Left of College Station

Administration, Groups Resolve to Grow in '09

By: Teri Ruland

From the Texas A&M University Battalion

Organizations throughout Texas A&M have made New Year's resolutions that don't involve quitting smoking, losing weight or drinking less alcohol.

"We do have several measures of success and goals that have been established for 2009 and that started with the legislative session that will run through the end of May," said Jason Cook, vice president for marketing and communications.

Cook said a second key for success for the University in 2009 would be completion of the Academic Master Plan, a comprehensive planning effort that involves faculty across the University that will allow the University to utilize resources in the quest for Vision 2020.

He said measures were taken in the previous year to ensure success.

"We've had many meetings with members in advance of the session throughout the fall, and we are continuing to have dialogue of many issues of importance to the University, even in the early stages of the session," he said.

Though the University has established different measures of success, other organizations have made goals of achievement for the new year.

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered Aggies

"The GLBTA's goals for 2009 are to increase our visibility on campus and continue to create a safe environment for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender students and their allies at Texas A&M," said senior psychology major Vanessa Delgado, president of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Aggies.

Other desires for the new year, she said, would be education to create more cohesion in the Aggie family.

"We hope to make Texas A&M an inclusive campus where everyone can feel welcome despite their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression," she said.

Another goal, she said, was to increase membership and bring more important influential speakers to campus. The group plans on increasing its visibility through events such as MSC Open House, Social Justice Week and GLBT Awareness Week.

"The GLBTA must be able to refer students to the many resources on campus such as the GLBT Resource Center, the Department of Multicultural Services, Aggie ALLIES, etcetera. In taking these steps GLBTA will remain an invaluable organization at Texas A&M," she said.

Some groups have resolutions set in stone, while others continue to develop their original goals for the new year.

Young Conservatives

"We will strive to better promote conservatism and oppose liberalism on campus and the surrounding community. Our mission and principles do not change and are closely tied to Aggie values," said Tony Listi, chairman of Young Conservatives of Texas and senior political science major.

The YCT will promote its cause by bringing speakers to campus, political activism and focusing on educating the student body about the most important political issues of the day.

"We have and will continue to challenge liberal students to publicly debate us on the issues," Listi said.

Published on Friday, January 30, 2009

Defining Marriage

By: Matt Woolbright

From the Texas A&M University Battalion

The debate for same-sex marriages focused in California where more instances have taken place in recent years. The California Supreme Court decided in May that same-sex marriages were legal unions. But after the issue came as part of Proposition 8 in the November ballot, it amended the constitution.

Same-sex marriage was banned by voters in California, Florida and Arizona on Nov. 4 through constitutional amendments and legalized by the Supreme Court in Connecticut a week later.

The debate has been focused in California, where more same-sex marriages have happened in recent years. The California Supreme Court decided in May that same-sex marriages were legal unions. The matter came up for a vote on the November ballot with Proposition 8, which would amend the constitution to clarify that marriage was "between one man and one woman."

Allowing same-sex marriages would mean that polygamist marriages must also be legal under the same banner of equality, said Chris Russo, a freshman aerospace engineering major who believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

"If you allow marriage to be defined as anything other than the traditional definition of one man and one woman, it opens it up to any definition," said Russo, research director for the Young Conservatives of Texas. "It's a matter of escalation and it's a morality issue that's trying to divide the nuclear family and will create financial problems of having to divide funds between a couple and a family of [one husband and six wives]."

Sophomore finance major Matt Krob said he believes in the traditional definition of marriage, but for a different reason.

"I think [banning same-sex marriage] is the right thing because marriage is supposed to be between a man and a woman," Krob said. "I believe that marriage is said to be between a man and a woman according to God and [same-sex marriage] is against what the Bible says."

Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender sympathizers viewed this change differently.

"The passage of Proposition 8 effectively removes fundamental rights from citizens of a country that was founded on freedom, justice and equality," said Lowell Kane, program coordinator of the GLBT Resource Center.

"It's disappointing to know the fundamental rights of Americans have been removed," said senior psychology major Vanessa Delgado, president of GLBTA. "Especially in a state where we've seen a lot more progression."

Scott Bowen, club relation's officer of YCT, said there is no bias in Proposition 8.

"Gay people and straight people have the same law applied to them," said Bowen, a freshman chemical engineering major. "Straight men can't marry other straight men either, it never specifies 'gays' so it's not discrimination."

Kane said that same-sex couples are being denied thousands of rights granted to heterosexual couples.

"GLBT people are not seeking 'special rights' as some have claimed," Kane said. "They are seeking equal rights and recognition of their relationships."

Freshman biochemistry major Nicole Carroll said the decision is wrong and that same-sex couples are being denied rights.

"I'm not gay, but being a homosexual simply describes your sexual preference," Carroll said. "They should still have the same rights as heterosexual people."

Some of the rights Kane mentioned include: The right to make decisions on a partner's behalf in a medical emergency, and the right to assume parenting rights and responsibilities when children are brought into a family through birth, adoption, surrogacy or other means.

"This issue is of the utmost importance to the community because without recognition, GLBT couples are denied over 1,000 rights and protections under the law that the heterosexual community receives instantly upon marriage," Kane said.

Published on Friday, November 14, 2008

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Former Marine Says 'Be Yourself'

By: Teri Ruland

From the Texas A&M University Battalion

Former Marine Staff Sergeant Eric Alva lectured on the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the armed forces as part of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center's Coming Out Week.

"I strongly advise people to be who they are, and do what's best for them. Not everyone is in that situation where they have the luxury of coming out, and not being discriminated against," Alva said.

He spoke about his experience and the camaraderie he experienced while he was in the military, and the day he was injured by a landmine soon after the Iraq War started. He lost one leg, broke the other, and his right arm was permanently damaged.

"After my injury, I gained the courage to speak out for equal rights," Alva said. "'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is the only law that forces people to lie about themselves. What I'm trying to do is end the discriminatory policy of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' It's called a policy, but it's actually a law."

Alva shared statistics to support the claim that there is discrimination against the GLBT community.

"There are 31 states that don't have protection laws of GLBT people. There are 39 states that don't have protection laws for the transgendered.

"When you force your prejudices on someone, that's discrimination," he said. "That's what we need to get away from once and for all. It's called being fair-minded. All men are created equal, so not all men have to live my way of life."

The reason Coming Out Day is in October is because October is GLBT History Month and has been since 1994.

"Because this month is the anniversary of the first GLBT march on Washington in 1979, this is a time where GLBT as a community can come together and educate, raise awareness and address misconceptions about the community," said Lowell Kane, program coordinator of the GLBT Resource Center.

"This is a time where we can raise awareness about many local resources available for students," Kane said. "This is the one nationally recognized day where GLBT people are encouraged to come out of the closet, be open and honest about who they are, and to know there's such a large community of GLBT people."

Every year, the GLBT resource center provides programming for coming out week.

"Our main goal is to get high-caliber expert speakers who can come talk to students about current event topics and hot-button issues right now," Kane said.

"Eric Alva was selected this year because in late 2007, and early 2008, there was a big push on the national level to repeal the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy in the United States Armed Forces. Eric has been at the forefront of the campaign and is coming to Texas A&M University only a few weeks after his most recent testimony to Congress about the discriminatory policy."

Alva's lecture focused on education of the masses.

"GLBT people love their country and want to serve their country and sacrifice for their country," Kane said. "Eric also raises awareness that upwards of 5 percent currently enlisted service people identify as GLBT and over 1 million veterans from World War II to present day [identify] as GLBT as well."

While some GLBT students may pick and choose which events to go to, others think it's a necessity to attend Alva's lecture.

"I think it's a great thing he [came] to campus where it used to be an all-male University with military history to talk about GLBT," said Vanessa Delgado, president of GLBTA and senior psychology major. "I think 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is extremely outdated. It doesn't work. It's unfair and should be done away with. It was an easy fix, but the way society is changing, there's no reason to be in the closet."

The reason "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was put in place was to enhance unit cohesion, Alva said.

"An organization as large as the military and as uniform as they are, cohesion won't be affected by thinking someone in your unit is gay," Delgado said. "It doesn't affect your job, just who you want to spend the rest of your life with."

Saturday is Coming Out Day, a nationally recognized day where people are encouraged to come out of the closet as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

"Coming out is an ongoing experience," Delgado said. "You come out all the time; at work, to friends and family, and different people all the time. It's an unending process, and coming out week shows the great strides that have been made. You shouldn't be forced to come out. Come out in your own time. The most important thing is that you are ready to come out. It's about being honest with yourself, and not just GLBT people; everyone."

Published on Friday, October 10, 2008

Events Planned to Celebrate Coming Out Week

By Holly Huffman

From the Bryan-College Station Eagle

This week, some Texas A&M University students may get the opportunity to come out of the closet. Literally.

A 10-foot-tall, life-size closet will be erected on the Texas A&M campus as part of events celebrating National Coming Out Week.

Lowell Kane, program coordinator for the GLBT -- Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender -- Resource Center, said the maroon and white structure is designed to help Aggies share their experiences with others. Students will be encouraged to walk through the closet door and then scribble their coming out stories on the walls.

"It's going to be a physical item that people can walk up to and read about their fellow Aggies and see how our stories can sometimes be funny, they can be inspirational, they can be sad," Kane said. "By telling our stories, we make this experience more real for people who may never have to come out of the closet as part of the group like the GLBT community."

National Coming Out Week kicks off Monday and lasts through Friday. National Coming Out Day is Saturday.

Kane said the week is designed as a time to celebrate GLBT community members and their allies. At Texas A&M in particular, Kane said, it's also a key time to raise awareness and increase education about the often misunderstood and underrepresented GLBT population.

The GLBT Resource Center, the GLBTA -- Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Aggies -- student group and Aggie Allies support organization all will have resource tables set up all week in Rudder Plaza, Kane said.

A "Guess Who's Gay?" panel featuring A&M faculty and staff is planned for Monday night. On Tuesday, Morehead State University associate professor Bernadette Barton who will give a presentation titled "The Toxic Closet: Being Gay in the Bible Belt." While here, Barton will interview A&M students as she conducts research for her upcoming book, Kane said.

Also Tuesday, A&M doctoral student Andrew Reichert will present his study findings on the perception and experiences of GLBT students at Texas A&M. The research was conducted this year, Kane said.

"We're looking first at that big picture in the South and the Bible Belt, and then the small picture -- what it's like right now at Texas A&M," Kane said, referring to the two lectures.

Gay Pioneers, a documentary about early activists in the GLBT rights and pride movement, will be shown Wednesday.

Keynote speaker Eric Alva, a retired staff sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps and the first American soldier to be awarded the Purple Heart from the Iraq war, will speak Thursday. Alva came out after retiring from the military and is at the forefront of the push to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

"I don't think a lot of people understand how many GLBT people are serving in the military right now and how many veterans identify as GLBT," Kane said, noting that more than a million veterans from World War II to the present identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. "Since the policy was instituted, thousands of people have been kicked out of serving our country, people who volunteered to serve our country."

Activities will come to a close Friday as students gather to share their coming out stories with each other.

The campus climate at the traditionally conservative university is improving, Kane said, noting that more and more students seem to be familiar with GLBT issues. That's likely because people in the GLBT community have become more visible, he said.

But there still is a long road ahead, Kane said, stressing that the GLBT Resource Center and its activities are not limited to members of the GLBT community.

"What we're trying to do as a university is develop global citizens, citizens who are aware of the world around them. This programming is specifically designed for that," Kane said. "We live in a very diverse world and it's this type of programming that we need to continue and we've made a commitment to continue at this university."

Published Monday, October 06, 2008