CAMPUS/AREA
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, April 22, 1996
3A
Applause greets anti-homosexual march-crashers
LesBiGayS OK rally supports civil rights
By Scott MacWilliams Kansan staff writer
The Phelps family rounded the corner at Sixth and Massachusetts streets with their "God Hates Fags" and "Gay U" signs to rousing applause from about 125 people.
The crowd cheering the infamous Topeka preacher were not members of Phelps congregation, but supporters of the LesBiGay Services of Kansas annual Gay Pride March. They knew Fred Phelps would come to protest and were glad to see him.
"We'd have been more disappointed if he hadn't shown up," said Matt Hydeman, Leawood graduate student and co-office coordinator for LesBiGays OK.
Hydeman said he wasn't threatened by protesters because the city of Lawrence changed its city ordinance to include homosexual civil rights.
Bonnie Cuevas, Topea resident and mother of Joe Cuevas, Topea freshman and LesBiGay S OK co-director, said she had learned to love more since her son came out.
"We'll make a commitment to you to help you gain equal rights in every area," Bonnie Cuevas told the marchers.
Bonnie Cuevas' remarks were given a standing ovation by the audience.
Kevin King, Toppea senior, said he became involved with LesBi-GayS OK only recently and had helped coordinate last week's events. King said his involvement in organizing the rally had been a great experience.
"It's really been invigorating to
"We'd have been more disappointed if he hadn't shown up."
Matt Hydeman co-office coordinator for LesBiGaySOK about Fred Phelps
help bring this week about," King said. "To have even a small part in helping someone come out fills me with pride."
Kasi Brown, Lawrence senior, said she had only recently come out to her mother.
"I was at my mom's and spilled some red wine on her white sofa," Brown said. "She said she could handle my being out, but don't spill wine on the sofa."
Samantha Korshin, St. Louis senior and LesBilGayS OK director, said she was glad the city ordinance had been changed.
"I was able to come out to my landlord," Korshin said. "The fights against the Simply Equal coalition brought out a lot more straight allies."
The Simply Equal coalition fought to include sexual orientation in the city's anti-discrimination ordinance.
Korshin said she felt the Lawrence business owners were supportive and that walking into stores wearing gay rights shirts brought positive comments.
"I think that having this rally and had Fred Phelps sent away is just one sign of how things have improved in Lawrence," Hydeman said.
Brian Hott / KANSAN
Members and supporters of the gay, lesbian and bisexual community march down Massachusetts Street to a rally at South Park. Fred Phelps
and his followers walked behind the marchers, carrying protest signs and chanting anti-gay slogans.
Drag show draws crowd, picketers
Performance is part of LesBiGay Week
By Susanna Löff
Kansan staff writer
"Rhapsody N. Redd," Overland Park junior, bounces rhythmically in the sunshine at the Kansas Union Terrace, and the audience of about 500 watches his every move.
As Rhapsody, dressed in fishnet hose and a slim jacket that barely covers his black panties, finishes his number, the audience erupts in applause even louder than for the drag queens who performed before him. Wilson Cruz, a TV-actor famous for My So-Called Life, rises
Rhapsody, who does not reveal his real name when performing, said he liked to perform as a drag queen because it was an opportunity to take on a different character.
from his seat on the ground and leads the audience in the only standing ovation of Friday's Brown Baa Lunch Drag.
"I'm a performer," Rhapsody said. "I like the experience of performing. It's nice to be in total control of your performance."
Rhapsody also said there was nothing sexual involved in performing as a drag queen.
"Drag is the epitome of glamour," he said.
The rest, four drag queens and a drag king, came from the Kansas City area. The show was part of LesBiGay Awareness Week, which ends today with a lecture given by Deb Price, a syndicated columnist, at 8 tonight at the Big Eight Room in the Kansas Union.
Rhapsody was the only KU student performing in the show.
The drag queen show was one of the week's events that attracted the most attention.
But the enthusiastic students on the terrace weren't the only ones paying attention to the show. Fred Phelps, a well-known gay-protester from Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, occupied the opposite side of Jayhawk Boulevard with his followers. The demonstrators carried picket signs calling the University
of Kansas "Fag U."
Chris Hampton, Lawrence graduate student and master of ceremonies at the show, jokingly welcomed the picketers several times.
Sam Phelps-Roper, a junior at Topeka High School, said drag queen shows were wrong because they promote an immoral lifestyle.
"You know, I think you were a bit late this time," she said between two numbers. "Maybe you're running on queer time?"
Mike Erickson, Keller, Texas, freshman, said he enjoyed the show but was disgusted by the picketers.
"I'm praying for their souls because I can't see how God could love hate," he said.
Kansan staff report
Rape reported by KU student
KU police are looking for a man who allegedly raped a 24-year-old KU student two weeks ago in the 1700 block of Iowa Street.
The student reported Thursday that she was raped on April 10 by an unknown man, who was described as a six-foot white male with brown hair.
The student told KU police she was jogging on the sidewalk about 8:15 a.m. on the west side of Iowa Street when a man ran up behind her, took her behind a nearby bush and raped her.
The student was not physically hurt and did not seek immediate medical attention.
Gayle Reece of the KU police department said students needed to be alert and mindful of suspicious people.
If anyone has any information about this incident or was in the area at the time, please call KU police at 864-5572 or Crime Stoppers at 864-8888.
Bicyclist crashes into windshield on campus
Curious students gather to watch
By Teresa Veazey
Kansan staff writer
Besides a few cuts and scrapes, a 21-year-old KU student is doing well after being hurled through the back windshield of a car Friday morning.
John Baker, Leawood junior, was treated for minor injuries at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, said Gayle Reece of the KU police department.
"He was scraped up but nothing too bad," said Robert Elton, Overland Park junior and Baker's roommate. "He'll live."
Baker was heading east on his bicycle about 11:30 a.m. on Jayhawk Boulevard, when the car in front of him stopped suddenly and Baker hit the car.
Michael Collins, Lawrence senior, was driving the van behind
Baker and witnessed the accident. He said Baker went over the bicycle's handlebars and through the car's back window, which shattered upon contact with Baker's head.
"The car was stopping for the crosswalk, and the bike couldn't stop in time," Collins said.
Baker, who was not wearing a bicycle helmet, could not be reached for comment.
Jeff Kuhr, Cincinnati senior, said he was walking down the street when he heard a loud bump. He said he ran to the accident scene to offer assistance.
"We asked him where it hurt, and he said his lip was numb," Kuhr said. "He wiggled his toes and his fingers."
Kuhr, who helped Baker onto the stretcher, said he was annoyed by the number of people who stopped just to watch. About 200 people watched emergency workers remove Baker from the vehicle.
Pam Dishman/KANSAN
"It's sick. People like that stuff," he said.
Emergency crews help John Baker, Leawood sophomore, on Friday after his bicycle hit a car, propelling him through the back window. He was later released from Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
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