Posted on 10/16/2002 10:38:39 AM PDT by Afronaut
Virgilio Sklar '03 imagines a truly accepting University community, complete with a queer campus center, a queer studies department, active recruitment of homosexuals to campus and representation of homosexuals in admissions materials.
"The social makeup of the campus will not change unless we proactively validate all self-expressed identities and communities," Sklar said. "Without [pro-homosexual] policies, we will be accepting and imposing upon the students the norms of the majority and we will only be giving lip-service to diversity."
Driven by such visions, Sklar became a member of the Queer Radicals, a new unofficial organization with about 60 members formed at the beginning of the year as an alternative to the Pride Alliance. The group's goal is to create positive acknowledgement of its own and of other marginalized communities. It sets itself apart from such groups as the Pride Alliance, which they see as reactionary against preexisting negativity.
"I don't perceive [the group] as that radical," member Jessie Weber '05 said. "It is radical by Princeton standards, but I think it pushes for something that should be a norm: acceptance and respect for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities."
The group also seeks to challenge the mainstream ideas of sexuality, and rejects such words as "gay," "straight," and "lesbian," believing that they are too confining. Rather, the group uses the word "queer" to represent the fluidity and individuality of sexual identity.
The term queer "is not static," Sklar said. "It doesn't even mean the same thing to the same person every day."
"Queer" also includes the group's heterosexual members.
"To me queer is not just about sexual preference," said Lee Conderacci '04, a member of the Queer Radicals and a straight ally to the Pride Alliance. "It's about fluidity and being open and being able to make our own identity as an individual. We are independent of categories and notions put upon us by society."
The Queer Radicals declined to explain the group's origins or to specifically acknowledge any particular members as having had a strong role in its foundation. Most members have asked not to be identified.
"We don't want to associate the Queer Radicals with any one or two people because it's a group, a collective, and not the planning of any few people," Weber said.
The group lacks a traditional hierarchical structure and makes decisions based on consensus at its meetings to emphasize that no one's opinions take precedence over anyone else's.
The group is prepared to tackle "University policies and the campus climate," according to its mission statement. Members do not yet feel prepared to tackle "queerphobia" and other such issues on a larger scale.
The biggest and most immediate problem the group hopes to tackle is heterosexism — the assumption of heterosexuality — members said. The issue manifests itself in often-overlooked ways, such as when a girl asks her roommate if she met any interesting guys at the 'Street.' Weber also pointed to the freshman orientation program "Sex on a Saturday Night," which portrayed four heterosexual couples and no homosexual couples in its skit.
"A heterosexist environment on campus gives a green light to acts of homophobia and hatred," said Weber.
The Queer Radicals held their first event, a Kiss-In, to combat heterosexism Tuesday of last week. The event was meant as an affirmation of the queer community's presence on campus and of queers' refusal to hide their sexuality from the public.
"A lot of people say they're okay with gay people, but the Kiss-In pushed people's comfort level," said Weber. "Heterosexism needed to be challenged, and the Kiss-In challenged that. People needed to reexamine — why do I feel uncomfortable about this?"
The group's mission statement also emphasizes a desire to reach out to all minority populations. The group also hopes to gather support from other traditionally oppressed minority groups in mutually beneficial relationships.
Overall, the group stresses the importance of introducing the concept of queer to the campus. Their immediate goal is to promote discussion about the variances of sexual identity encompassed by the community.
"We don't have an antagonistic message," Weber said. "We want to spread the message that the queer community exists, that we will be treated with respect and that the queer community is a part of the campus culture."
Good, I'm a member of the "Shut up, you noisy queers" community. Thanks for the validation.
Would this include "self-expressed anti-homosexuals"?
In addition to each other.
Most members have asked not to be identified.
If they are so proud of themselves... why hide?
"We don't want to associate the Queer Radicals with any one or two people because it's a group, a collective, and not the planning of any few people," Weber said.
This means homosexual chaos?
The Queer Radicals held their first event, a Kiss-In, to combat heterosexism Tuesday of last week. The event was meant as an affirmation of the queer community's presence on campus and of queers' refusal to hide their sexuality from the public.
"A lot of people say they're okay with gay people, but the Kiss-In pushed people's comfort level," said Weber. "Heterosexism needed to be challenged, and the Kiss-In challenged that. People needed to reexamine — why do I feel uncomfortable about this?"
I feel uncomfortable/ disgusted with people making out on street corners, I don't care who they are pawing. Sex and groping is not a spectator sport. Rent a room.
The group's mission statement also emphasizes a desire to reach out to all minority populations. The group also hopes to gather support from other traditionally oppressed minority groups in mutually beneficial relationships.
So they do solicit membership. liars
So, when a population is approximately 96% to 98% straight, assumption of heterosexuality is a problem? Its a horrible mindset?
The brains of these sodomites are as damaged as their rear ends.
Oh, for Pete's sake (sound of BtD slapping forehead) - that's what I forgot to do, proactively validate all self-expressed identities. I had it on my list...lessee, there it is, take out the garbage, feed the cat, proactively validate all self-expressed identities. Easy thing to forget....
"It's about fluidity and being open and being able to make our own identity as an individual. We are independent of categories and notions put upon us by society."
Well, I don't know if "sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I don't" comes properly under the category of "being open," frankly, it sounds a lot more like "being confused" to me. And some of these "notions" are not necessarily a bad thing - I like to think of myself as pretty open-minded, but I draw the line at a "Kiss-in" involving putting a liplock on some bearded crypto-fascist with halitosis all in the name of social justice. I'd offer a compromise in that he can kiss my butt, but I'm afraid somebody there would be very likely to take that literally...
No, that would just be "weird" not queer. Or "fascinated by your lifestyle but afraid to come out of the closet so they joined your club to be with you anyway".
I don't know of any heterosexuals who actually prefer the company of homosexuals enough to join a "Queer Radical" club. Unless they got some serious baggage anyway.
Good. Now if we can only convince them to keep it that way. I have an enormous headache.
Yes and yes, according to the homosexual community. The mission "to eliminate heterosexism" actually begins in the public schools - courtesy of the "Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network's" propaganda machine:
Institutionalized Heterosexism in Our Schools: A Guide to Understanding and Undoing It
From Denial to Denigration: Understanding Institutionalized Heterosexism in Our Schools
"... When describing incidents of discrimination or harassment against LGBT people, then, it may be more precise to use the terms anti-LGBT bias or hate acts. And when discussing the belief, held by so many, that homosexuality is "wrong" or "less than," it may be more accurate to use heterosexism, which can be understood as an overt or tacit bias against non-heterosexuals based on a belief in the superiority or, sometimes, the omnipresence of heterosexuality(2) and the notion that homosexuality is psychologically, spiritually, or morally wrong. Since this type of intolerance is frequently leveled against those perceived to be lesbian or gay due to gender expression that transgresses societal norms, heterosexism can also be understood as the assumption that a dual gender role system based on birth-assigned sex is natural and desirable. Heterosexism--though not a replacement for homophobia--is a broader term that does not imply the loathing the latter term suggests, and which can describe seemingly benign attitudes and behavior based on the belief that heterosexuality and a binary gender structure are the norm.(3)
... Institutionalized heterosexism exists at every level of society--from family roles to federal policy--and works to transmit inflexible cultural norms to a populace that unconsciously integrates them. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policy, for example, excludes all gay men who have "engaged in any homosexual behavior since 1977" from giving blood(11) and the community instinctively assumes that such guidelines are in our best interest. Religious doctrine instructs followers to "love the sinner, but hate the sin" and flocks of parishioners unquestioningly accept that homosexuality is inherently depraved. Pentagon policy(12) assures us that not asking or telling is the best way to deal with our LGBT service members and the public takes for granted that silence is golden..."
This is not simply an agenda of some "Queer Radical" group out on the fringe. GLSEN is a "mainstream" homosexual group that espouses "queer is normal" propaganda to K-12 children in the public schools on a daily basis. Make no mistake, this is a well planned, well financed campaign and it begins with elementary school children.
"The brains of these sodomites are as damaged as their rear ends."
Indeed, as was pointed out in "Is This Gay Behavior Sick?"
Seven Steps to Recruit-Proof Your Child
Assemblyman MOUNTJOY opposes promotion of homosexuality in public schools
Don't despair. By doing this they are shoving their agenda down everyone's throat, and this is backfiring.Not really.
The barbarians and perverts are succeeding.
Their agenda is standard procedure in most big city public high schools and many grade schools.
Tolerance = promotion.
Psychologically, it is an abnormality, an aberration. In other words, a pathology. In most cultures, and in common parlance, that makes it a sickness. It is not psychologically "wrong;" science doesn't assign those values to facts. But it is aberrant. Of that there is no argument.
Spiritually, it is almost certainly wrong. If we equate spiritualism with religion, there are few religions in which homosexuality is not roundly condemned. The few "religions of convenience" that people profess nowadays to defend such behavior are mere semantic constructs devised for just that purpose. There is little or no spirituality behind them.
Morally, homosexuality's "wrongness" depends on the moral context. In Judeo-Christian morality, derived from biblical tenets and canon law, it is most certainly wrong -- even criminal. Its only defense is that it does no harm to willing participants, although that can be argued since it perpetuates a pathology.
Since this type of intolerance is frequently leveled against those perceived to be lesbian or gay
There is no "intolerance" present in the previous statement. There is simply a statement. Recognition of a fact does not constitute intolerance. A zero balance in your bank account means you don't have any more money. The "how" or "why" isn't at issue; simply the "what." By improperly labeling realists as "intolerant," the pro-homo writer has shown his own bias, and can be comfortably dismissed as an advocate rather than a rational observer.
Jeez, hasn't this poofter heard of U.C. Berkeley? You'd think he was kept in a closet all this time...
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Heterosexism...can describe seemingly benign attitudes and behavior based on the belief that heterosexuality and a binary gender structure are the norm.
Religious doctrine instructs followers to "love the sinner, but hate the sin" and flocks of parishioners unquestioningly accept that homosexuality is inherently depraved.
Didn't the founding fathers talk about certain truths being "self-evident"? What part of "intuitively obvious to the most casual observer" don't these people understand?
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