Date: Sun, 23 Apr 1995 17:16:31 -0500 (CDT) From: Kevyn Jacobs To: "Kansas Queer News [KQN]" Subject: NT: LAWRENCE & KU CELEBRATE GALA WEEK FROM THE NEWS-TELEGRAPH April 14-27, 1995 ======================= LAWRENCE CELEBRATES DIVERSITY: UNIVERSITY HEIGHTENS AWARENESS by Zach Lowe LAWRENCE-Nationally known scholars, celebrities and activists pulled into this university city to help celebrate Awareness Week, a series of events organized by Lesbian, Bisexual and Gay Services of Kansas (LesBiGayS OK). The student organization at the University of Kansas organized Awareness Week to coincide with a celebration of its twenty-five years of existence. Scott Manning, acting director for the organization, said the Awareness Week committee wanted the 1995 celebration to commemorate that landmark anniversary. The bulk of Awareness Week was filled with speeches and workshops. The speakers stressed the need to join the fight against homophobia with those fighting racism, anti-feminism and classism. "We need to create a shared victim identity with victims of racism," said Tim Wise, the self-proclaimed radical who has been credited with masterminding the gubernatorial defeat of former KKK member David Duke in Louisiana. Wise said, in a speech on campus, that the problem of hatred in America is created by par- ents who do not teach their children critical thinking skills, fearing that this would usurp their parental authority. These children, he said, grow up to blame society's ills on minority groups rather than on their own shortcomings or nearsightedness. Wanda and Brenda Henson, the couple that founded Camp Sister Spirit, a feminist education retreat and folk school near Ovett, Mississippi and the target of increasing anti-feminist and anti-Lesbian violence, delivered an angry and impassioned speech on campus. The Hensons shared ac counts from a list of mo than 100: incidents of violence against them and the camp, including bomb blasts and gunshots. Efforts to end the violence by appealing to the US Justice Department have had little effect. "We were told by Justice Department authorities that we have no [civil] rights,' Wanda Henson said. Despite legal efforts to have them evicted from their land, the Hensons continue to fight. They see their battle to keep their land as a battle to win civil rights for all Gay and Lesbian people. "We re looking forward to the day we have protection as adult, American citizens," Wanda Henson said. Bisexual activist and author Lani Ka'ahumanu spoke on the need to reject the "neat categories" of straight and Gay and replace them with a concept of sexuality that includes the full breadth and fluidity of our desires. It is the division of the world into categories that causes intolerance of minority groups, she said. She urged the audience to fight against the religious right, which she sees as a chief proponent of division and separation. "We are targets of the right," she said. "We are all scapegoated and pitted against each other. Who will be next? Who will be left if we don't stand up for each other?" Michelangelo Signorile, the author of "Queer in America" and journalist / activist, was the final speaker in Awareness Week. He stressed the need for Gay and Lesbian rights activists and HIV educators to organize at local, grassroots levels. National organizations such as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) have already begun to do this by establishing city chapters and regional outposts around the country, Signorile said. The writer also pointed out that there is a limit to how much political power can help the Lesbian and Gay community. "It doesn't matter how many pro-Gay politicians we have, it could be one or an army. The only people who are going to save us are our- selves," he said. In addition to the above speakers, the Lambda Lecture Series, held in conjunction with Awareness Week, provided graduate students an opportunity to present papers on Lesbian and Gay topics. Also, the second annual Brown Bag Lunch Drag drew an crowd of 300 people to the plaza in front of the student union to watch a spirited drag performance. Chris Hampton, publicity director for LesBiGayS OK, said the event was designed to present drag to a wider audience. "This is a part of [Gay and Lesbian] culture that straight people don't usually get to see," Hampton said. "Some people get the idea that drag shows are perverse or kinky. This lets them see that it is just sheer entertainment and fun." By far the most anticipated event of the week was a speech by four-time Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis. Addressing more than 800 people, the diver recounted a brief history of his coming out and battles with homophobia, depression and HIV. As a member of the US Diving Team, Louganis said, nobody wanted to room with him. He also was the victim of harassment in the form of notes and signs posted on his room door. Only through the help of others, Louganis said, was he able to win his battles. "I thought I had to do it alone," he said. "And now I realize there are all kinds of people out there who are incredibly supportive." After Louganis' speech, a reception was held at the Chancellor's Residence on campus. "The Rainbow Flag flew at the chancellor's house for the first time ever," said Jim Scally, assistant to the chancellor and organizer of the reception. ========================================================== Permission granted by the News-Telegraph for distribution to the KQN email list (KQN@casti.com), and archiving in the Queer Resources Directory (QRD) on the Internet (http://www.qrd.org/QRD). 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