Thursday night I attended a Residence Life event, part of a series of sessions run by members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community and its allies (LGBTA) called "straight talks." At the beginning of the meeting, each of the representatives of LGBTA gave an introduction and spoke briefly about their experiences at Penn State. Following this short presentation, we shared a broad dialogue about issues important to the gay community, ranging from gay marriage to how homosexuals are portrayed in the media.

Here at Penn State, we all too often marginalize homosexuals as dysfunctional and morally corrupt. As a heterosexual male, I am part of the group perhaps most guilty of buying into these negative stigmas. Sexual orientation is not a conscious decision, and it is unconscionable that we should discriminate against our fellow students for who they are. One's sexuality is as personal and as immutable as the color of his or her skin. During Pride Week at Penn State, we will hear the phrase "gay pride" loud and often. We should all be proud of ourselves, and we should likewise be proud of our fellow Penn Staters for who they are.

But, the LGBTA community is not necessarily asking for our pride; they are asking for our respect. That, at least, is something they are long overdue.