US Gay Student President Sues!

MAY 2011

One year after a concerted anti-gay harassment campaign began against the president of the student government at the University of Michigan, the president has now filed a $25,000+ lawsuit against the perpetrator.

The conflict hit the mainstream media in September when local Michigan TV station Channel 7 broadcast the details on it's Action News programme. The station reported that licensed lawyer and former University of Michigan student Andrew Shirvell was maintaining a blog that was dedicated to condemning the current student president, sociology student Chris Armstrong.

According to the programme, the blog named Chris Armstrong Watch, described him as being a pervert, a racist, a liar and as "Satan's representative on the Student Assembly". The blog also accused the president of breaking the law by engaging in underage binge drinking, of hosting gay orgies in his dorm room and of having an anti-Christian agenda. Shirvell's blog included detailed discussion of Armstrong and of his friends and family. However the TV programme reported that the vote for the openly gay student for the position of president had been "overwhelming", and suggested that a number of the accusations on the blog were invalid.

The station reported that Armstrong said he did not want to dignify the blog posts by responding to them. But Armstrong did later agree to appear on CNN on the subject of gay bullying, where he told host Anderson Cooper last year "... It's obviously been like a really big strain on like myself and my friends and family." Armstrong added "... What's been really great is that like the University of Michigan and like a lot of my friends and family have been like really supportive the entire way through."

Action News recently reported on the law suit, quoting Armstrong's attorney Deborah Gordon describing the blog as nothing but lies and imagination. She is quoted as saying that the record needs to be set straight, and that if Shirvell would not do so willingly, it would be done through the courts. The case is likely to draw further media attention given the high profile of the university, ranked in some listings as amongst the top 20 in the world.

The We Support Chris Armstrong page on facebook currently has over 18,000 Likes.


http://www.michigandaily.com/content/armstrong-says-he-will-not-back-down-criticism
http://youtu.be/vczh_RMh4Mw

 Update: Lawsuit successful - http://www.advocate.com/crime/2012/08/16/andrew-shirvell-ordered-pay-millions-damages-defaming-gay-student
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Catholic Archbishop Gets Pied at a Belgium University

MAY 2011

The man in charge of the Roman Catholic Church in Belgium had custard pies thrust in his face 4 times at Louvain-la-Neuve Catholic University early in April. In an event similar to those held at Australian universities, Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard was an invited speaker for a debate between himself and a professor of theoretical physics, on the topic "Reconciling science and faith - is it reasonable? "

The archbishop raised the ire of the Belgium queer community last year when he said that AIDS is an "intrinsic judgement", and suggested homosexuality is an affliction by comparing it with Anorexia. 

A video posted on Youtube by "The Glooper" in April shows the Archbishop being pied as he arrived for the debate, and then being plastered again as he stood before the audience. Applause is heard from some of those in attendance, while another is shown staring in surprise. The AFP news agency has reported that one of the attackers explained that "for all those homosexuals who daren't tell their parents they are gay, for all those young girls who want to have an abortion, he absolutely deserved it."

The archbishop is one of a growing number of high profile Christians who have claimed that various recent catastrophes are a result of cultures not following biblical principles. Typical of these was television preacher Cindy Jacobs blaming the Japanese tsunami suffering on the US military changing its policy to now employ open homosexuals. Jacobs preached that the idea of natural disaster following widespread "sin" is outlined in the Bible, and cited the 4th chapter of the section called Hosea. Jacobs' remarks were reported widely in the queer press, and are now parodied on YouTube.


http://youtu.be/1tyXQfQKHwg
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Influential GSD activist visits Sydney students

MARCH 2011

A crowd of around 50 attended a presentation at the University of Sydney in March, named The State of Human Rights for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender People Around the World. The main speaker was Boris Dittrich, Advocacy Director for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Program at Human Rights Watch.

Dittrich spoke firstly of his own coming out, and how San Francisco's Harvey Milk was a key figure in encouraging him to face up to his true sexuality, with Dittrich being in denial and having a girlfriend at that point. Dittrich continued his presentation by describing how after becoming a politician he was a central figure in the Dutch government's decision to be the first country in the world to introduce same-sex marriage. He related how some politicians were afraid of international embarrassment over the then unusual idea, and of how a political contract of the time meant that objections to the policy carried no power. 

Dittrich also provided insight on his work at the United Nations and on LGBT rights in Africa and the Pacific Islands. He described how homosexuality there is often described as an unwanted western import, and of the need to support local advocacy groups rather than raise opposition due to perceived attempts at cultural imperialism. He spoke of reticent attendees of GLBT conferences in countries where homosexuality is illegal, and of a case where some faced gaol time when their attendance was used in evidence against them. 

The presentation concluded with questions from the very attentive audience, who appeared to be largely of average student age. Dittrich's next stop was Canberra, to talk to Australian politicians about same-sex marriage.

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Queer Uni Students Set New World Record for Longest Kiss

FEBRUARY 2011


The world record for the longest kiss, is now held by two gay university students. 

Matty Daley and Bobby Canciello of The College of New Jersey, USA, kissed continuously for over 33 hours in September, breaking the previous world record of 32 hours. The student activists named the on-campus event "Our Lips are Sealed". They stated on their website that their aims were to support LGBTQ equal rights, and to queer the Guinness World Records. The record has apparently never been held by a homosexual pair.

The rules require lips to be touching at all times, being awake, standing, not using nappies, and taking no breaks. Many weeks was spent obtaining permission for the event, including developing a photo campaign and setting up a website and Facebook page.

The public were encouraged to visit the campus for support, or to join the thousands of people who watched via video streaming over the internet. Fears that representatives from Westboro Baptist church would protest the event, proved unfounded. 

According to organisers, the two texted each other by phone while kissing, in order to communicate. The Advocate reported that following the achievement, Bobby commented that he was lost for words, other than "I just kinda want to go to bed." Whether Bobby intended this comment to relate to Matty, wasn't clarified, but reports have stated that at least one of the two was in a pre-existing in a relationship with another guy.

Photos and numerous messages of congratulations are displayed on their website; http://mattyandbobbykiss.tripod.com/index.html and on their Facebook event page "Matty & Bobby Kiss"

At the time of writing this article, Guinness World Records had not yet verified that the record had been broken, however the event had been video recorded for them.
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Queers Stage a Sit-in at the University of Rhode Island

OCTOBER 2010

Students representing the GLBT Centre at The University of Rhode Island have staged a sit-in, to protest at what they claim is a lack of adequate response from the University's administration to issues of harassment and discrimination.

Protest spokesperson and campus Gay Straight Alliance president Brian Stack explained on local TV station NBC10 that GLBT students at the US East Coast University do not feel safe. He related that they face used condoms being thrown at their doors, offensive images drawn on whiteboards, and people routinely yelling "faggots" while driving past the University's GLBT Centre. 

At the time of writing this article, the unobstructive sit-in at the 24 hour reading room in the Kingston Campus Library had lasted almost a week. Stack told us "Sleeping in the 24-hour room is not the easiest of experiences. That and my mohawk gets into an awful state of disarray when I don't care for it. But I also learned a lot about how administrations work (more slowly than the should) ..."

A statement on the University's website describes future plans and steps that apparently have already been taken to increase support for GLBT students. Donald DeHayes, provost and v.p. for Academic Affairs, has met with the students and responded on TV that "The University is very sensitive to these issues and to the vulnerability of our GLBT students on campus." But Stack and others dont perceive any effective progress. He elaborated to us on September 29th that "the University for the last year have made promises and promises without any actual steps to address our concerns. We all know that the need is immediate and we were sick of waiting while still being harassed." 

Asked about whether the sit-in has proven worthwhile so far, Stack told us "Besides getting our reporting lines back, we've opened up a dialog about LGBTIQQ issues on campus, and we've seemed to open up some better communication between the students and administration. Hopefully more will be coming in the next couple days." 
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Australian CAMP Pioneers

MAY 2010

“Camp”. What does it mean to you? A theatrical or extravagant style, a temporary residence characterised by tents, a group of people with a common ideology. Yes, yes, yes. But to a GLBTQ Australian, it has a much more important and historical meaning.

CAMP is regarded as having been the most influential Australian queer organisation prior to legalisation, having paved the way for significant progress for GLBTQ rights. It was an Australian network of queer activists, foundered in Sydney in 1970 by a student named John Ware, and a public servant named Christobel Poll.1 By the following year, it had grown to be a national organisation with branches in most capital cities and at most universities.2 CAMP was the first national specifically queer-rights organisation in Australia whose queer members would publicly identify themselves.3 Other GLBTQ groups had existed, but they were smaller and tended to have a narrower or a social focus and be somewhat covert, due to lack of broad social acceptance and homosexual sex being illegal. The homophobic climate of the time has been illustrated by journalist David Marr, who said that in the era before legalisation, many gay writers and artists fled Australia, effectively becoming “sexual refugees”.4

Along with women and other minorities who gained increasing rights in western culture in the late 1960s, the GLBTQ communities in the UK5 and USA at that time were becoming more confident and assertive. Probably inspired by this foreign activism, CAMP was formed here to likewise push for greater rights and acceptance. CAMP was initially named Campaign Against Moral Persecution, and their action plan was for members to contact the media to complain when homosexuals were portrayed in a poor light.

Their mission was brave, groundbreaking and not without repercussions. Prominent CAMP member Peter Bonsall-Boone, was dismissed from his job as a church secretary in 1972 due to having unashamedly discussed his homosexual relationship (with MQ graduate Peter de Waal) on national television.6 Likewise, in 1975, CAMP secretary and one time MQ grad.7 Mike Clohesy was dismissed from his job at a Catholic school after advocating decriminalisation of homosexuality, on TV8. By the mid 70s, CAMPs focus was more on counselling and social gatherings than activisim9, but the early members continued to be a force for change. CAMP member Ron Austin together with Margaret McMann came up with the idea of a Sydney Mardi Gras.10 Lance Gowland, another key CAMP member, arranged the permit for that first march, and then drove the lead float. He was the first participant arrested by police that night.11 Also at that event, CAMP member and later MQ Phd student Jim Walker arranged for the hospital access for participant Peter Murphy after Peter suffered a violent police arrest.12

Historians have portrayed Camp and similar organisations as energetic pioneers. The university branches of Camp had names such as Campus Camp, and often broke new ground. The branch at Sydney Uni is believed to have been the first student gay group in the country13 and their counterparts at Queensland Uni are believed to have been the first politically-oriented gay organisation in QLD14. Historian Graham Willett states that when the local secretary for CAMP spoke at the University of Melbourne in 1971, it was the first time that an openly homosexual person had spoken in Melbourne on behalf of homosexuals.15

Dr Jeremy Fisher told us that when he joined Macquarie University as a student in 1973, members of MQ's Gay Liberation group were often also affiliated with CAMP and there was a degree of cross-over. Macquarie Uni never had a branch of Campus Camp16, but did have a branch of the similarly prominent Gay Liberation organisation, which likewise fought for Gay & Lebian rights. Dr Fisher attended protests and social occasions organised by these groups and held the position of treasurer for MQ's Gay Liberation group. He was a teenage student living on campus at (the strict Anglican) Robert Menzies College until the master discovered his sexuality and presented him with a choice of vacating or “going straight”. Fisher stuck to his principles and chose the option to vacate. Publicity ensued, along with protests and even industrial action when the Builders Labourers’ Federation (BLF) banned building work at the Uni. until Fisher was invited back. He had become such a hot potato that the NSW Police Force's Special Branch began tracking him and even forwarded details to ASIO.17

Despite appearing as heroes from the point of view of GLBTQ-rights advocates today, Dr Fisher says that his aims, and the aims of many similar activists at the time were simply to be true to themselves.17

In May 2010, the 40th anniversary of CAMP and in fact the birth of the GLBTI Rights movement in Australia, were celebated with the Break the Silence IDAHO event in Paddington.18




All web references are from May 2010.
1 The website of the Gay & Lesbian Couselling Service of NSW: http://www.glcsnsw.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44&Itemid=192
2 The Dictionary of Sydney, author(s) unspecified; http://www.dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/lesbians
6 Anglicanism and Homosexuality in the 1970s by Graham Willett, as reproduced at http://web.stpeters.org.au/ausanglican/sexuality.shtml
7Email from Peter de Waal, May 2010
8 http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/gayleft/international.rtf author(s) unspecified. From Liz Ross' "Writing's of the Gay Left" library hosted by on the Australian National University website.
9 University of Queensland Library catalogue notes regarding CAMP: http://library.uq.edu.au/record=b2282500
10 Pride History Group (Sydney) website: http://www.pridehistorygroup.org.au/modules.php?op=modload&name=PagEd&file=index&topic_id=34&page_id=19&ppart=3
11 Pride History Group (Sydney) website: http://www.pridehistorygroup.org.au/modules.php?op=modload&name=PagEd&file=index&topic_id=34&page_id=19&ppart=11#section11
12 Pride History Group (Sydney) website: http://www.pridehistorygroup.org.au/modules.php?op=modload&name=PagEd&file=index&topic_id=34&page_id=19&ppart=16#section16
13 Pride History Group (Sydney) website: http://www.phg.cust.obsidian.com.au/modules.php?op=modload&name=PagEd&file=index&topic_id=36&page_id=11&ppart=2
14 Sunshine and rainbows: the development of gay and lesbian culture in Queensland, by Clive Moore, as reproduced at http://books.google.com.au
15 THE HOMOSEXUAL HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, 1960–1976, by Graham Willett, as reproduced at http://www.huu.unimelb.edu.au/pdf/camp.pdf
16 Robert French of Pride History Group, Sydney. Email 12/May/2010.
17 My phone interview with Dr Fisher 12/May/2010.

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We Ask Ugandan Universities Their Perspective On Homosexuality Being Illegal

MARCH 2010

Late in 2009, much of the Western world was shocked as a bill was introduced to Ugandan parliament, which prescribed harsh penalties, including the death penalty in some cases, for sexual acts between same-sex people.

According to CNN1, the provisions initially included:
  • Homosexuals convicted of having gay sex being sentenced to life in prison
as a minimum 
  • 
People who test positive for HIV being executed

 
  • Homosexuals who have sex with a minor, or engage in homosexual sex more than once, also receiving the death penalty 
  • 

Anyone not reporting homosexual activity that they know took place, risking up to three years in prison 

Across the world, objections were raised by various human rights organisations, leaders of other countries and even a representative of the Roman Catholic Holy See. Ugandan political response to the international outcry was mixed, with the Minister for Ethics and Integrity at one point commenting that Uganda would not be directed by foreign advice, although the president stated that foreign policy interests would be considered2. Since the initial draft, news reports have stated that the penalties have been softened, with the death penalty having been removed altogether, but with prison terms remaining.

Even before the bill was introduced, homosexuality was illegal in Uganda, as it is in a number of African countries. However in recent years Ugandan conservatives have increasingly lamented that homosexuals appear to be increasing in number - a perceived change that challenges their traditional values and has heightened agitation. One Ugandan Muslim leader has gone so far as to make public statements offering suggestions on how all living homosexuals in Uganda could be eradicated. Strong homophobic sentiments are in fact be held by more than just a minority in this country of over 30 million people, and tend to be reinforced by the Ugandan media3. CNN has reported that a poll held in mid 2008 found that 95% of the population opposed legalising homosexuality4.

The nation's discomfort with homosexuality is often rooted in local culture, but has been bolstered by Christian missionary endeavours, often by Americans, who have brought with them quasi-scientific anti-gay ideologies, sometimes even in book form. Americans convened a well attended conference in Uganda last year, that preached that homosexuality is curable. Such theories have been firmly embraced by relevant Ugandan politicians. The minister who introduced the anti-gay bill, David Bahati, illustrated the foundations for his anti-gay outlook, when he made the remarkable statement; "It's not an inborn orientation, it's a behaviour learnt - and it can be unlearnt. That's why we are encouraging churches and mosques to continue rehabilitating and counselling these people."5

Lack of news on the bill in the last few months suggests that the Ugandan government has not yet come to a decision on implementing it, despite earlier reports that it was hoped the debate would take place late in March.

So what position do university students in Uganda take? Are they homophobic? Are they open minded? Do they realise that homosexual orientation is innate and usually not learnt? We decided to ask them. A Google search quickly finds a list on Wikipedia of 28 Ugandan universities. We tried to contact each one of these by email. The websites for three of the universities were down or non-existent, and one didnt appear to have an email option, leaving us unable to quickly find a way to reach them. The other 24 were all sent the following email -

Hi there,

I apologise for writing in English, but English is the only language I know.

Im a student at Macquarie University in Australia. Im doing research for a student magazine, about the proposed law changes in Uganda, in regards to homosexuality. Could those at [your] University please comment for me on whether students at the university generally support homosexuality being illegal. Also, if the university, has an organised GLBTIQ/homosexual group, could that group please let me know their feelings regarding the proposed law changes.

Thank you so much,
[my name]
Australia

The Emails to 4 of the universities bounced back (didnt reach them). And nineteen of the universities simply didnt reply. So that leaves us with one which did reply. Yes, one. They wrote;

We do not have time to dicuss petty issues like homosexuality.
Thank you

Our emails were generally sent to an admin or Vice Chancellor's address. So it's probably unlikely that students actually saw them. But it's disappointing that university staff did not reply in most cases. Did they struggle to understand English? Unlikely as it's an official language, and their websites are in English. Were they too busy? Maybe. However the lack of response lines up with the general belief of Ugandans that homosexuals are undeserving.

There are also a number of Africans attending our Uni, so I posted a message on the Facebook page for the international students group, hoping to obtain the perspective of any Ugandans who are studying over here. But again, no response.

Hopefully eventually Uganda will follow the West by putting religion and culture to one side for long enough to consider homosexuality objectively and scientifically, giving compassionate regard to those who have no choice but to suffer from violent discrimination. However in the meantime, it seems that there isnt much hope, when they appear so unwilling to even communicate about it.

Footnotes:
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