Mirror Miglactic

My Opinion, i don't care if you don't like it.
By: Courteney-Jade

"All first year students that claim to be ‘gay’ are just looking for attention and are in an experimental phase. It’s disgusting how they expose themselves in public. They are a shame to Rhodes and a waste to society."

Firstly, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the inebriated fools outside the union for airing their opinion on" us" ‘Confused, attention seeking gay first years’, and secondly I would like to take your close minded hypothesis and shine some light on your sheltered, homophobic, trend-driven, politically weak minded view on "us".

I am part of the OUT Rhodes com for 2009. I have been passionately active in the society and involved with all the first years who you have laid this brash claim against. I came out to my family and friends two years ago, and have not looked back since. Julia Dowejko and Nicole Menton two first years who have been together and out for three years. Kirsten Lee who been out for two years and comfortable with who she is. Calvin Soloman, a perky, popular first year who has been out for three years. These are not isolated events. If you are entirely sure and confident about your theory I implore you to step out of your comfort zone and approach a ‘gay’ first year and ask them their story.

As far as the suggestion that we are "a shame to Rhodes and a waste to society", The OUT Rhodes society is one of the biggest societies on campus, it is involved in helping many people in there struggles of being a gay and an out member of the youth, it is the biggest university "queer friendly’ society in south Africa and has recently become involved in the project Kaleidoscope, an organization for the gay, bi, curios, etc youth of south Africa. Many of the students involved in the "gay sphere" of Rhodes are involved in raising awareness, politically aware and activists, who speak out against human injustice and for those who can not. It is a common sight to see OUT Rhodes first year members at rallies and marches against the rape of woman, the discrimination of all humanity, HIV awareness and so fourth. There are gay first year students who have been accepted as presidents of other societies as well as becoming highly regarded as important and influential members of the Rhodes community.

Regarding the accusation that we "expose ourselves in public". Take a look around friars, the rat, the union, the common meeting grounds for the party people of Rhodes, look at how many "straight" people are grouping each other on the dance floor, swallowing each others tongues, grinding in appropriately to a song, or sitting on the pavement making out, where they are so drunk they can not support one another. We do not air our dirty laundry in public like you do, we do not ‘expose’ our sexuality like you do, after all with people like you in the world would we purposely aim the spotlight on ourselves so that we may get bombarded with words of discrimination?

I have witnessed numerous occasions of homophobia on campus, such as walking down the street and having ‘DYKE’ yelled out at me, once again by a drunk immature jock with his stereotypical macho crowd cheering him on. I ask you, what is the point? What do you get out of hurting other people? I do not discriminate, although when provoked I will speak out.

We have done nothing to deserve the labels that you blindly pin to us, not just the gay population but all those who are different to you. Take a moment and consider the consequences of being an arrogant, ignorant, puppet of your close minded clique, because one day you will face severe consequences. Karma is a bitch.