Pride sponsors rally; Jose Zuniga to speak
Adam Clarke, president of Pride, said the rally will be a "coming out of gay people in general as a significant population of people at Rice.
"There are gay people all over at Rice," Clarke said. "The rally represents a very vocal call for acknowledgment of our place here."
The rally will feature two nationally-known speakers, Jose Zuniga and Donna Redwing. In 1993, Zuniga was awarded the title of Soldier of the Year from the United States Army.
Six weeks later, during a gay rights march on Washington, D.C., Zuniga revealed his homosexuality to the crowd. He was subsequently dismissed from the Army.
Zuniga is now a journalist in Washington, D.C., and according to Clarke, "one of the principal activists of the national gay and lesbian movement."
Redwing is the national president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance against Defamation. According to Clarke, she is "critical in the movement around the country," especially in "organizing grass-roots-led initiatives."
One of her recent accomplishments was the defeat of Oregon Ballot Measure Nine, an attempt to restrict the rights of gays and lesbians.
"She essentially led opposition to that in the face of very real conservative adversity," said Clarke.
The rally is part of an extended National Coming Out Week. Activities include movies, an information table in front of Fondren Library and a week-long exhibit on gay activism, culture and history in the Rotunda of Fondren. (See Calendar, page 19, for details.)
Student speakers will include Student Association President Maryana Iskander and Glenn Levy, education support coordinator for Pride and president of Hanszen College.
The Houston Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus is helping Pride by paying for Redwing's travel expenses. Both Redwing and Zuniga are scheduled to appear at their own event on Oct. 14.
Pride is hoping to be reimbursed for Zuniga's travel expenses. Christa Robbins, treasurer and socials coordinator for Pride, said the Rice Program Council and the SA have already contributed $250 each to the event, and Pride has asked each college to donate $150.
Pride had to go through a long application process to have the event in the Quad, but it was worth it to make the rally "more visible," Robbins said.
She hoped that at least 200 people will attend.
Each of the colleges will offer bag lunches for people to bring to the rally.
Pride plans to bring up three specific issues at the rally: the ROTC admissions procedures, the need for a gay and lesbian studies program and a domestic partnership policy at Rice which would give same-sex partners of faculty and staff the same benefits as spouses.
Clarke believes these are issues which the Rice community does not think about much, which is "unhealthy in an intellectual environment.
"The rally symbolizes the necessity of discussion on these topics," Clarke said.
Michael Fong, policy coordinator for Pride, said they will be "speaking to motivate people to become more active not only in the gay, lesbian and bisexual rights movement, but also in all of our respective communities."
Jeremy Dilbeck, a senior at Lovett College and Pride member, said, "We encourage everyone, whether straight or gay, to wear symbols of their support."
This item appeared in the News section of the October 6, 1995 issue.
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