Culture crimes
Rally makes community aware of gay bashing, assaults on women

Donning buttons, signs and noisemakers, members of the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Student Alliance, Direct Impact Via Action and other demonstrators protested in front of Cedarbrook Apartments Friday to let the community know they will not stand for gay bashing any more.

That protest was held in retaliation to the Feb. 3 alleged attack of four women on the corner of Beaver Avenue and Locust Lane by 20 men and one woman.

The protesters should be commended for bringing the issues of homophobia, gay bashing and assaults against women in State College out in the open and forcing people to deal with the issue.

Homophobia and incidents of gay bashing are nothing new to State College. Unfortunately, the number of alleged assaults against gay, lesbian and bisexual students and residents since July is far higher than it should be. The hate crimes have become part of the culture of State College.

The Center for Counseling and Psychological Services conducts discussion groups called Between Men and Between Women as a means of support for lesbian, gay and bisexual people to deal with the issues of homophobia and coming out. That program benefits the gay community, but more programs designed to increase tolerance in the straight community must be instituted to stop the recent rash of hate crimes. The University's Straight Talks --classroom discussions about gay and lesbian lifestyles -- are a good start. Project TEACH! (Try Education to Abolish Campus Homophobia) is one LGBSA program that the University must follow up on in order to decrease homophobia in the Penn State community.

Friday's rally was an important step to stop homophobia. But action against hate crimes can only be taken if people are made aware of the violence and report the assaults. Anyone who witnesses or who is a victim of a hate crime should report it to the police as soon as possible to help put an end to gay bashing and assualts on women.