Collegiate Times

Kimberly Dark starts off the Gay Awareness Week with her act "Stripped and Teased".

On Thursday night, John Corvino will be speaking at the Graduate Life Center at 7:30 p.m.  Corvino will speak on how to foster respect for people's diverse relationships while also respecting deeply held moral and religious convictions -- all the while trying to avoid an attitude of "moral mushiness," as he calls it. Corvino will also consider the prospects and pitfalls of analogies between sexual orientation and race, religion, and other diversity issues. On Friday at noon, there will be a Safe Zone reception. This event is RSVP only, and will serve as a chance to meet the allies of the homosexual community on campus and learn more about the Safe Zone program.

Bookbinder described the Safe Zone program as when a Tech faculty member displays a sign in his or her "office window or other place that lets students know that it is a safe place to talk about homosexuality."

LGBTA membership is open to all students, faculty, staff and alumni as well as to all residents of the New River Valley. Meetings are held weekly on Thursdays at 8 p.m. in the Multicultural Center on the first floor of Squires.

"LGBTA has had a lot more people in general than we did last year," Bookbinder said. "We co-sponsor a lot with Hillel, have regular weekly meetings, and put on events throughout the year. We've been doing really well this year."

Tech students have mixed feelings about Gay Awareness Week.

"The sexual orientation of my fellow students and (Gay Awareness Week) is not really of my concern," said sophomore accounting major Steve Barcynski. "We are all Hokies and bonded in that."

Dan Smith, a sophomore human nutrition foods and exercise major, had a differing opinion about Gay Awareness Week.

"I'm not trying to say that we should try and change everyone from what they choose to do," Smith said. "But I feel it is unnecessary to have an entire week for gay awareness."

"I'm not for or against Gay Awareness Week," said sophomore marketing major Dominique Vu. "I think people should be able to be themselves regardless of their sexual orientation. I don't necessarily think there needs to be a week devoted to the awareness of homosexuality, though. They are people just like everyone else and in a way I feel it singles them out."

After Gay Awareness Week, Wood said there would be other LGBTA-sponsored events going on before the end of the semester.

"The rest of the semester, we have events planned around a film, a speaker and a National Day of Silence," Wood said. "We're working on building a community and making sure that all students are welcome on this campus, no matter who they are."

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