Thursday, October 8, 1998
Coming Out Week a pivotal time for many
PREVIEW: Not all gay students utilize varied resources on
campus
By Chauntelle Anne Tibbals
Daily Bruin Contributor
When Emily Ruiz came to UCLA in 1996, she was living in
denial.
"I never thought I would come out," she said. "I denied it to
myself and others for years."
"I can remember having crushes on girls in my elementary school
classes," said Ruiz, a third-year biology student.
During her second year at UCLA, Ruiz admitted the truth about
her sexuality to herself and others.
Next week, other UCLA students will be given an opportunity to
support the gay community during National Coming Out Week.
"Coming out is the most courageous thing (a person) can do. It
is a particular act of self-love and is life changing," said Dr.
Ronni Sanlo, director of UCLA’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and
Transgender (LGBT) resource center.
According to the LGBT resource center, many people do not feel
comfortable coming out until they enter college.
"National Coming Out Week is important because it helps to break
through the invisibility the gay community suffers (from) and
alleviate individual isolation," said Steve Leider, a graduate
student in education and LGBT peer counselor.
According to Leider, there are 23 different LGBT resource groups
on campus, but few students utilize them.
"One of the biggest crimes on this campus is that (gay)
students, especially new students, are unaware of their resources,"
he said.
"Criminal activities" against gays and lesbians are at the
historical roots of Coming Out Week, Sanlo said.
On Oct. 11, 1936, the active Nazi persecution of gays and
lesbians began in Europe. Incidentally, Oct. 11 was the date
selected for the second gay march on Washington, D.C. in 1987.
Ever since then, Coming Out Day has been celebrated on Oct. 11.
This year, Coming Out Week will be celebrated after that date.
Although the majority of UCLA’s gay community is aware of what
Leider calls "the second-most important event on the gay calendar,"
the rest of UCLA is not, he said.
"I think more emphasis should have been put on this event. More
people should know about it," said Christina Jordan, a fourth-year
microbiology and molecular genetics and women’s studies
student.
She also said UCLA has the tendency to give gay students a false
sense of security regarding the potential for "real life"
discrimination.
"People I know are supportive (of gay students), and this place
seems safe. However, I do not think UCLA accurately represents the
rest of society," Jordan said.
UCLA’s Sexual Orientation Anti-Discrimination policy implies the
university intends to maintain equality, Sanlo said.
Not every university in Southern California has such a
policy.
"I believe that the administration of this institution is
committed to diversity, safety and making sure every student here
gets the best education possible," Sanlo said.
"But even though we would like to think of (this campus) as a
safe place, in reality it is not," she said.
Already this quarter, the LGBT office has received complaints
regarding harassment in the residence halls and theft of LGBT
resource information from Bruin Walk. No formal complaints have
been filed with the university.
Suzanne Seplow, south area director for the Office of
Residential Life, said acceptance, openness and inclusion of gay
students was improving in the residence halls.
"In the past, we have had incidents of harassment within the
halls (and) although we cannot control individual students, we can
do new, positive things to create openness within the staff,"
Seplow said.
According to Seplow, the weekly discussion groups for LGBT
students have become particularly successful.
Ruiz said that being able to talk with other students gave her a
feeling of community as well as a definitive sense of history.
"(The gay community) cannot continue to progress without knowing
what has happened in our past and how we arrived at our current
place," Sanlo said.
"If you want change to happen, you must be that change," she
said.
For more information on UCLA’s LGBT resources, contact the LGBT
resource office at (310) 206-3628.
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