February 25, 1995 Un-Straight Talk A word from the LGBC The issue of sexuality is everyone’s issue regardless if you are straight, lesbian, gay or bisexual. This article is also geared to this type of thinking. My name is Dave and I’m a 19 year - old bisexual youth. I belong to the L.G.B.C. of Douglas College, and I have been given the chance to blow off some steam in this paper. I believe that my sexuality is not a crime, unnatural or revolting (as some may think!) I chose my sexuality because it is right for me, but a lot of people believe that this path is not socially acceptable. Who the fuck do they think they are?! The path that I walk in life is difficult and has caused a lot of harm to myself, and to the people with whom I associate. Why? Because I do something that is natural to me. Obviously this discrimination is an injustice, and I’m tired of the strife caused by it. However, this article is not written to speak negatively or to strike others down, but to give some of the public an understanding of my life and culture. My goal, in writing, is to acquire acceptance in mainstream culture and society. This will not come easily although I do see some progress and ...And We Like It Too!!! Hi there, all you folks hiding around the corners, lurking in the backs of dark classrooms, and hanging up when you phone the L.G.B.C. box #. Yeah, I know you’re out there. My name is Zach and I’m a member of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Collective here at Douglas College. When I first started attending Douglas, I didn’t feel the need to join any sort of club or collective because I thought that I would just be attending classes and well...leaving. Boring! So, second semester here I decided to give the collective a call. Like so many others, I too hung up (twice even!). However, I eventually worked up the courage to leave my name and number, and much to my surprise, I was called back by a friendly and normal student type much like myself. Anyway, I started attending the meetings (held every Thursday) and found a small, but enjoyable group of people who embody a wide spectrum of diversity. Meetings generally run about an hour or some-times longer depend-ing on what we are doing. Topics vary, and The Other Press 11 by this is my side of the story I was involved with a man for five and a half years and out of these had been engaged for about two when he came out of the closet and said he was gay. I don’t want to get into too much detail about our relationship, but this was a man who I had basically grown up with. We had been together since I 15, and he 16. We shared everything. He was my best friend, my confidante, my protector, my security blanket, and most of all my lover. was When my fiance came out to me, I was devastated. I had no one and nowhere to turn to. As we were both new to Vancouver, we hadn’t gotten around to making new acquaintances or even tried getting involved in other activities besides school and work. So when he came out I felt totally isolated, scared, very lonely, very hurt, betrayed, and lied to. I experienced a lot of emotions and a great deal of change of attitudes in people my age. I don’t want to hide my feelings towards other men, but I am often forced to because of close-minded people who .would seek to harm me because they lack understanding. I’m willing to make a proposition: If you hide your heterosexuality, Ill hide my bisexuality. Deal? You’re probably shaking your head at how crazy this sounds, but I think you get my point. Acceptance towards homosexuality is coming along smoothly, but not fast enough because of incidents of violence against . homosexuals and bisexuals are still occurring frequently. I hope that this will make you think. For more information contact the L.G.B.C. at 527- 5335, box # 4550 confusion, especially regarding our relationship. I bombarded my fiance with many questions, trying to find the meaning and reasoning for our relationship. At the time it seemed the more I asked, the more I dreaded the answer; the more I dreaded the answer, the more hurt | was by his response. For a while, I could only see that our relationship had existed as a means for him to suppress his homosexual desires. It took a while for me to see that our relationship existed because we shared a very strong and leave a ~ bond for each message. = ot hee tr Keep % although, love alive s once ina K-00: | *. while, I Kats! :