Wednesday, April 4, 2007
I feel obliged to add to what wasn’t mentioned in Tuesday’s The University Daily Kansan article about the Queers and Allies Kiss-In. From an outsider’s perspective it could appear the sole objective was to be obnoxious and in-your-face. While this is one aspect of the kissing, it’s not why such things are done.
The idea behind the Kiss-In is to promote visibility of queer people on campus in a way that can’t be avoided by the general public. While many people don’t like public displays of affection from queer or straight people, the truth is, straight couples do not have to battle the same things couples in the queer community have to. It’s easy to say “get a room” or “gross” to straight couples showing their affection. Queer couples not only receive that but also face possible violence, hate and discrimination. The goal is to make you think about this and not to necessarily accept it.
nutgraf
We don’t kiss to garner support for queer couples’ public displays of affection, but to provide a glimpse of our visibility and to bring awareness of the fear, oppression, hate, violence and discrimination that is all too common toward the queer community in general.
Pride Week is meant to be for everyone, not just the LGBTIQ — lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex — community. This is the third year we’ve done the Kiss-In to kick off Pride Week. We leave the rest of the week to educational, social, entertaining and community building lectures and activities.
We all have differing opinions and many may not even support such blatant activities as the kiss-in. We don’t kiss to garner support for queer couples’ public displays of affection, but to provide a glimpse of our visibility and to bring awareness of the fear, oppression, hate, violence and discrimination that is all too common toward the queer community in general.
We hope you can join us the rest of the week for University and Lawrence Pride. For more info check out our Web site at www.kuqanda.org/pride.
Jonathan Pryor, Columbus senior and KU Queer and Allies president
Couples' lip locks kick off pride week
Queers and Allies organize public displays of affection on Wescoe Beach to ...
Displays of affection for activism
Queers and Allies hosts ‘kiss-in’ to raise awareness of gay couples.
Editorial: Pride Week is a time to ...
The student group Queers and Allies formed 20 years ago at the ...
Pride Week plays up common topics
Students of Queers and Allies uses kissing, dancing, performing plays to draw ...
Taking time out for pride
Queers and Allies begins Pride Week with event on Stauffer-Flint lawn.
Queers & Allies shares the love with ...
The attention-grabbing public display of affection aims to make viewers more comfortable ...
Visibility Day encourages open discussion
Queers and Allies join to raise awareness of sexual orientation issues.
Earth, AIDS supporters join the pride
Pride Week increases awareness
KU’s Queers and Allies celebrates the gay community in a multitude of ...
Cosby: ‘Gaypril’ offers a time to ask ...
Queers and Allies has set aside April to bring awareness to LGBT ...
Groups comes out for day on Hill
Students and staff from Queers & Allies will observe National Coming Out ...
Study reports on same-sex relationships in Kansas
Douglas County has the fifth highest total with 239 same-sex couples reported.
Letter: LGBT policies strong
Student responds to LGBT policies at KU.
Student groups raise awareness
Ten campus organizations promote domestic violence prevention.
Domestic violence affects people of all sexual ...
LGBTQ individuals just as likely to encounter domestic violence in relationships as ...
Event works to eliminate hate
The Multicultural Resource Center’s Hate Out Week promotes unity, tolerance and understanding.
Twentieth annual Pride Week coming to an ...
Queers and Allies sponsors the event, which will close with a parade ...
Events throughout the week shed light on ...
Hate Out Week, organized by the Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center, will include ...
Hagen: We must work to protect the ...
Events remember transgender murders, suicides
Students will have a chance to learn about prejudices facing transgender people ...
KU Queers and Allies sponsors Day of ...
Students from 6,500 schools across the country are participating in the Day ...
Kansan’s Pride Week coverage dissapointing; needs controversy ...
Multicultural center begins awareness program
Organizers hope the "Tunnel of Oppression" event will highlight issues of injustice ...
Hate Out Week examines oppression
Sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the even opens tonight with ...
Commission votes against addition to discrimination policy
City won’t add protection for transgender identity.
Letter: Encouraging gay pride
Despite ripped-down flags, campus still place of tolerance.
Events, groups raise assault awareness
Groups, such as One in Four, and events like “Can I Kiss ...
Speaker sheds light on transgender life
Debra Davis visits the University tonight for KU Queers and Allies’ Transgender ...
Gettin' your PDA on
Sometimes it's nice to show a little affection in public, but too ...
Student activists come out against Proposition 8
Members of Queers and Allies protested California’s ban on gay marriage with ...
LBGT group allies itself with activism
The group will participate in Banned Books Week, among other events.
Pride Week events demonstrate need for gender-neutral ...
Transgender students face fear and humiliation with simple male and female decisions.
Tearing down campus hate
‘Take Back the Night’ promotes awareness
Victims of domestic violence and sexual assault share stories and shelters provide ...
A look at KU's changing face of ...
University's turbulent past has evolved into a somewhat tranquil state of activism.
Local bars show support for LGBT community
Teller’s becomes the newest business to host a weekly ‘Family Night’
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Letter to the Editor: True meaning of Kiss-In obscured
The real reason for the "kiss in" is to desensitize people to their innate aversion to homosexual behavior and thereby expand the recruitment base for those who practice said behavior.
Letter to the Editor: True meaning of Kiss-In obscured
"Recruitment base" That is priceless...what, do you think we have quotas we have to meet? Idiot.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID