Pride, lacrosse meet
Christa Robbins, a Baker College senior and Pride member, saw the flier, which uses the phrase "steers and queers," while on her way to class. Offended by the derogatory term, she sent e-mail to other Pride members describing the sign and a letter to Jeff Darlington, president of the lacrosse team. Darlington responded by sending a letter over e-mail formally apologizing for the sign.
At the forum, which was held Tuesday night, the two sides met to discuss and, as Robbins said, "put an ending to everything."
Glen Levy, Pride faculty sponsor, said, "Ideally, there is an educational factor. A lot of people have very simple and general questions about what it means to be gay or lesbian." He stressed the willingness of Pride members to discuss issues involved in homosexuality.
James Jackson, a Jones College freshman and Pride member, said he hoped the forum would "promote awareness of the little things people tend to overlook ... and think of who gets offended."
Sid Richardson College freshman Chris Washington and Brown College junior Brian Welch, two other Pride members, stated concern over people who might be considering coming out. "It comes off as threatening to them," Washington said.
"I would once again like to apologize," Darlington said. "It was an oversight on my part. ... There needs to be a little more sensitivity."
The forum was informal and mainly served, according to those in attendance, as an opportunity for the two sides to put faces with the e-mails.
This item appeared in the News section of the February 14, 1997 issue.
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