Friday, September 17, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 5
Gays confronted for showing love
Continued from page 1A
Rowland added that many couples he knew had no reason to be together on campus because only one partner was a student, and the had graduated and was working. He said that because of homophobia, safety was an additional concern for homosexual couples.
Snodgrass agreed.
"I wouldn't say there are certain places that are safe or unsafe. There are situations that are unsafe that can occur anywhere in Lawrence," he said, adding that he might monitor his behavior if he was in an area devoid of people.
Lisa Braun, Deerfield senior, who has been with her girlfriend for 10 months, said holding hands going into Wal-Mart was a completely different the atmosphere from doing the same while walking down Massachusetts Street. But, she said, she would feel comfortable holding her girlfriend's hand any place she would feel comfortable walking alone because she did not think most people in Lawrence thought it was an issue.
Braun said she remembered
three times in the past year that people made comments to her face. Braun said that despite her clearly feminine figure she was often called "sir" because she is taller than her girlfriend.
"I'really think that they think I'm a guy," she said. "People just assume you're a boy and a girl until you make it absolutely clear that you're not — I think people are programmed to think that wav."
Braun said she thought two men might be confronted more simply because it would be harder to mistake them for a man and a woman.
After eight months, Snodgrass said he and his boyfriend had been yelled at, often on Friday and Saturday nights. One time, he said, they were at an intersection when a car full of people pulled over to yell at them.
"I was sort of afraid that they would get out, but it was a busy intersection, and there were a lot of people around," he said. "I was sort of afraid they'd get out. Ryan was a little shook up, but I was laughing through it because it was so stupid that these guys were so
Lawrence sophomore Ryan Anderson, right, chats to his boyfriend Ryan Snodgrass, Kansas City, Kan., senior, in front of Wescos Terrace. The two have been a couple for eight months now and say they show affection in public just as much or any straight couple would. Photo by Chad Cummings/KANSAN
Snodgrass said he didn't think of himself as part of a gay couple when he went out.
"I'm not one of those people who feel I have some sort of role to fulfill
as being gay," he said. "I am who I am, and my relationship with Ryan isn't about shocking people. It's about my love for Ryen. I'm determined not to let other people's fear keep me from living a normal life and doing what I want to do."
—Edited by Mike Loader
Homosexuals welcome as youth mentors
Local chapter less restrictive with policies
By Corey Peck Special to the Kansan
One of Lawrence's local volunteer organizations continues to welcome gay volunteers, despite a recent controversy about gay student help in Wichita.
Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Douglas County takes student volunteers from all walks of life, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered students, organization leaders said.
"We would be glad to accept any help from anyone who'd be willing to help us," said Becky Price, executive director for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Douglas County, 733 Massachusetts St.
In fact, the organization now has homosexual volunteers working with children, although Price would not disclose their names.
The Sedgwick County chapter of Big Brothers/Big Sisters has been
more restrictive than its Douglas County counterpart.
At the start of the semester, all of the student organizations at Wichita State University were sent a mailing encouraging them to volunteer for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, including Ten Percent, WSU's homosexual organization.
The Sedgwick County chapter later said that the letter was sent to Ten Percent by mistake and that it had a policy of banning homosexuals from volunteering written into its bylaws.
it's not in the best interest to put them [the children] in the midst of any potential controversy as a result of their Big Brothers/Big Sisters-sponsored relationship," said Casey Ritchie, public relations coordinator for the Sedwick County chapter.
Price said she was not sure why the Sedgwick County chapter excluded homosexuals from being volunteers, when the majority of Big Brother/Big Sister chapters allowed homosexuals to participate in their programs.
Ritchie emphasized that the Sedgwick County chapter's policy excluded homosexual volunteers
because of people's feelings within in the community.
"[The policy is] the result of a deep-seated emotional response to homosexuality that remains a strong element in our community." Ritchie said.
Matthew Skinta, Andover junior and KU Queers & Allies president, said the Sedgwick County chapter's policy was disturbing.
"A lot of homophobia is a result of ignorance, and a child with a positive gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered role model is going to remember the impact that person had on their life," he said.
Students and organizations interested in volunteering with Big Brothers/Big Sisters have a variety of programs in which they can participate, with varying time and work commitments. Those who decide to work with a child one-on-one, or as a couple, have to go through a screening process before they can volunteer.
The screening process takes four to six weeks and includes a psychological test, background checks, references and interviews
Price said that the screening
process had been very effective in screening out prospective volunteers who could be potentially harming to a child.
Even though homosexuals can and do volunteer, parents are told up front who the volunteers are, and parents have the final say as to who mentors their child, whether the person is homosexual, male, female or even a smoker, she said.
Skinta said he was unsure if Queers & Allies had been involved with Big Brothers/Big Sisters in the past, but that he encouraged homosexuals in the community to volunteer in organizations.
"When a child is exposed to a visibly queer person, it helps them build a positive image based on fact that can withstand the stereotypes they'll encounter in adolescence and adulthood." Skinta said.
The Big Brothers/Big Sisters program of Douglas County works with many student organizations, including the Center for Community Outreach and various fraternities and sororites.
Edited by Darrin Peschka
Committee members can co-sponsor legislation
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
By Chris Borniger
A dramatic change in the way legislation is introduced to Student Senate could begin soon.
A bill that will go before the University Affairs and Student Rights committees next Wednesday would allow non-senator committee members to co-sponsor legislation under the guidance of a senator. Current senate rules and regulations restrict sponsorship to senators.
Dede Seibel, student body vice president, said the bill was part of an effort to make Senate more available to students.
"I think there's a vast amount of students that want to be involved, but don't know the channels through which to do that," she said.
Seibel said she wanted to build a
program in which senators would be mentors for non-senator committee members, who would learn how to draft bills and would be allowed to defend them before Senate.
"It's more than just answering
phones," she said. "It's about getting the full experience of St ud en t Senate and making use of their skills as
it with about 10.
persons and developing leaders. Seibel, who was chairwoman of the finance committee last year, said she hoped increasing student involvement in Senate would increase committee member retention. Last year, she said, the finance committee began the year with about 40 members and ended
persons and developing leaders."
As of Sept. 3, about 250 students comprised the five standing Senate committees, almost 80 of whom are senators. That number is substantially larger than last year's total committee membership, said Eric Rush, committee board chairman.
"I think we've made some real strides, but we could always be better," he said. "As much as we try to represent the student body ourselves, it's good to have a lot of other voices on the committees."
Marlon Marshall, Student Executive Committee chairman, said keeping students on committees helped senators better represent their constituencies.
"Just being involved in committees and knowing how students vote lets us know how they feel," he said.
Rush said committees as a whole
Barb Williams, Wichita senior is a first-year member of the multicultural affairs committee. She said she felt that non-traditional students such as herself did not have enough representation on campus.
"I saw a lot more people that don't come from traditional student groups," he said. "But we aren't at the level we should be."
still needed to represent a broader scope of students at the University of Kansas, but that committee diversity had improved.
She said her experience at the first meeting was positive, and that she planned to remain on the committee.
"I feel like we're overlooked in general." Williams said.
"I thought it was really constructive," Williams said. "Everyone seemed to have a lot of good ideas."
- Edited by Chris Hopkins
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