Several people have recently expressed their concern and displeasure at the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Student Alliance's Pride Week tradition of assigning a very common article of clothing for each day of the week. We hear that you are angry that we haven't chosen more unusual or easily recognizable clothing. If jeans are the pride clothes for the day, then you resent having to ponder whether or not you can risk wearing your favorite pair. You seem to fear that someone may think that you actually support the events of LGBSA Pride Week, or worse, that you yourself may be queer.

Think of what that feels like. Stay with the discomfort of having to make that decision, and think about the potential for any real consequences for your life. Now imagine that those real possibilities include physical injury, harassment and the loss of housing or employment. We want you who are so afraid, so literally "homo-phobic," that you express your anger at having your everyday choice of clothing associated with us, to really think about what it is like to be afraid.

Anyone who self-identifies as bisexual, lesbian or gay has to go through choices everyday about whether or not it is safe for them to reveal the truth about their sexual orientation. Some of us are eventually in a time and place in which we can be honest and proud about the way we feel about ourselves. Not everyone is lucky enough to do that, and until the world is a different place, it is up to those of us who can carry the weight of your fearful responses and intense expressions of anger.

We challenge all of you who have been afraid to be seen in jeans today, hats on Tuesday, Penn State University clothing on Wednesday, sneakers on Thursday, or black on Friday to really consider the roots of your fears. To be honest, we remember what it is like to be many of you. We have been where you are; we understand what it means to be afraid of everyone around you, and we hated Pride Week as much as you do.

Now we see the root of our anger and fear and we hope that you too can come to terms with the sexual feelings that you may have that are not what you wish them to be. For those of you who are heterosexually-identified, we challenge you to confront the heterosexism around you and stand up to it.

Until we can all support one another in our collective fight against prejudice and bigotry, then none of us can succeed. Confront your fears and friends, and stop hurting yourselves and each other.