My school's homosexual group ("SpectrUM") hosts first statewide GLBTQ conference

The Miami Hurricane (UM student newspaper) ^ | 06 April 2004 | Vivek Kalra

[MegaSilver]

Last weekend, SpectrUM hosted the first annual Florida Collegiate Pride Coalition Student Conference, the first statewide conference to address gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer issues [GLBTQ]. Twelve organizations from universities across the state, including UF, UCF and FIU, participated in the conference.

"This conference will help us greatly because we will be able to join together, get more people behind what we do and have more of a force on campus," Dara Solomon, SpectrUM public relations chair, said.

The conference, themed "Connections," encouraged GLBTQ students to have a unified and powerful voice on campus. Events included a series of workshops on a wide range of issues, from gay history to the controversial gay marriage issue. Each workshop served as a forum for discussion in addition to the topic being presented by guest lecturers.

Solomon hopes gays will be motivated through the workshops to become involved in non-violent protests on campus for issues like gay marriage.

One workshop discussed how the University, specifically the residence halls, should be more accommodating to gay students.

Chris Fisher, resident of Mahoney-Pearson, was satisfied because he had "a gay-friendly roommate," while others felt that RAs and students living in the dorms should have special sensitivity training towards GLBTQ students to ensure a stable living environment.

It was proposed that the University should have gender-neutral bathrooms. A student from Eckerd College spoke up about discussing this with the administration at his campus. Cate Dundon, new vice president of SpectrUM, discussed the organization's goal of creating non-discrimination policies for gender-expression for transgender students with the University's administration.

Lecturers included Jennifer Uleman, assistant professor of philosophy at UM, and Nick Sakurai, director of LGBT Students at the U.S. Student Association.

Sakurai hosted a lecture on the Day of Silence, described as "a day when GLBTQ students take a vow of silence representing how society silences their voices." According to the SpectrUM website, the day was set aside to memorialize those who were killed because of anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. SpectrUM hopes to raise campus awareness on a wide range of gay issues through the Day of Silence and other organized events this upcoming fall semester.

The conference ended with keynote speakers Ruth Berman and Connie Kurtz, a lesbian couple who made a documentary showcasing their coming-out process and the reactions from their Jewish community and families.

SpectrUM hopes to make connections with other student groups on campus such as feminist groups and organizations of students of color by the "connecting issues" of ensuring equal access to education and reducing hate-crimes.

For more information, visit www.miami.edu/studorgs/spectrum.

Vivek Kalra can be contacted at v.kalra@umiami.edu.

[MegaSilver]

It was proposed that the University should have gender-neutral bathrooms.

If they mean ALL gender-neutral bathrooms, I might just have to drop out of this school.

Scary thing is, this club has a student government Senator. I'm thinking of joining SG just to combat the liberal activism that my friend tells me is excessively rampant there.

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[lelio]

When did they add the Q to their name? I remember when it used to be "Gay and Lesbian" and then "Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual" suddenly it became "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Individuals" which was really wordy and amusing.

[Unam Sanctam]

GLBTQ

They keep adding letters and I'm afraid I can't keep up. What's the difference between "queer" and "gay"?

[Paul Atreides]

SpectrUM, huh? RectUMs would be more appropriate.

[Paul Atreides]

What's the difference between "queer" and "gay"?

One is strange, and the other is happy.

[clintonh8r]

How come no "H" for...HOMOSEXUAL?

[reg45]

How come no "H" for...HOMOSEXUAL?

How come no "F" for...Faggot?

[madprof98]

Sakurai hosted a lecture on the Day of Silence, described as "a day when GLBTQ students take a vow of silence representing how society silences their voices."

It's true. We hardly ever hear a word from these folks.

[upchuck]

Pingers to ya, lj.

[SpyGuy]

When did they add the Q to their name?

Next, they will be adding "BDSM" for Bondage/Domination/Sadism/Masochism (torturers). Then they will add "P" to their name for Pedophiliacs (child rapists). Then there will be the addition of "S" for Scats (those with a sick fetish obsession for feces). After that, will come "B" for Bestiality (sex with animals). Then, will come "N" for Necrophiliacs (sex with corpses). After that...

We are witnessing the demise of human civilization.

[NotchJohnson]

There is a homosexualizaion of America. It's hip for girls to pretend, think, or want to be a lesbian but I do believe that there are elements that are pushing boys to be gay. Sounds paranoid but I like trends and this is the trend. I may have wanted GT to win last night but the trend was for UCONN to whip them. Capice?

[viaveritasvita]

>>>How come no "H" for...HOMOSEXUAL? How come no "F" for...Faggot?<<<

And where's the "S" for sodomite?

Semper Fi

<><

[bayourod]

"This conference will help us greatly because we will be able to join together, get more people behind "

Just as I suspected.

[little jeremiah]

A lot of them add "questioning" to the list. That's a hook to recruit more victims.

[Kirkwood]

I've always wondered... are there any lesbians for Bush?

[little jeremiah]

Homosexual Agenda Ping + Watch Out, Parents, Where You Send Your Kid to College Alert.

Are there homeschool colleges?

Let me know if anyone wants on/off this pinglist.

Maybe I should start pinging states when there's something like this? Maybe Florida Freeper would like to know what's going on at their colleges and universities.

[TheHound]

They could probably add half the alphabet with different sexual preferences and should just save alot of ink by calling themselves P for perverts.

[John O]

It's hip for girls to pretend, think, or want to be a lesbian but I do believe that there are elements that are pushing boys to be gay.

Of course there are. The first law of homosexuality applies:

'Homosexuals' don't reproduce, they recruit

[wjcsux]

One is strange, and the other is happy.
I was visiting the University of Arizona campus with my youngest son a couple of years ago. We were there during a "gay pride" parade. The participants appeared to be wretched, tormented souls. These people looked anything but happy.