Hair cropped close and dyed blonde, sexless clothes hanging shapelessly, hands greasy from her job as a truck driver -- to many, her whole appearance screams lesbian.

That stereotype, entirely unfounded and undeniably derogatory, abounds in the mind of the heterosexual population, said Randal Mason, a Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Student Alliance member, speaking about "Healthy Same Sex Relationships."

Mason and LGBSA member Kevin Patnik addressed about 30 people last night in the HUB Gallery Lounge as part of Healthy Loving Week.

Society's institutionalized homophobia causes countless problems for the gay community in such instances as intimacy and public affection, Mason said.

In romantic settings, heterosexual couples often hold hands or kiss, Mason said. But a gay couple who might do likewise would attract gawking stares, he added.

Many heterosexual people perceive gay men, lesbians and bisexuals only in terms of their sexual orientation, thinking constantly about sex -- a stereotype Patnik described as embarrassing.

"It's amazing that people who would have a tacit acceptance of you . . . it's amazing how often they'll think of you in terms of sex," he said.

Meeting, dating and distinguishing a person's sexual orientation, Mason said, can pose difficulties for gay men and lesbians, too.

"Of course we all have a secret handshake and this makes it incredibly easy to tell who we are," Mason joked.

Audience members expressed mixed opinions about the presentation.

"I think it should be more publicized to get more of the heterosexual crowd to see this," said State College resident Christopher LaFrance. "It cleared up a lot of the stereotypes and a lot of the misconceptions about gay men and lesbians."

But State College resident Dave Cheris said he wished the speakers had gone into more detail.

Colin Likens (sophomore-education) disagreed.

"Everything that was said about communication and honesty and knowing what you want is really good advice for living, but I don't really think it is so gay-specific," Likens said.

Likens said society's antagonistic attitudes toward gay men and lesbians make loving, healthy or otherwise, impossible.

"All I expect is tolerance," Likens said. "Approval and open-arm embraces is not what I expect."