Event story
“In order to be one [lesbian], I should be white,� Joan Varney said about a common misconception towards homosexuals.
“Where the norms are usually white,� Varney said, “you feel this internal conflict.�
The GLBT, Gay-Lesbain-Bisexual-Trangender-Group, holds many events around the University to help educate students about the GLBT culture. On Wednesday, Mar. 1, a teach-in called Queer Asians in Bay Area was hosted by Joan Varney.
Varney is a member of the QSU, Queer Student Union, and a professor here at UMD. She has done research for many years on queer Asians and their position in society.
Before Varney came out to her family and friends, she struggled with being an Asian. It was hard for her to come out of the closet.
Homosexual students of color do not seem to get the support that is needed from other people. This lack of support makes them feel like “They don’t fit in,� said Varney.
Angie Nichols, GLBT office director shared her two cents about the outcome of people who have showed up at this event.
“No one from the QSU is here tonight,� said Nichols, “and that’s really sad to me.�
Only nine people showed up to this event on Wednesday. Varney said, “everyone who showed up is either a friend of mine or someone that I know.�
On behalf of the QSU Nichols asked, “are we really a community if we are so divided?�
A member of the audience and a student at UMD spoke up and said, “I think that people in this school need to speak in a language of popular culture. I think you have to bait the kids to get them to come.�
In other words most students won’t come to an event if they don’t see how they will be affected from it. They need to be given a reason to want to come.
Angie Nichols has high hopes for the future of our community, and the rest of society.
“It’s changing already and maybe it hasn’t affected the college yet,� said Nichols, “it’s like you can only build up from here.�