Page 10 - The Michigan Daily/New Student Edition - Thursday, September 7, 1989 Closets are Anonymous To thine own self by true, and it follows as the day follows night, you cannot then be false before any other. -Shakespeare It may seem incongruous to write a letter about coming out, and then leave the article unsigned. However, gay awareness includes recognizing that this letter could have been writ- ten by almost anyone. I often hear casual acquaintances, or classmates make comments like, "I don't know any gay people," or worse, I hear them tell gay jokes. Whether you re- alize it or not, I'm your classmate, teammate, roommate, co-worker, professor, acquaintance, best friend, sister, even your ex-girlfriend or boyfriend. Stop reading for a moment and look around. One of every 10 people you see is gay. There are two or three lesbians and gay men in your psych discussion; 30 in your chem lecture; 100 in your dorm; 450 in your graduating class; 3,500 at the University, and 10,000 in Ann Arbor. We go to school with you, work with you, and live with you. In short, we are everywhere. I like living in Ann Arbor. Every now and then I begin to think it's a liberal, accepting city where it's okay to be gay and be out. Then something always happens to prove me wrong... again. This past year it was seeing the flyers I posted for Gay Awareness Week torn down within 15 minutes of hanging them. Thirty-six hours later, only a handful remained. That means more than 500 were destroyed. Does them happen to posters for Greek Week? College Democrats? Intervarsity Christian Fellowship? The Glee Club? Any other campus group? It makes me both sad and angry to see how much homophobia there is on this campus and everywhere. Coming out of the closet is both a personal and a political process. Staying in the closet means hating ourselves, denying our existence, ly- ing, and perpetuating stereotypes, oppression, and homophobia. When I visit my parent and rela- tives I find myself censoring my speech and stripping myself of any personality and affect. I never talk about my membership in the Lesbian and Gay Men's Rights for clothes Organizing Committee (LaGROC). LaGROC and have helped plan A fun evening painting posters and events for Lesbian and Gay Men's banners for Lesbian and Gay Men's Awareness Week, and publicly came Awareness Week becomes "working out by speaking at a rally on the on a project with a few people." I'm Diag. When I do these things I feel excited and happy about dating a empowered. woman I've recently met, but I talk Coming out can be scary... but it about "hanging out with a friend." I is empowering to know that find myself doing this at work also. LaGROC offers a safe environment I go to the Christmas party alone, where you can participate in the while everyone else brings their sig- struggle for gay rights. As a nificant other. I hide the books LaGROC member you can organize Lesbian Sex and Positively Gay events for Lesbian and Gay Men's when my supervisor stops by my Awareness Week, plan rallies, teach- home. I remain silent during lunch ins, facilitate discussions, design while my co-workers talk about their posters - develop your leadership boyfriends. When I do these things I skills in a safe environment. feel angry. LaGROC over the last few years Coming out means accepting our- has organized demonstrations to selves, raising consciousness, fight- protest police inaction around as- ing for our rights, and loving our- saults against lesbian and gay men selves and each other. When I came outside local bars; lobbied regents out to my sister we began to grow and administrators to include sexual closer for the first time since junior orientation in the University's non- high. We share our stories and feel- discrimination by-law; and sat in the ings about current relationships, and administration bathrooms to protest I no longer censor my speech. I homophobic comments by a Uni- came out to a co-worker and now versity Regent. share with her my fears about com- Please join us in the struggle, all ing out to my parents, my involve- are welcome. LaGROC meets ment in politics, and my anxiety and every Tuesday at 7:30 in the happiness about a date. I joined Michigan Union room 3100. 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