BLADES VS. INDIANAPOLIS ICE
Special Group Rate $9.00
(Save Up To $ 5.00 Per Seat)
The Kansas City Blades would like to offer all KU students and faculty along with their families and friends a special group discount for our October 25th game. To receive this rate, fill out the attached form and send it to the SUA office or visit the Blades' representative in the Union on Wednesday, October 22nd, or Thursday, October 23rd between 11:00 a.m. and !;30 p.m.
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NAME:___
CITY: ___
ADDRESS:___
STATE:___ ZIP___
DAY PHONE #: ___
OF TICKETS: ___ X $9 = $___
+ $2.00 (Handling)
Total Amount Enclosed: = $___
Check #:___
Visa___ MC___ AMEX___ DSC___
Credit Card #:___ Exp.___
Signature:___
Mail To Mary Smith And Make Check Payable To:
Student Union Activities / 1500 Oread / Lawrence, KS 66045
Or
Fax Order To Mary Smith:
(785) 864-4349
ALL ORDERS MUST BE RECEIVED BY OCTOBER 23, 1997. TICKETS WILL BE MAILED TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS If you would like more information, please call Lisa Anderson @ (816) 842-5233.
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