Panel discusses strategies for fighting backlash against homosexuals

Members of IU's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community proposed strategies to combat the mounting backlash against gay marriage during an OUT-sponsored panel discussion last night at the Indiana Memorial Union. \nGay marriage has risen to the forefront of the national debate in recent months, with debate in Massachusetts, San Francisco and all across the country.\n"This really is a historic moment in time," GLBT Student Support Office coordinator Doug Bauder said. "It's an exciting time to be gay." \nBauder urged the approximately 50 attendees to make their voices heard.\n"Don't forget the power we have to share our stories," Bauder said. "All of us have stories to tell. I think what is ultimately changing peoples' minds is people who are telling their families and friends." \nPanel member and Center for University Ministry Rev. Rebecca Jimenez said she believed it was important for homosexuals to come out in their churches and synagogues. She said the Bible does say homosexuality is wrong but gay marriage is ultimately an equal justice issue.\n"Biblically, you can make a very strong case for slavery or the denigration and subjugation of women," Jimenez said.\nJohn Clower, a panel member and regional coordinator for Indiana Equality, an organization that works for gay rights, emphasized the importance of working to end discrimination against homosexuals in all areas of life. Clower said Justice Inc., a statewide GLBT organization, has received more complaints of job discrimination in the last seven weeks than in the last five years combined.\n"For both of these issues, it's going to be important that we register to vote and that we get out to vote," Clower said. \nOUT President Edyta Sitko offered a petition from the Human Rights Campaign, the largest gay rights lobbying organization in the United States. Sitko said the HRC's goal was to collect a million signatures in support of gay marriage from college campuses throughout the U.S.\nDiscussion facilitator and graduate student Jeff Bennett pointed out the importance of building coalitions outside of the gay community. He said gay community members should also take heart in the tremendous progress they've made in such a short period of time. \n"If you're having a backlash," he said, "odds are you're doing something right." \n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Wells at djwells@indiana.edu.