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Monday, April 10, 1989 / University Daily Kansan
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Mastercraft
Demonstrators open gay awareness week
842-4455
by Kathy Walsh
Kansan staff writer
Chanting "2-4-6, gay is just as Chanting "2-4-6, gay is just as straight," about 50 people marched down Massachusetts Street and Gay and Lesbian Awareness Week.
The marchers met at City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets, and proceeded south on Massachusetts Street chanting, "What do we want? Gay rights — When do we want them? Now."
The march ended at South Park, 12th and Massachusetts streets, where participants listened to speeches by Liz Tolbert, director of the Children's Museum and Karen Cook, chairman of Citizens for Human Rights in Lawrence
Tolbert, Lawrence senior, said this year marked the 20th anniversary of Gay and Lesbian Services at the University of Kansas. It is the third oldest gay and lesbian student organization in the country.
Tolbert said this week would be educational for people who thought being gay was different.
"We are very normal-looking, average-looking people," Tolbert said
Addressing the audience, Tolbert said, "For many of you, it's been very risky for you to come here today. And I think that is something that needs to happen, being out means not an easy process. Being out means that you risk a lot of things."
"Walking downtown, whether there is police protection or not, we could have been harrassed verbally and threatened with a knife need to, put yourself on the back."
Charles Waldemar, Topeka resident, said he came to Lawrence to participate in the march for several reasons.
because you are the role models for young gay and lesbian people."
Besides being a writer for the newsletter "Rightfully Proud," a publication targeted at the gay community in Topeka, Waldemar said it was important to lend support to the gay community in Lawrence.
Warren, a S. Charles, Moe, graduate student who requested his last name be withheld, said he would not have the courage to march a year ago.
"For me, it's a symbol of me coming to terms with being gay," he said.
Cook was surprised at the turnout.
"In Lawrence, since we don't have any civil rights, it's amazing to me that as many people are here, are here," she said. "These people could lose their jobs, they could lose lives, and they don't have any recourse."
“It's important to let people in Lawrence know there are gay and lesbian people in Lawrence,” she said. “If we know how to look, we know like normal neo-people.”
Kristin E. Kroeger, Lawrence high school student, said she had been attending GLSOK meetings for about two months.
David Lock, Lawrence resident,
said it was important for the gay
community to maintain some form of
presence.
"People need to know about gay people," he said. "I marched to maintain some self-respect."
Henry Schwaller, Hays graduate student, marches on Massachusetts street. The Gay and Lesbian Services of Kansas sponsored the march yesterday to open Gay and Lesbian Awareness Week.
Educational events to be part of gay awareness week
by Cynthia L. Smith
Kansan staff writer
Room at the Kansas Union.
When Ed Kowsnlar told friends he was homosexual, many of them were surprised.
"A lot of my straight male friends said, 'Oh my God, I did not even suspect you were gay,'" said Kowalski, San Antonio, Texas, "So obviously, they had a certain image in their minds."
Combating stereotypes through increased education and awareness is one goal of Gay and Lesbian Awareness Day.
Lauren Crain, GLSOK treasurer, said the speaker's bureau was one of GLSOK's more effective ways to increase understanding about homosexuals.
GALA week started with a march for gay and lesbian pride yesterday. Supporters will gather at 7 ontright for a candlelight vigil with music at the library. The bureau is also scheduled at 8 p.m. in the Kansas
"We want people to know about us and know we're not different than anybody else," Crain said. "There's a lot of ignorance about how gay and lesbian people are."
She also said heterosexual, religious people and people concerned about AIDS-related issues are encouraged to attend GALA Week events. Other GALA events:
■ Bill Wade, physician, will present "Living with AIDS" at 8 p.m. tomorrow in the Centennial Room at the Kansas Union.
"Wear Blue Jeans if You're Gay Day" will be
"Wednesday and a reader's Theater" will be at 7
p. m. in Alderson Auditorium at the Kansas Union. "Before Stonewall," a film with a historical look at gay and lesbian issues prior to the civil rights movement, is in Alderson Auditorium at the Kansas Union.
Mary Brinker-Jenkins, a social worker and lesbian activist, will discuss "Homophobia: The Social Disease and Its Remedies" at 8 p.m. in Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union.
A birthday party dance, celebrating GLSOK's 20th year at the University of Kansas, will be at 9 p.m. Friday in the Kansas Room at the Kansas Union.
"We want people to know about gay and lesbian people, that we are just like other people and represent all walks of life just like the heterosexual community does." Kownslar said.
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