Out in the Mountains

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Upping the Ante

A lot of discussion has been brewing
lately, both nationally and locally, about
the need to explore using civil disobedience
(CD) as a legitimate and necessary re-
sponse to our oppression as lesbian, gay,
and bisexual people. Many people in our
community have been involved in acts of
CD as part of their involvement in other
movements (peace, gender, race, etc.),but
the times that we have spoken out that
strongly on the issue of lesbianlgayl
bisexual oppression have been few and far
between (the CD action at the U.S. Su-
preme Court in October 1987 being one
obvious exception).

Our strategy so far has tended to be

 

  
   

       

To the Editor.

In the May 1988 issue of O.I.T.M.,
there was a letter from two individuals
(identifying themselves only as S.C. and
J .W.) that recounted an anti-gay incident at
U.V.M.

Part of the letter stated that the incident
was a “deeply felt affront not only to the
Gay community, but to the University
community and the city of Burlington as
well.” ' '

Although I feel that the incident
should not be casually dismissed, Ialso
feel that any Gay person is doing them-
selves a grave disservice by allowing
themselves to feel “deeply affronted”
when these kinds of incidents occur. Isn’t
that what our political opponents want?
Each time one of us allows ourselves to
feel discouraged and emotionally or psy-
chologically beaten down by one of these
incidents, our opponents have scored an-
other victory, at our expense, once again.
My suggested solution to this problem is
quite simple. Stop giving them what they

' want! Refuse to allow them to batter you

emotionally. This solution has been 100%
successful within the framework of my
own family, why not try using it in the
political arena? -

As long as the opposition sees us
as unassuming, unassertive, and easily
intimidated, they can get away with
violating our civil rights. Look at how
many thousands of years the opposition
has been allowed to ignore us, treat us like
second class citizens, and downplay our
significance. Isn’t it time that it all came
toascreeching halt? I’m not suggsting that
we answer hostility with violence, what I

 

strategy has worked well, to a point. ltn
work within the state legislature the past
two years has shown significant gainsin.
our power and influence in this state. En‘
are “significant gains” enough? At what
point does it make sense for us to assertthn
nothing less than total equality-now.i;«.
enough? i

What CD is really about is arefusal
to follow socially accepted rules ant.
regulations. In essence it means choosing
to value one’s cause over and above being
“nice.” We’ve proven that we are good
at being nice. Perhaps now, the challenge:
is upon us to prove that we dare, and may
choose, to be otherwise.

Let us know your views!

 

am suggestmgis that we stand our ground

and not run away when faced with.
hostility or homophobia. lt’s been my

experience that most people can be

reasoned with if one just remains can
and collected and does not become over-v’
bearing.

It is also wrong for us to assumethtl
we have no rights. We all have rights, in?
were born with them, we just don’t has
legal protection for them, YET. As!
stated in a previous editorial to the
Caledonian-Record, “our cause is onlyn
hopeless as we allow ourselves to be
come.” This is not just sappy poetry.
either. If one bothers to look at the traci
record of attempts to get Gay rights legit-I
lation passed, one major contributing
factor to it’s demise has been hopelessness

However if we keep retuming 10
Montpelier in greaternumbers insistingol
being heard, not accepting defeat, asserting
our rights, and not giving the opposifiql»
any more points, eventually they will
listen. 'Ihey’ll have to. ‘

Ms. Patti A. York

Eds Note:

The response of the UVM adrrtinistrt
tion to the homophobic incidents lhlj
occured at Sigma Phi Epsilon and Law“?
Iota was the demand of a formal apolflll
from both fraternities. In addition’
Lambda Iota was placed on a two W
probation. Included in the requiremelllil
be met were no alcoholic parties withlill
UVM ’s permission, more communily-W!
ice and mandatory attendance at W’
shops on racism, sexism and horrtopiwbm

M

:¥