Name change highlights rally


Tuesday, March 31, 1998	Name change highlights rally By KHYBER OSER Collegian Staff Writer Framed by rainbow-colored balloons flying from the facade of Schwab Auditorium, 21 people stood side by side on the auditorium steps, each holding a blank piece of paper. A crowd covered the mall between the auditorium and Willard Building, basking in the sunlight and waiting to see what would happen next.
`Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Student Alliance web site`	Then, in wave-like fashion, the people on the steps flipped the papers over and revealed letters spelling out "Lambda Student Alliance" -- the new name of the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Student Alliance. The unveiling of the new name was part of LSA's (LGBSA's) Pride Week kick-off rally yesterday afternoon. Steve McCann, social/educational co-director of LSA (LGBSA), said the Greek letter lambda is a symbol of gay pride and will better reflect the needs of all the organization's members.
Members of Lambda Student Alliance (LSA), the former Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Student Alliance (LGBSA) reveal the group's new name yesterday on the steps of Schwab Auditorium. The name change was announced during the LSA's Pride Week Kick-Off Rally. (Collegian Photo/Christopher M. Mortensen - click for full size image)	"It's going to take a while for people to recognize the (new) name, but it's more important to be inclusive," McCann said. "We built our name up once, we can do it again." At the rally, University community members spoke about issues concerning the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) community. Sue Rankin, senior diversity analyst for the Office of the Vice Provost of Educational Equity, encouraged audience members to be proud of their sexual orientations. "Stand up and say, 'I'm queer, I'm here,' " Rankin said. "We are visible and we will not be silenced." University staff member John Bell said "fear born out of ignorance" creates much of the tension between the LGBT and heterosexual communities, so people from both groups must reach out to each other. "It's very hard to fear the neighbor you know, the co-worker you laugh with or the church member you pray with," Bell said. Meanwhile, across the mall on the steps of Willard Building, Gary Cattell, the Willard Preacher, spoke of his opposition to homosexuality.
University staff member John Bell speaks before a crowd attending the Pride Week kick-off rally yesterday afternoon (Collegian Photo/Christopher M. Mortensen - click for full size image)	Alex Cadman, president of Students Reinforcing Adherence in General Heterosexual Tradition, said he respects the LSA's (LGBSA's) right to free speech but decided to listen to Cattell instead. "Gary was having an anti-sodomy coming out day," Cadman (junior-meteorology) said. "A lot of people are afraid to speak out against sodomy because of political correctness, so today's a tongue-in-cheek parody where people can express their views regarding homosexuality as a perversion." As a mediation between the conflicting ideologies, members of the Christian group United Campus Ministry carried "no-hate" signs. Davin Chellman, program coordinator for the ministry, said homosexuals often do not get the respect they deserve as human beings. "I hope that the signs will make people think twice about some of the negative things they may say about each other," Chellman (senior-philosophy) said. Jason Pietropaulo (freshman-English) sat with a clear view of the whole scene. "The best thing about it was all the different views flying around," Pietropaulo said. "I definitely felt more support for the people at the rally. They're sticking up for themselves and not trying to harm anybody."