Wednesday, 3/5/97
Same-sex partners deserve equal rights
School housing, benefits denied based on sexual lifestyle
By Megan Hall
I wanted to thank you for supporting equal rights for domestic
partners at the UC campuses. In an age of great social reform I am
still shocked to find so much homophobia rampant in society,
especially at such "liberal" educational institutions as the UC
schools.
As a lesbian out to my peer group but not my coworkers, I can
relate to the frustrations felt by those students, faculty and
staff denied housing and benefits for their partners based solely
on the fact that they are in a same sex relationship. Such blatant
discrimination angers me. As if the discrimination and harassment I
face on a daily basis was not enough, now I find that my soon-to-be
wife will not receive the same health coverage I do, and if we did
decide to try and get student housing we would be denied based on
our sexual preference. Oh but wait, she can go to the gym, and even
get a library card! And UC President Richard Atkinson calls that
equal rights?
I came to UCLA and expected to find an open, accepting
atmosphere where my girlfriend and I would not be stared at or
harassed on Bruin Walk, or in Ackerman Union or in Westwood. In
reality, we are heckled for merely holding hands, as if we were
"flaunting" our homosexuality. None of my heterosexual friends face
those problems. It saddens me to see the sign with "HOMOS" in large
letters crossed out on Bruin Walk in the middle of the day. It
saddens me that others feel my lifestyle is a threat to them, when
I have done nothing to physically or mentally injure anyone. I am
told that I am lacking "family values," that I am not "normal." Who
gets to define what these things are, anyway? When I figure that
out, then I’ll let you know whether or not I fit in.
Heterosexual couples are not immune to hate and abuse, and I
refuse to believe that I am incapable of raising a healthy family
solely because I am a lesbian. I know plenty of people who were
raised in heterosexual homes who have been abused or neglected, and
who have just as many if not more problems than people I know
raised in gay or lesbian homes. Two of the best women I know just
had a baby girl, and she is lucky to have two parents who will
raise her in a loving home where she will learn how to accept and
respect people’s differences, and not to judge or discriminate.
I mentioned previously that I am out to my peer group but not my
coworkers. I fear a discrimination that will prevent me from
getting the position I want, conscious or otherwise. But by keeping
silent I am merely allowing the stereotypes and the ignorance to
continue. It is precisely this ignorance that breeds fear and hate,
and I refuse to be a part of that. It doesn’t help that Atkinson
refuses to grant equal benefits for domestic partners, allowing
such fear, hate and ignorance to continue. Universities are meant
to provide an environment conducive to learning, not teach
prejudice, as Atkinson is doing. It is sad that a university so
highly acclaimed for its progress could be so sadly discriminatory
in its policies. I am not asking for "special rights," merely equal
rights. Richard Atkinson is openly discriminating against gays and
lesbians by connoting to refuse benefits for domestic partners.
I have a friend who tried to commit suicide two weeks ago. Why?
She’s gay. She’s 20 years old, and she tried to end her life rather
than face the inevitable ignorance, prejudice and discrimination
from the Greek system she is involved in, her family and perfect
strangers who have the audacity to tell her how she "should" be
living her life. It is sickening that society could do that to a
smart, beautiful, otherwise healthy woman.
How is anyone’s sexuality anybody’s business but their own? I
don’t tell anyone how to live, or judge them, or try to keep them
from receiving all the benefits they are entitled to. This blind
discrimination affects people you probably didn’t even know were
gay – your child’s teacher, or a police officer, or people curing
diseases that affect the entire population. Or me.
I have worked so hard to get to where I am today, both in my
career and in my personal life, and I would never dream of taking
away anyone else’s rights. Please don’t take away mine.Hall is a
first-year ACCESS graduate
student.