University of Kansas - Jayhawker Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

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that prejudice existed on a societal and local level. Families build their own belief systems, he said. Children iden- tify with these ideas and this reinforces prejudice. Society has set up a system of heterosexuality with legal definitions about farnilies and marriage. Prejudice against non-heterosexuals is apparent in those discriminatory laws, Moore says. Gays and lesbians can't file as a domestic couple. Therefore, they can't obtain a marriage license, can't receive insurance benefits and sometimes are unable to maintain child custody. Society perceives straight AIDS suffer- ers as innocent victims while they blame the homosexual victims for the problem, Moore said. Amy Richmond, Lenexa sophomore, a white, heterosexual female, believes everyone is entitled to their own way of life. Richmond admits she grew up in an environment that was not prejudice-free. I think Lawrence and KU are very liberal compared to the rest of the world, she said. Richmond also attended the University of Missouri, and said she found KU more accepting. She said racial prejudice - . I' had taken a back seat to sexual prejudice. x -. 5 R 1-K r 4 -'!'. .-'L - . I 151' '24 I think that people still see homo- sexuality as gross. Gay couples are certainly treated differently than hetero- sexuals. I 7 - . Neha mia? Blacks also were treated People always stare at me and give me questioning looks when they see the scarf that covers my head. Why? And I answer: Because Islam is my religion, and I am a Muslim. In Islam the scarf, or hijnb, is a symbol of modesty and a form of protection for women, said Arshia Papa, Overland Park freshman. Papa also said that her female friends and immediate family were allowed to see her hair, but other men were not allowed. Religious institutions also support a system that is discrirninatory, he says. They believe that since the Bible says this or the Koran says that, they too should discriminate. Discrimination works in society as it does in political and religious groups, Moore said. AIDS sufferers, if they are homosexuals, are accused by society. The connection between AIDS and gays is not an accident, said Karl differently. When I, a Black man, walk by a woman at night, she clenches her purse. I'm usually just coming home from a meeting, Dawson said. It seemed two factors affected the prejudice at the University. Dawson said that first, prejudice was parentally and rurally inflicted. Farnilies and communities handed down their lack of knowledge and ignorance about mi- norities. jenn Iolmson, Brookings, South Dakota, I if I' f f x f . f , 2 ' 5 Hockenbarger at a demonstration on Dec. 1, World AIDS day, in front of the Kansas Union. I-Iockenbarger is a protestor with junior, a white female, agreed. Students are in these closed, white suburbs and small towns. Those students Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church and had not been exposed to the prejudice Library group. some groups endure, she said. V Tomasz DAWSON

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N 'FIIE F CE 0F PIIEJI DICE Flacial, social and ethnic prejudices festered on the seemingly open-minded KU campus. COUPLE WALKED Massachusetts Street, hand in hand, window shopping and enjoying the fresh evening air. Passing cars slowed to get a closer look. One car stopped. Passengers stared. It wasn't because the couple was cute or because they appeared to be in love. The sideways glances and stares affected Eric Moore and his com- panion. But Moore just laughed, knowing his response wouldn't change any o p i n i o n s that day . Lesbian, and Gay f of Kansas fLesBiGayS OKI 20 The gay couple con- t i n u e d walking. M o o r e , president of Lesbian, B i s e x u al and Gay Services of K a n s a s , b e l i e v e d prejudice was dimin- ishing. P e o p I e ' s assumption that everyone is straight is heterosexism, he said. When people realize there are vary- ing sexual preferences, they are unprepared. He says the result is homophobia, which is the fear and hatred of lesbians, gays or bisexual people based on stereotypes. Prejudice wasn't limited to the homosexual community. V. Torrez Dawson, vice chairman for the Big Eight conference on Black Student Government, said that the Black Bisexual student community faced institutional preju- dice. I don't feel as welcome as I probably would at a predominately Black campus, he said. Groups with less obvious or no outward BY Kesev Harman WHEN WE BEGIN 'l'0 FOIlGE'l' 'l'HE FACT 'l'HA'l' WE HAVE IlIFFEREN'l' SKIN COLOIl AND LANGUAGES, 'l'HEN WE WILL BE AB LE T0 SAV WE IIE WI'l'HOU'l' l'IlEJUllICE. -DAVID AMB LEII, VICE CHANCELIADR FOIl S'l'UlDEN'I' AFFAIRS differences faced prejudice less often. Neslie Isgoren, Izmir, Turkey, junior, says people try to be politically correct. They have strange perceptions about international students, the KU International Council president said. Prejudice may not make itself readily known, but it infiltrates life often. For some, prejudice is always an issue. Others are surprised by its presence. Following are the stories of leaders of three campus organizations who face prejudice day in and day out, sometimes in the strangest of ways, other times the subtlest. ERIC MOORE Perceptions about the gay community fueled prejudice, Moore said. Sometimes I get really tired of the prejudice. I have to remind myself that chances are I won't get beat up today because I didn't get beat up yesterday... I look back over the day and say, 'Who did I help today?' If I've helped someone - even if it's myself - then it's been a suc- cessful day. There hasn't been a day yet that I haven't helped, he said. Dealing with discrimina- tion was difficult, but Moore kept a positive outlook. He said it l lx T I v i Peojlealv.e And I me modem at thaiheiiezrif

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Dawson said the education system was a contributing factor. The system doesn't reach out to minorities, he said. Black heritage seemed to be forgotten. We're not given the same respect. Those who have accomplished great Prejudice did not limit itself. From homo- sexual couples to interracial couples, stereotypes were a challenge they all faced. ,:'. V 'WDP rf , fi zip, Eric Moore, president of Lesbian, Bisexual and Gay Services of Kansas, fights prejudice daily. He says education is the answer. things should be given credit they de- serve. Malcom X is hardly mentioned in history books, he said. Another prejudice, this one unex- pected, presented itself. Dawson said some minority students' acquain- tances thought familiarity gave them permission to be racially uncon- scious. But uninten- tional racial com- ments were still offensive. People think they can make racial jokes. They think because they know you it won't be offensive. But these jokes lead to people at a concession stand, for instance, counting their money twice when they're waited on by a Black person, he said. Dawson says it's best to vent frustration caused by prejudice. The Gffice of Affirmative Action was an outlet for such frustrations. Students wanting to report an incident of racial discrimination or harassment made their case to the office. Ioyce Hammond-Perry, affirmative We look at the interaction pattern of the accused person, she said. We analyze how that person treats other minority and majority people. If we can determine that the accused was not merely singling out the individual, then we can take action against their racial discrimination on the whole, Hammond-Perry said. We confront the accused person, and say, 'Here's what was reported to us,' and allow them to respond to the allegations. i The most common action is a letter of apology or a verbal apology from the accused person. If this doesn't suit the plaintiff, we refer the case to the Discrimi- nation Hearing Board, she said. Students aren't required to take action against a discriminator. But, Hammond- j Perry said, If a student wants to vent frustrations or make a problem known, Affirmative Action is happy to listen. University student organizations offered a haven, and that happened at the conference level, as well. The Big Eight A Conference on Black Student Government integrates universities and acts as a watch- dog for prejudice problems. j Dawson said, We're coming together A and sharpening our minds. VVhen we talk about what affected us, we can work together to offer helpful solutions. The prejudice makes me sick to my stomach. r NESLIE ISGOREN lsgoren says that many people have no tolerance. These prejudices are even 1' greater against Blacks and gays, she said. . People are afraid of differences. VVhen l something is different from their beliefs, j they think it's bad, lsgoren said. She recalled an incident where she i experienced prejudice. r 1 was with a group of people, and they bega 1 to make all these weird comments I about the international community. When they realized that I was an international student, they were shocked. Somehow they pe ceived me differently. People K action associate director, said, ln the area need to learn to be more accepting of the i i WTF if I D 'f it 2 fl 1 F i ' ft If 'ria 1 A '-'r Q I of racial discrimination, the prejudice that differences around them, she Said, exists has become subtle. People are not as D B blatant about their discriminations. They EBBIE ARON use thmgs such as racial slurs to comniu- Debbie Baron, Sioux City, Iowa, jtuiior 1 mcate Pfeludlce- and Hillel campus liaison, said that most 22 1 of her 1 rellllol tend 'O holldal' 3dE5 5 grfj we teafhfl I berauit holidd'-W wa5lf9P Britt me core said and given ii il lower Fla The Str tionf flld in line 2.1 tale the U of the ree justified, 2 observing Baron 5 were felt 1 slang Crea realize the said. 'Son dorm the explained ws ariti-5 Enieiii Daiid .- student ai the arsre llelr ity iatulri' progresf in ltrmg 0 lie said. rlinblei UllIlOllllES program respect io Ciilhiral l uled to dj lllien i derelopg tntes are A 3-Sptm Wh ET We lldl'Q Ellilges, ii'iilj0ut