Caramels: a cure

My grandmother knew nothing about Web sites or personal home pages or University technology policies. Neither, to my knowledge, had she ever thought about the impact of homophobia on a young gay boy. What I DO know is that I WAS that young gay boy and my grandmother loved me\nunconditionally. One of the reasons I know that is because, whenever I visited her, she would allow me the distinct pleasure of opening her store-bought box of chocolate candy and helping myself (A rare treat for a six year old in the 1950's.) Caramels were my favorites.\nThose treats and my grandmother came to my mind last week when I read a portion of Prof. Eric Rasmusen's demeaning comments about homosexuals on his Web page. I also thought of her when students, faculty members and people from the community called me to ask what they could do in response to Prof. Rasmusen's uninformed statements and the fact that the University would allow him to keep his comments on his IU personal Web site. I wondered what my grandmother would say to me and it occurred to me that she just might offer me some caramels.\nToo simple a response, you might say? Maybe, but, on the other hand, CARAMELS might be the perfect response to someone who believes he has the right to demean a whole group of individuals in the name of free speech. Think about it with me for just a moment. How might YOU respond to\nsomeone's biases about homosexuality?\n• Come out! If you're gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, tell someone. Help to dispel the myths that are out there about us by being honest about your life. It just might be THE most effective act of free speech in which you will ever engage. And, if you're a friend of someone who is gay, you can come out, too! Stop by the GLBT Office and we'll give you a "Straight, But Not Narrow" button.\n• Attend meetings, lectures, Community Education programs, GLBT group presentations. Join us when our office offers a series of faculty forums on GLBT topics this fall. Stop by a weekly OUT meeting. For more information, e-mail glbtserv@indiana.edu.\n• Read books on GLBT history, the arts, politics, spirituality. We have hundreds of great books in our library. Click on www.indiana.edu/~glbt.\n• Act. Write letters to the editor, challenge Prof. Rasmusen, display a Safe Zone sticker, volunteer in the GLBT Office, confront your friends when they tell homophobic jokes.\n• Meditate. Seek out ways to affirm your worth as a human being, whatever your sexual orientation or gender identity. Find communities of faith which truly honor diversity.\n• Express your sexuality responsibly. Promiscuity and irresponsible sexual behavior are realities among all groups of people. Don't allow ignorant people to stereotype you.\n• Laugh (alot!). Discover ways to disarm stupidity. Humor is healing. Discover ways to laugh at the absurdities of life.\n• Surround yourself with positive people of various backgrounds, abilities, ages, cultures, genders, races, religions, viewpoints. Allow yourself to be challenged, but beware of negative individuals. They have a right to their opinion. You have a right to avoid them.\nThis matter of free speech is a sticky issue, but YOU need to express your opinion, too ... and those of us who know the truth about being gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender have a responsibility to share that truth with others.\nThe GLBT Office welcomes your ideas about responding to the hatred and ignorance that continues to exist in our community. Stop by our office (705 E. Seventh St.) any day from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. We'll have some caramels in the candy dish. \nI think my grandmother would approve.