Asians bring visibility to GLBT issues

Graduate student Yu-ting Su said she thinks students view being gay as a "white thing." That's why she agreed to facilitate the discussion "Asian Homosexuality: A cross-cultural experience of a different kind," Thursday night at the Collins Living and Learning Center.\nNearly 20 students and staff attended the dialogue sponsored by the Asian Culture Center, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services and Forest and Collins CommUnity Educators. \nSu said students should discuss the impact of the invisibility of GLBT people of color, especially at IU. She agreed that people might not consider that Asians can be members of the GLBT community. \nFacilitators started the discussion by screening two films, "The Wedding Banquet" and a documentary called "Cut Sleeve." The films highlighted the importance of family in many Asian cultures and struggles Asian GLBT people face. \nGraduate student Jonathan Rossing said he sees lots of racism within the gay community. \n"People don't pay attention to what being gay means across racial lines," he said. "International gay students are marginalized any way you cut it."\nOne Asian student who wished to remain anonymous said there are limited resources for international GLBT students. He's looking for a sense of community, and because of his limited knowledge of American culture, it's difficult for him to feel comfortable in dominantly white GLBT organizations.\nSenior and GLBTSSS Program Coordinator Will O'Berry said he thought the dialogue was productive in raising awareness of Asian GLBT issues, and wants to extend it to the IU community. He is challenging the IU GLBT community to be friendly and approachable for international students.\n"If you hear disparaging comments, you have to make an intentional choice to correct it, or discrimination will continue," he said.