GLBT panel speaks about tolerance, discrimination issues

In the spirit of their history month, members involved with the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services met Monday evening at the Indiana Memorial Union to hear the stories of three GLBT pioneers within the IU community.\nA panel spoke to current IU students about the past and present progress that has been made and the work that still needs to be done in dealing with GLBT issues. The speakers included Helen Harrell, co-host of the radio show 'bloomingOUT' and Cynthia Stone, administrator in the Department of Gender Studies.\n"If people see (gays) as out but also as a good person, then that's the best way to change bigotry one person at a time," Stone said, whose several credentials also include being a former member of the IU board of trustees. \nThe panel members shared their thoughts about several historical events that shaped the landscape of gay civil rights in Indiana and the United States.\nOne of which was the Stonewall riots, a series of violent confrontations in New York between the New York Police Department and the gay community during the summer of 1969.\n"Stonewall represented people who were outside mainstream; I so admire those who were pioneers," Stone said.\nOther panel members were able to learn lessons from the historic event.\nIn addition to historical events, the trio also discussed the adversity that they faced within the IU community. \n"The University itself was much better than some of the people in it," Harrell said.\nDespite early hardships, they spoke of the progress that has been made both within the IU community and in the United States.\n"I feel we've made more progress in the past eight to 10 years than we have the past 40 years," Stone said. "It's because of the pushing of the status quo and challenging it to do the right thing."\nThe panel also spoke of what they feel needs to improve and continue upon the progress that has been made.\n"We need to get out and vote. I fear that if we don't vote in the right people, we might lose what we've gained," Harrell said. "We can't have apathy. It's your freedom; it's your future"