WED 04.09.14
VOLUME 97
ISSUE 21
The LGBTQ Issue
ILLUSTRATION BY IVÁN RUIZ
ASSAULT AND LOCKDOWN “I would encourage each of us to keep our eyes and ears open to support each other...”
P. 3
HOW TO BE AN ALLY “Let the Holy Spirit take the lead..”
P. 4
FEATURED ATHLETE “Working out has made me more confident. It has also helped me notice the difference between being fit and being small.” P. 6
MY STORY “I don’t feel completely safe at Andrews.”
P. 9
EARNESTLY SPEAKING “The room was filled with murmurs of excitement as everyone took their seats and made themselves comfortable.” P. 10
LOVE ACTUALLY “ I am allowed to have a life, not a “lifestyle.””
P. 12
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
2
News
Upcoming Events A Conversation With LGBT Students
Double Blessings: For You and That Child
Courtesy of Jonathan Doram When: Saturday April 19 at 4:00 Where: Newbold Auditorium
Courtesy of Sarah Kimakwa
“Stories can conquer fear, you know. They can make the heart bigger.” - Ben Okri This presentation will consist of stories from LGBT students at Andrews University and approaches on how to have this conversation. This is the first presentation in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist church in which LGBT people are given a space to share our stories. Join us and help create a space for respectful dialogue, grace, and love.
Timothy Hucks News Editor
PHOTO BY JOSHUA MARTIN
AUSA 2014 Banquet “United”
AU Hosts AIA Tawanna Persaud | This past
weekend, beginning on April 2nd, Andrews University hosted the 64th annual convention of Adventist Intercollegiate Association or commonly referred to as AIA. Their theme was “The Theory of Association,” which focused on communication and servant leadership. AIA President, Kevin Lyechad, writes, “Once we value each other and see how each of our talents contributes to a success that can’t be attained without the other, we no longer hesitate on working together.” Continuing, he remarks, “In the end we still come together, and it all began because both you and I have the desire to serve others, and as servant leaders we recognize that the empowerment of our people is the most important goal.” Networking with the various student-leader representatives, they were exposed to what communica-
tion means in such a position and how important it is to maintain a mindset of service. AUSA President, Jonathan Jacobs, adds, “I hope that the incoming leaders are inspired and learn how to inspire others. The exchange of thoughts and ideas is extremely important to a progressive civilization. The AIA Convention creates that opportunity to expand the limits of what is possible through intelligent conversation with peers from across the continent. I also hope that the attendees will not only make lifelong friends, but friends that will last into everlasting. I believe it truly is a small taste of heaven.” The incoming presidents also got a chance to share their goals for the upcoming school year. Rashad Brown of Washington Adventist University says he hopes to revive school spirit at WAU. Austen Powell of Southwestern Adventist University plans to
Courtesy of Megan Reed
nurture maturity on his campus. Tahjai Conkerite of Oakwood University determines to uplift a standard at his Huntsville campus. Andrew Ashley of Southern Adventist University anticipates to renew the spiritual environment and promote a better student association presence. And our very own incoming AUSA President Olivia Knott will seek to establish a corporate identity among AU students, and possibly for every Adventist University. The desired effect is for graduates to have a proud attitude when asked about their previous schools. The AIA convention concluded on April 5th. Jacobs ends his comments by acknowledging that it is the lasting impact of an association that makes it successful. And the charge for the student-leaders as they return to their campuses, and those at AU, is to strive for a lasting impact.
Splash for cash Fonda Mwangi | On Saturday
night, about 50 students took a dive for some free cash in the Andrews Pool. Splash for Cash, hosted by Student Life gave students the opportunity to win up to $500 per heat. There were a total of 2 heats with a total amount of $1000 distributed. Money was spread out on the floor of the pool in various bills for students to dive down and collect. The concept being that you can keep all the cash you catch in the time frame. There was
a catch though, you couldn’t use goggles. By 8:30 p.m., people eagerly lined up on the edge of the pool ready to take off as soon as the whistle blew. The first heat began and people swam off to collect their fortune. A lot of excitement brewed from the crowd cheering their friends on to win some cash. According to one of the workers at the event, Kerissa Abraham, in the first heat the highest amount received by a single individual was about $73. PHOTO PROVIDED BY IMC
The theme for AUSA’s 2014 banquet is “United.” “United”reflects the beautifully diverse culture at Andrews University and how we are all unified as one. The banquet will take place in Johnson Gym Sunday April 20th at 6:00pm. Tickets are $25.00 and will be sold in the Student Center as well as the Student Life office. Andrews dorm students will be able to charge their tickets to their dorm meal plans. In an effort to create an atmosphere of unity and excitement we encourage guests to come dressed in cultural formal attire or formal attire. This year’s banquet will be an event in which the student body can celebrate each other and the wonderful diversity at Andrews University.
It is spring time and you have lots of stuff to sort through! Would you like to put your unwanted items towards a good cause? Gearing up for National Library Week, the James White Library and the Andrews University Summit on Social Consciousness are teaming up to collect your extra items to donate to emergency centers and safe shelters in our local community! We need: Diapers in unopened packages Gently used or new children’s books and educational toys. You can donate the items in the clearly labeled boxes at the following locations: James White Library Student Center Seminary lobby The Crayon Box Look for the RED boxes with clearly labeled BLUE and YELLOW signs on the Andrews University Campus from April 3 - 11, 2014 The Summit on Social Consciousness will be presenting events over the theme “The Poor Next Door: Poverty in America” each evening from April 9th through the 13th. You can also bring your donation to any of these events. The total donation will be announced at the closing event on Saturday evening, April 12th where representatives from local organizations will accept our donations. For details, questions, or volunteer opportunities, please contact: Sarah Kimakwa Reference & Marketing Librarian James White Library Tel: 269-471-3639 Email: kimakwa@andrews.edu
WED 04.09.14
VOLUME 97
ISSUE 21
When I asked if there could have been anything done differently, Jeff responded, “I can’t really think of many improvements or if I should have done things differently. It was a really random thing that happened.” As to his wallet being stolen, it was found in the ravine behind custodial. The only missing item was his cash. It was reported on March 31 by the Michigan Local News website that three men had been arrested in connection with the assaults. They are Roy Moore Jr, Bryon Talbert, and Thomas Rogers. They each face multiple armed robbery charges. The three men were identified with assistance of citizen tips from the picture released by Andrews as well as with the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and surveillance videos. Monday, March 31, there was a forum held for students to attend to be able to ask questions about the lockdown. Present at the forum to discuss the events were President Andreasen, Stephen Payne who is the VP for Integrated Marketing and Communication, and Campus Security Director Dale Hodges. They were able to answer questions from the students as well as address the communication that took place during the event. President Andreasen began the forum by stating, “Let me say how deeply concerned I am that something like that can happen on a Christian campus in a peaceful and somewhat secluded location. But it did happen.” He went on to say that during the police investigation, campus security was able to provide video feeds of the different areas. The administration is also working on improvements to buildings on campus to expand security. “The University did not handle this event as well as it should,” he stated. “We have things we can learn to do better.” There was a lack of clarity of what to do in regards to the safety dispatcher on duty at the time as well as residence hall staff in regards to lockdown procedure. The result was the residence halls being in lockdown much later than was appropriate. In looking back at the event, President Andreasen said that it looks much easier and clean. However, it is important to keep in mind that the event took place in the middle
of the night, and the police, law enforcement, K9 patrols, campus safety, residence halls, and three victims and three separate attacks were involved. Stephen Payne, VP for Integrated Marketing and Communication as well as Campus Information Officer, spoke next about the communication on campus. The Rave system is the main avenue for providing students with important information. The first step is to let the Rave system know that there is a situation. There are different templates that trigger the system such as the gates being closed or the dorms being in lockdown. The message about the lockdown or event goes out simultaneously with the event happening, not later. That information comes from Campus Safety but there are a few others who can also trigger the system. “Ideally, there should have been a Rave alert at the beginning then one at the end,” he stated. Sunday morning, after the attack, there was a meeting in the campus safety department that included the AUSA president, Student Life staff, residence hall deans, and the safety department to discuss what happened. Another form of communication used was sending out emails to inform the students what had happened during the course of the night. Dale Hodges, Director of Campus Safety, was then able to answer questions regarding the lockdown and what can happen in the future. At the moment, twelve of the fifty-six buildings have access control systems and there are plans to put more in. There is $18,000 worth of lighting on campus right now. The assessment for security measures and needs is ongoing. There are also twelve emergency phones sitting on a pallet waiting to be put in. The phones make it possible for pedestrians to communicate with campus security with a two-way button. One of the concerns brought up by students is that over the course of the night, multiple students tried to call Campus Safety, several of them more than once, and were hung up on. Some calls were made to find out more information about the lockdown and others were made for escorts after the all clear was sounded. Mr. Hodges hadn’t heard that students had been hung up on until Monday night when it was brought up. He mentioned that out of about 6,000 calls, a large number of the recipients didn’t get the message. Some may have called back to get information. However, there is no protocol to hang up on callers needing assistance. During the course of
the events, the number of staff members on duty went from two to nine. Mr. Hodges said that they would investigate why the hangups happened. Another concern that was brought up was in regards to the front gates and how, during the lockdown, students were able to drive onto campus without anyone coming over to inform them of the situation. While there is a set time when the gates are closed each night as well on weekends, during the winter, the mechanical eye that communicates with the gate about obstructions was blocked. I asked Stephen Payne why the names of the victims had yet to be released. “It was simply a matter of wanting to respect privacy,” he stated. “Especially since these students had been involved in an assault.” He went on to say how amazed and grateful he was at how “committed the students of Andrews University were and are to assure safety and protection for their fellow students.” According to Dale Hodges, Campus Security is working to set dates for the first campus-wide lockdown drill to increase awareness. President Andreasen closed out the night by saying, “I would encourage each of us to keep our eyes and ears open to support each other, to walk with each other across campus if it’s late or to call an escort. We have to stick together and help each other out.” As to plans for the future, President Andreasen stated that the University is reviewing safety procedures to make improvements. Those improvements include the process followed by campus and buildings during lockdowns as well as the “effectiveness and speed with which we get the information out to everyone so we can take prudent action.” There will be information shared with us in the coming weeks. A recording of the forum can be found here: http://www.andrews.edu/president/forumrecording/20140331hpac.m4a
3
News
AU Lockdown and Assaults
Jenna Neil | On Saturday, March
29, three people on the Andrews University Campus were mugged and assaulted by three other people. The attacks took place in three separate locations on campus in the span of about 20 to 25 minutes. As a result, the campus went into lockdown. The suspects have since been caught and the trial was scheduled for Tuesday, April 8. The assaults took place at Meier Hall, Nethery Hall, and Garland Apartments. According to a press release issued by the Berrien Springs Oronoko Township Police Department, they were called to campus at about 11:06 p.m. to investigate a robbery. The first assault took place at Meier hall where the suspects attempted to rob a resident at 10:57. However, when they didn’t get anything, they moved on toward Nethery Hall where they assaulted a student and stole his wallet. According to Dale Hodges, the Director of Campus Security, the first call came from the second assault that occurred at 11 p.m. Dean Price reported the first assault after the first victim reported the assault to him. The last attack took place at Garland Apartments where the victim fought back and yelled for help. The victims reported that they saw a knife and what turned out to be a plastic pellet gun in the possession of the suspects. All three attacks were reported by the police to have happened between 10:57 p.m. and 11:20 p.m. Between 11:15 p.m. and 12:45 a.m., Dale Hodges stated that local, county and state law enforcement began a “search for the suspects by setting up a perimeter
search in the area they were last seen.” Between 12:45 and 1 a.m., the descriptions of the suspects were confirmed as well as the lockdown lifted in the residence halls. I sat down with Jeff Baker, one of the victims, to talk about what happened. He had gone to see the performance of The Importance of Being Earnest put on by the English department in the University Towers auditorium. Afterward, as he was walking home, Jeff noticed something out of the ordinary. While approaching from the opposite direction, a pedestrian stepped off into the grass to tie his shoe. After Jeff had passed him, the man stood up and started to follow Jeff. “I turned around to see what was going on,” Jeff said. He thought that he had possibly dropped something and the other person was simply trying to return it. “That’s when I saw two people coming around the corner of Nethery, one had a knife and the other had a gun.” That’s when the first person that had stopped to tie his shoe punched Jeff in the face several times, which caused Jeff’s nose to bleed. One of them said, “Give us the goods.” “I wasn’t sure what they meant or if they had mistaken me for someone else who had drugs. So I asked if they meant
my wallet, they agreed so I handed it over and they ran off.” At that point, Jeff started walking towards the Student Center where he knew there would be people. Once he got to the Student Center, there were quite a few people who noticed the blood. “They started asking what was happening and if I was ok. I told them that there were people outside mugging people and they had a gun and a knife.” The people in the Student Center had Jeff sit down and brought him some damp paper towels to clean up as well as a cup of water. Someone was nice enough to call campus security for Jeff. “The rest of the night was spent talking to campus security and the cops.” Jeff was able to give a bit more clarity into what happened with the other victims. With the first victim at Meier, Jeff said that the victim had been swiping into the parking lot door when the three suspects came from behind, waved the fake gun in his face and demanded money. When the victim stated that he didn’t have any, the suspects checked his pockets and once they were satisfied, ran off. The third attack at Garland was on someone who isn’t a student here at Andrews. “He remembers walking down the sidewalk to the entrance. There was a person next to the sidewalk who said ‘Sup’ which the victim responded to.” At that point, someone came from behind a tree, the first suspect swung at the victim and the victim started fighting back. At some point, something was thrown at the victim and after that, the victim was
“Let me say how
deeply concerned I am that something like that can happen on a Christian campus...” knocked to the ground. I asked Jeff how it felt to be back on campus after the attack. “Campus doesn’t bother me. It’s the longer walk to my apartment that makes me a bit nervous.” As to being around the site of the attack, Jeff doesn’t have any problems. “I practically live in Nethery Hall.” Overall, Jeff is ok except for being a bit more cautious when walking by strangers as well as having a sore nose and a broken pair of glasses.
Sources http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2014/03/three_ suspects_releated_to_arm.html http://www.mlive.com/news/ kalamazoo/index.ssf/2014/03/ police_seeking_3_suspects_afte. html http://fox17online. com/2014/03/30/threearmed-robberies-on-campusat-andrews-university-in23-minutes/#axzz2xrLRRkKR http://www.andrews.edu/services/ safety/aualert/
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
4
Ideas
Love Your Neighbor Jonathan Doram | The way many
Jaime Vargas Ideas Editor
evangelical Christian churches, including the SDA church, are currently handling the topic of LGBTQ people is pushing people out of churches. An LGBTQ Andrews student commented that, “The SDA church makes me feel unwelcome, dehumanized, and alone.” Another LGBTQ student remarked that, “I’ve grown up hearing about how welcoming the SDA church is. Or more accurately, how welcoming it’s supposed to be but when it comes to welcoming LGBTQ individuals into the church, there is a clear disconnect. So in that regard, I feel a sense of betrayal.” If, as more and more members come out, we continue to shun the LGBTQ community, we also shun those whose close family members and friends are LGBTQ. A survey done by the Public Religion Research Institute revealed that, “among Millennials who no longer identify with their childhood religion, nearly onethird say that negative teachings about, or treatment of, gay and lesbian people was either a somewhat important (17%) or very important (14%) factor in their disaffiliation from religion.”1 History has shown us that when people have differing theological beliefs, tensions can escalate even to full-out war. History has also shown that when the Bible is used as a weapon instead of an instrument of reconciliation, people are damaged and lifelong scars emerge. Lessons from the past can help us as we live in the present and move toward the future. A beautiful lesson from the Bible is that differences do not have to create division, and disagreements
I Think My Friend is Gay: Moving from Bystander to Ally do not have to create discord. In Romans 14:19, Paul entreats us to “pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” No matter our theological beliefs, we can still treat each other with respect, humility, and love. Quoting common sayings like “Love the sinner, hate the sin” and “God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve” devalue the very real, complex, and human experiences that LGBTQ people are going through. Appreciation of the multifaceted nature of this topic will help to give us a better understanding of the beautiful diversity of God’s creation. If we simply walk together on our spiritual journeys, I believe our church can become the welcoming, caring, and safe place it needs to be. We need everyone at the table, so that no one’s voice is silenced or left out. I make countless mistakes. In my effort to encourage others to be less judgmental, hypocritical, and offensive, I become the very thing I’m telling others not to be. In our efforts to better live out God’s will for our lives, we make mistakes and stumble. We are all in need of a Savior. When in doubt, I encourage all of us, especially myself, to remember the two greatest commandments of all: “Love the Lord your God, and Love your neighbor as yourself.” If we let our beliefs and actions flow from these two, I strongly believe that Christ’s love and mission will shine through.
“History has shown us
that when
people have differing
theological beliefs,
tensions can
escalate even to full-out war.”
— 1. http://publicreligion.org/site/ wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2014. LGBT_REPORT.pdf
Nancy Carbonell, Department of Graduate Psychology & Counseling and Curt VanderWaal, Department of Social Work | Have you
ever wondered what it would be like to spend most of your waking moments hiding who you are, praying for God to change you, and suspecting you’d be hated, shunned and rejected if they ever found out that you were not straight or were transgender? For years our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) friends have heard the gay slurs, insults and the steady drip, drip, drip of thousands of micro-aggressive remarks from others that have left them feeling confused and alienated. Reeling in angst because they were taught “God can’t love you,” they were left alone to hate themselves. And for many, this has gone on for years. By the time your LGBT friend arrives on campus, he or she has most likely struggled with his or her sexual orientation since the age of 10, 11, or 12, when they discovered an innate attraction to someone of the same gender. Or your transgender friend knew from the age of two or three that he or she was in the wrong body: called and treated as a boy when she knew he was truly a she, or vice versa. Is it any wonder that this lifetime buildup of ongoing pressures and discrimination often leads to struggles with depression, anxiety, trauma, and low self-acceptance at extremely high rates? Fact: LGBT teens and young adults are three to four times as likely to attempt suicide as their peers. Suicide rates jump eight times higher if the person’s parents reject them. Knowing today what we do about sexual orientation and gender, many feel that the experiences of self-hatred, harassment, bullying, and violence must stop. If you feel this way and want to set an example that will help the next generation of LGBT persons be less burdened and better understood, you can take three important steps to move from being a bystander to becoming an ally. These steps are: Listen, Learn, and Love. Listen. Take the time to listen to LGBT stories. Trying to tell someone who is gay or lesbian how they became gay, what they should be feeling and thinking, or what they should be doing can cause further confusion and great damage. This is their journey, and they are the experts on their lives. Support those moments when they can raise their voices and tell their stories.
Most Christians who discovered they were gay or lesbian were not pleased with this dawning realization. Most have prayed fervently for God to take away their samesex desires, have studied their Bibles deeply, and received spiritual counseling (some of it quite destructive). Some have tried Reparative Therapy (a technique that has shown very low rates of success) and have reported emotional damage from the experience. Listen and support the LGBT person who confides in you. Thank them for trusting you enough to share their secret. Don’t feel you have to have the answers to their concerns. Just listen. Many gay and lesbian college students have grown up in the church and have much in common. They, like you, are much more than their sexual orientation. Their stories tell us they love music, have goals in life, wish to have meaningful relationships, love pizza, pray, study their Bibles, praise God in Sabbath School and church, try to live a loving and kind life, and also happen to be LGBT. Many aren’t, and never have been, sexually active and yet may be judged as if they were promiscuous just because they are LGBT. Also, listen to your own selftalk, and examine and confront your own feelings, fears and prejudices. Pray about what you are thinking and feeling. Commit to exploring and challenging your stereotypes. Next, Learn. Demonstrate your interest by staying informed. Ask questions and be honest with what you want to know. Do research and seek responsible online resources. Research shows that three to four percent of the general population self-identifies as LGBT, and on a campus our size that could be as many as 90 to 120 people. Don’t assume everyone around you is straight. Ask your LGBT friends what it is like to be a student on our campus, in our residence halls, in our church, and in our classrooms. Learn that they prefer to be referred to as gay or lesbian instead of homosexual. Note that under most circumstances, people discover they are LGBT in the same way that heterosexuals do—it begins dawning on them from an early age that they are more attracted to the same sex than the opposite sex. If you are straight, ask yourself, “When did I decide to be attracted to the opposite gender?” What? You didn’t decide, it just kind of happened?
Exactly. Don’t assume that LGBT individuals have had traumatic life events that ‘caused’ them to be gay. Research shows that, other than higher rates of depression and anxiety in some individuals due to the messages received by one’s community, there are no differences between straight and gay individuals on a wide variety of mental health tests. The facts are that what ‘causes’ someone to be attracted to the same gender are extremely complex—factors that involves both heredity and environment. Make sure that you have accurate information, so that you may appropriately discuss the myths and stereotypes that often lie at the heart of negative reactions. Share your knowledge with others and work intentionally at making moments of disagreement civil and respectful. And last but not least, Love. Love them and understand their journey is a complicated one. Rather than telling the gay person to pray harder or study the Bible more, be open to what God may or may not decide to do to create change in that individual’s life. Let the Holy Spirit take the lead. You are called by God to love and listen to others, not to convict them of the error of their ways. Show your support by expressing your admiration to your LGBT friends who have taken the steps and risk to be genuine and disclose their sexual orientation, while being sensitive to those who continue to fear coming out of the closet. Demonstrate your love by gently calling out friends’ comments that are homophobic or biased in terms of sexual orientation or gender identity, including jokes or ridicule. No need to turn it into a big deal—just ask them to use another term and move on. Finally, advocate for their safety, share God’s unconditional love with them, and refer them to the Counseling and Testing Center if more help is needed. In these ways, you can provide support and educate others on how to also be allies for our LGBT friends.
WED 04.09.14
VOLUME 97
ISSUE 21
5
Ideas
That’s So Gay Eliel Cruz | “That’s so gay.” My
friend said upon losing his online game. Then, turning to look at me, he said, “Oh you know, not ‘gay’ as in ‘gay.’ But ‘gay’ as in ‘stupid.’” The problem, I told him was that gay doesn’t mean stupid. It means people attracted to the same-sex or even “happy”—though I don’t think happy was how he was feeling then. “No Homo,” “Fag,” “That’s so Gay,”: these are sayings you hear all the time, even on this campus. They are just some of the everyday sayings that have been redefined with negative attributes. What are we actually saying when using these phrases? Fag is considered a sexual orientation slur. “No homo” is just a way for individuals, who usually aren’t confident in their own sexualities, to negate an intimate experience with a person of the same sex, worried it will be seen as homoerotic. And “That’s so gay” attributes a negativity to a word that describes a group of people. Gay doesn’t actually mean stupid, and attempting to redefine a word that is meant to describe a minority group to mean “stupid” is a microaggression towards the LGBT community. Microaggressions are “the everyday encounters of subtle discrimination that people of various marginalized groups experiences throughout their lives.” These microaggressions usually are unintentional and aren’t meant to be malicious, but we don’t have to be intentional to cause harm. For example: I may say a sexist comment (and if you know me, you know I’m a hardcore feminist). Someone may call me out my sexist comment because it offended them. I would say “I’m sorry. Those weren’t my intentions. How can I communicate myself in the future to not be offensive?” My apology and lack of intent doesn’t make the
Andrews University Represented at Cape Town Summit on LGBT Issues comment any less sexist; it doesn’t even make it any less offensive. Our words matter and if we aren’t intentional with our verbiage, we can unintentionally contribute to the marginalization of minority groups. Regardless of our respective theological views on sexuality, as Christians we should care about how our words affect those around us—especially if they’re seen as derogatory to a community. Also, microaggressions have been shown to be linked to higher rates of depression, psychological distress, and even physical health issues. So how do we work on eliminating microaggressions? First, stop saying “that’s so gay” or any phrases similar to it. Change starts with us, and if you find yourself using microaggressions remind yourself of their negative impact and work on eliminating them from your vocabulary. Second, let’s work on those around us. Standing up for something when you’re not the popular opinion can be hard, but if we hear these sayings around us, try to educate and let the user know why microaggressions are harmful. Last, use the right verbiage. If you mean to say something is weird or you don’t like it— say it’s weird, or that you don’t like it. You don’t have to bring the LGBT community into it in order for you to express your feelings. LGBT people are innately aware of people who use microaggressions. We look to see who we are safe to come out to and remember those who we don’t think would understand. You may think it’s a joke, but most of us find it hurtful. Let’s end microaggressions and the usage of verbiage that marginalizes the LGBT community. You may never know—you could be talking about the person sitting right next to you.
“Oh you
know, not
‘gay’ as in ‘gay.’ But
‘gay’ as in ‘stupid.’”
Steve Yeagley and Roy Gane |
Over the last several years, there has been a growing conversation among Seventh-day Adventists about how the church should respond to its LGBT members. This has resulted in the publication of at least two books and the production of a feature-length documentary. This March, over three hundred and fifty Adventist theologians, social and behavioral scientists, educators, pastors, and administrators from around the globe met in Cape Town, South Africa, for the denomination’s first summit on “alternative sexualities.” Several professors from Andrews University’s Theological Seminary—Drs. Roy Gane, Miroslav Kiš, Nicholas Miller, and Peter Swanson—were among the presenters at the fourday conference, which was titled “In His Image: Scripture, Sexuality, and Society.” Steve Yeagley, Assistant Vice President for Student Life, served as the University’s delegate. The conference opened with a keynote address from Ted Wilson, President of the General Conference, who emphasized the brokenness of all humanity and cautioned against focusing on a single sin to the neglect of more “frequent and familiar” ones. Wilson raised concern for the “normalization” of sexual practices forbidden by Scripture and called on heterosexuals and homosexuals alike to uphold biblical standards for sexuality. Presentations by church scholars affirmed the Adventist position, based on biblical teaching, that heterosexual marriage is the only setting approved by God for intimate sexual relations. In discussing the Old Testament evidence, Roy Gane noted that while the Bible clearly forbids homosexual activity, there is no sin in simply having same-sex attraction. Furthermore, there is “another non-negotiable Old Testament principle that is just as relevant to our treatment of LGBT people: ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself’ (Lev 19:18; cf. v. 34).” Learning how to uphold both of these principles in balance was a central task of the summit. Bill Knott, editor of the Adventist Review, interviewed three Adventists who had been practicing homosexuals. Each of them shared personal experiences with childhood abuse or family dysfunction and related how God ultimately led them away from lives of homosexual activity. Two of the
individuals reported a change in their sexual orientation. Subsequent presentations from Adventist medical and behavioral science professionals added caution to human attempts to change sexual orientation. They noted that while the exact cause of same-sex attraction is unknown, it seems to arise from a complex
the weeks leading up to the event they received many emails from LGBT people pleading for a change in the church’s approach. “People are hurting and experiencing feelings that some of us may not want to acknowledge,” Willie Oliver said. Brett Townend, President of the Northern Australian Conference, admitted that the church can
“Is the church in the business of regulating members’ behavior, or is it responsible for creating a religious environment conducive to Spirit-directed changes in members’ lives?”
set of biological and environmental factors unrelated to a person’s choice or parental influences. It was reported that most attempts to change sexual orientation through “reparative therapy” were unsuccessful and potentially harmful. “From the evidence presented, it appears that such matters are better left with God,” Gane concluded. “He may or may not change a person’s orientation, but He always promises to keep them from falling and bring them great joy (Jude 1:24).” A group of panelists who have worked with LGBT Adventists agreed that same-sex attraction is not something people choose and all too often results in rejection from families and congregations. Willie and Elaine Oliver, Family Ministries Directors for the world church and lead organizers of the summit, shared that in
be “the most homophobic place on earth.” He continued, “We think it is about policies, politics and protocols, but it is about people. If we just make pronouncements that rub salt in very open wounds, we aren’t helping.”1 Peter Swanson took the opportunity in his remarks to pose nearly twenty questions the church should consider. “Is the church in the business of regulating members’ behavior, or is it responsible for creating a religious environment conducive to Spirit-directed changes in members’ lives?” he asked. Furthermore, “Acknowledging that many of our churches are not viewed as safe and friendly places for non-heterosexual people to worship, how can we fulfill our mission to take the gospel to every nation, kindred, tribe and people, which includes LGBT individuals?”
On the final day, Dr. Lisa Beardsley-Hardy, General Conference education director, summarized the conference in just two words: “It’s complicated.” Some have criticized the summit for not including a greater plurality of Adventist LGBT voices and perspectives. Gane explained, “The goal of the summit was not to debate the church’s position but to improve the church’s outreach to LGBT individuals and to begin seeking ways to support their spiritual journeys.” Steve Yeagley felt a next step could include bringing more LGBT Adventists into the conversation. “Similar to a family who has had a member ‘come out,’ it is important for the church family to work through this together.” Reflecting on the summit, both Gane and Yeagley felt the world church took a crucial first step toward helping its leaders be conscious of the need to work sensitively and respectfully with LGBT persons. “The conference posed a practical question that will continue to challenge the church,” Gane said. “How can we support people as Jesus did, both inside and outside of the church? He was the trusted friend of those who struggled with the very moral issues we all face in one form or another, yet he also encouraged people to lead holy lives.” “Perhaps we are called to draw those who have been marginalized by the ‘righteous’ back into the center of Jesus’ community where they can grow and flourish,” Yeagley added. “No one flourishes at the margins.” While the summit ended with some differences and questions still lingering among the delegates, Gane and Yeagley agreed that the experience in Cape Town had clarified some important issues and provided a helpful agenda for the denomination going forward.
— 1 For the sake of accuracy, the quotes contained in this paragraph were drawn from reporting of the Adventist Review/ANN and Spectrum Magazine.
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
6
Sports
Featured Athlete: Rebecca Coleman
Let Them Play Tim McGuire | Since I was a lit-
Name: Rebecca Coleman When did you start caring about your fitness journey?
Last summer. (2013)
Tim McGuire Sports Editor
What events led to you starting your fitness journey?
I had just gotten back from my year abroad teaching in Guinea. People there are very strong and healthy from walking everywhere and doing lots of manual labor. While I was there, I would walk about three miles every day back and forth to school and I was eating lots of simple food, unlike the very processed food we eat here. I knew that when I got back to the States, getting my exercise and staying fit wouldn’t be as easy it was in Africa. So I decided to make a conscious effort to start working out and maintaining the healthy lifestyle that I had developed over there. How were you able to start the process?
I don’t know how many workout plans I have started and failed at in the past. Working out used to be such a chore, and quite frankly, I hated it. I’m not exactly sure what changed, but I told myself this was the last time I would start an exercise plan, so I had better stick to it. I made a decision that I wanted to be healthier and stronger. I started by jogging one or two miles around my neighborhood every day. I didn’t have a gym membership, so I would also do Insanity in my basement. What are some of the things, that working out has done for you?
Working out has made me more confident. It has also helped me notice the difference between being fit and being small. I also have more energy, and I’ve noticed that I sleep better at night. What are some of your goals, both in the short term and the long term?
One of my short term goals is to get back to being vegetarian and to stay away from a lot of processed foods. Along those same lines, another important goal is to get more sleep, but sadly, that might have to be put off until this summer. Long term goals, I want to be sixty and still working out. Does Lamson gym provide you with enough resources to accomplish your goals? Why or why not?
The Lamson Health Club used to have more than enough for my
workout routine. Now that I am more competent and my workouts are more diverse, I find that I wish they had more diverse array of equipment. I know that the space is only so large, and I’m not sure where they would fit more equipment even if they did get some, but I still wish I had more options available to me. With that being said, the classes that they offer help to provide the opportunities for me to change up my routine every once in a while. If I feel bored or feel the need for something different, I’ll take a class like Spinning or Bosu. However one thing that bothers me every time I work out on my own is that they do not have any dumbbells heavier than twenty five pounds. I wish they did.
What advice do you have for anyone that wants to also start or is just beginning their fitness journey?
One of my motivations came from a quote I found online that says: “Fitness is not about being better than someone else... it’s about being better than you used to be.” The only time I was able to fully commit to a healthier lifestyle was when I stopped comparing myself to other people. I would tell anyone that wants to start a fitness journey to do it because they want to improve their quality of life and be the strongest person that they can be. You’d be surprised at how much further you can get when you compete with yourself instead of others.
“Working
out has made me more
confident.”
tle kid, I have been playing and watching sports. It all started with peewee football and just escalated from there to basketball, soccer, swimming, tennis, bowling, or any other crazy thing I could think of. There has always been something about sports that has appealed to me. Sports to me is something that helps me escape from everything, whether it be school, politics, or anything else. However, recently in professional sports it has become a lot harder to separate politics from the game. For instance, in the last few years, the NFL has been struggling to find solutions to reduce the rate of concussions among their players. This has been a big issue, both in the game and also among people and politicians on the outside who are talking about it. One of the biggest topics, though, that has recently taken the NBA and the NFL is the recent openness about one’s sexuality. This year is and will be a year of firsts. The first openly-gay NBA player, Jason Collins, and also the first openly-gay NFL player, Michael Sam. Collins came out around a year ago but had not been signed to a team until recently the Brooklyn Nets signed him to a contract for the remainder of the season. Michael Sam was this year’s SEC player of the year and hopes to be drafted in this year’s upcoming NFL draft. These two stories have been raging throughout the media during the past couple of months. The sad part to me, however, is that in some instances it takes away from the beauty of the game. I don’t blame Sam or Collins for this, but the media, and politics always looking for anyway to make news. This season Jason Collins’ per game averages have been 0.6 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.1 blocks. Michael Sam, as of now, is predicted, at best, to be a mid-round draft pick. These are obviously not stories because of what
the athlete is doing their respective sport. While of course the fact that these two athletes opening up is a big story in the media, in my opinion it shouldn’t be a big story in sports. If you don’t want to take my word for it, take it from Sam: “Heck yeah I wish you guys would ask me how’s football going, how’s training going. But it is what it is and I just wish you guys would see me as Michael Sam the football player, and not Michael Sam the gay football player.” In most situations, I have been taught to keep my personal life separate from my job and career, and for elite athletes like Collins and Sam, who play or are about to play on the highest level their profession has to offer, I think the same principle holds true. Let these guys talk about it when they have time. Make a story of it when they are not wrapped up in their careers, but until then, I think the media should let them do their job. Unfortunately, the pressure that the media puts on these guys and their teams makes it much harder for them to succeed. While it may be great because it brings awareness to LGBTQ issues, it is not so great for the athletes careers. Pro evaluators judge athletes based on what they do on the field, but no one wants a bunch of obnoxious reporters running around their complexes with questions that have nothing to do with the game itself. I hope that Michael Sam will be successful at the next level, and if anything, that his coming out would do more to us accepting people for who they are. Then hopefully we can get over it and let them do their job. Then maybe in the future someone coming out like Sam won’t be that big of a story, because we will be so used to people just being honest with each other. Hopefully, instead of looking at someone like Sam as some sort of new breed, we will look at him as just another person, and another football player.
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ISSUE 21
will be able to lessen the blow of losing catcher Brian McCann. Miami Marlins: Bold prediction for 2014: Jose Fernandez will win the NL Cy Young. This team is overflowing with pitching talent, and if their offense stays out of the lower third of the league, they could turn some heads this year. New York Mets: With Matt Harvey out for the entire year following Tommy John surgery, the Mets will rely heavily on acquisition Bartolo Colon—which seems risky. Curtis Granderson makes this team better, but not THAT much better. Philadelphia Phillies: I really like the Phillies signing of Ryne Sandburg as manager. In the final forty two games last season, he coached them to an almost .500 record, and he may be able to keep them from floundering this season.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Once again, pitching matters in baseball, and the Dodgers are loaded. Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu will carry this team to another division title. Arizona Diamondbacks: Finally Paul Goldschmidt (candidate for coolest name ever award) will have some protection after the acquisition of Mark Trumbo. If this duo can get the lead, their formidable bullpen should be able to close the door on most teams. San Diego Padres: This is my heart pick: the rotation and lineup are still emerging, and they could easily finish far behind the pack, but I think Jedd Gyorko will really mature this year and challenge the Diamondbacks for second in the division. San Francisco Giants: Aside from their rotation and Buster Posey, this team lacks consistent talent. If they are to contend, they need Pablo Sandoval and Brandon Belt to make a more consistent contribution. Colorado Rockies: It’s hard to put a team with Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez at the bottom, but when you look at the quality of their starting rotation, it starts to make sense.
7
Sports
Huskies Crowned MLB Season National Champions Preview Justin Walker | Monday night
marked the end of the NCAA tournament, famously dubbed March Madness, with UConn winning their fourth championship in school history by beating Kentucky 60-54. Shabazz Napier led UConn with 22 points and Ryan Boatright chipped in with 14. On the Kentucky side, James Young was their highest scorer with 20, and Julius Randle added 10. The game started off well for both teams as they went back and forth trading buckets throughout the first few minutes of the game. This trend continued for the better part of the first half with UCo-
nn nursing a four point lead into halftime. Kentucky came out of the half determined to take control of the game, and for a few moments it looked like they would. However, UConn stayed strong and managed to keep it close. The real game changer though was UConn’s suffocating defense, which ended up causing thirteen Kentucky turnovers during the game, and allowed their offense to frustrate their opponents by scoring easy baskets. Kentucky tried to catch up in the last few minutes of the game, but they could never get over the hump as UConn closed out both the game and the championship.
March Madness Wrap-up Justin Walker | Saturday night, the
seventh-seeded UConn Huskies defeated number one seed Florida 63-53 to earn a spot in the NCAA Championship. They will face the eighth-seeded Kentucky Wildcats, who will join them after beating number two seed Wisconsin 74-73 in the semifinals. The two teams combined seedings are the highest for the national championship in NCAA history. The first game of the night between the Florida Gators and UConn Huskies started off well for the Gators as they raced out the gates to take an early 16-4 lead. UConn didn’t become fazed and clawed back into the game by finishing the first half on a 21-6 run which gave them a 25-22 lead at halftime. UConn started the second half just like they finished the first: scoring the first six points of the half before Florida could get into a groove. Florida spent most of the second half playing catch up and eventually got to within five points at one point, but UConn was too much for what many considered to be the title favorites. In the aftermath of the game, Florida will surely be thinking of the what ifs, while
UConn will be looking forward to the final game of the season. The second game was more tightly contested than the first, as the Wisconsin Badgers and Kentucky Wildcats consistently traded buckets with each other. Wisconsin took a slender four point lead into halftime over the Wildcats, but in the second half, Kentucky refused to go away, keeping up with the Badgers and eventually taking the lead halfway through the second half. From then on, both teams continually traded the lead into the final minutes of the game. With less than twenty seconds left to go in the game, Wisconsin’s Traevon Jackson got Andrew Harrison to foul him at the three point line; Jackson would sink two of the three free throws to give Wisconsin a two point lead. Aaron Harrison, the hero of Kentucky’s last two victories, then hit a three with only five seconds left to give Kentucky a one point lead. Wisconsin got a shot off just before the buzzer, but Jackson could only watch stunned as it rimmed out. Ironically, this sent Kentucky to a Championship matchup with UConn, who was the last team to knock them out of the NCAA tournament.
Jason Shockey
American League East: Tampa Bay Rays: After losing Francisco Rodney, the Rays’ season depends immensely on the ability of Grant Balfour to pick up the slack. If Wil Myers continues to grow towards stardom, the Rays have a chance to go far. Boston Red Sox: Losing Jacoby Ellsbury will hurt, and although Grady Sizemore looks to be a great story this year, there will be a drop off in center. It’s really hard to pick against the champions, but the Rays pitching puts them ahead of the Bo Sox. Baltimore Orioles: I love the acquisition of Nelson Cruz, and their lineup looks stacked—if they can only stop striking out so much. On base percentage is huge for the Orioles this year, but it still might not be enough to make up for a deep, but only slightly above average rotation. New York Yankees: Partially thanks to almost forty-year-old Derek Jeter, the Bronx Bombers’ roster has the oldest average age in the Majors. Some people may call it experience, but with Mark Teixeira already on the DL again, it remains hard to imagine this team staying healthy enough to contend for anything more than a wild card berth. Toronto Blue Jays: Reality check: this offseason the Blue Jays failed to sign anyone more noteworthy than Dioner Navarro. There is a ton of talent on this team, but it will take a miracle season for them to compete in the most competitive division in baseball. Central: Detroit Tigers: Trading Prince Fielder for Ian Kinsler will probably result in a decrease in production. But unless Miguel Cabrera or Justin Verlander gets injured early on, this team will be able to accommodate for it. Cleveland Indians: I really like the Indians this year. Moving Carlos Santana from catcher to third will allow the team to benefit from his All-Star production every day, and will increase the potency of their lineup. Kansas City Royals: Although it got almost no attention, the trade for Norichika Aoki will help to strengthen right field for the Royals—a perennial position of low production on the team. However, losing Ervin Santana’s innings will ultimately keep them from topping the Indians.
Minnesota Twins: Signing Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes should help improve the depth of the rotation, but the main goal of this season is to develop young talent like Oswaldo Arcia and Josmil Pinto. Chicago White Sox: The White Sox went all in signing Jose Abreu to a six-year deal. If they could make similar deals to improve their bullpen and catching position, they might finish outside of the basement in the AL Central. West: Oakland Athletics: The Athletics somehow continue to fly under the radar of many baseball fans, but when they three-peat as division champs, this will change after this year. Texas Rangers: With Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo in the fold now, the team got much scarier. Very few teams will be anxious to face Yu Darvish and the murderers row lineup that is in place in Arlington. LA Angels: Instead of breaking the bank on high-profile free agents, this offseason the team spent more time focusing on filling holes in their team. They have a team set to make a run, but they first have to prove they can consistently beat the A’s and Rangers. Seattle Mariners: Robinson Cano is viewed by many in Seattle as a savior for the Mariners—and he is definitely a key piece—but let’s not forget that this team finished with only 71 wins in 2013. Houston Astros: After a disastrous 2013 campaign, Houston is set to rebound. The team won’t be great, but with some young talent like outfielder LJ Hoes, there’s some glimmers of hope. National League East: Washington Nationals: This looks like it could be the Nationals year. Acquiring Nate McLouth gives the team from DC a valuable backup for the Nationals talented but frail outfielders. They also finally solidified the fourth slot in their rotation with the signing of Doug Fister. This will only help one of the best pitching staffs in the majors, and the old mantra really is true: pitching wins championships. Atlanta Braves: The Braves worked on strengthening an already stacked rotation with the signing of Ervin Santana, Gavin Floyd, and Aaron Harang. The biggest question mark will be if the person that they are throwing to
Central: St. Louis Cardinals: As if the Cardinals weren’t scary enough, top prospect Oscar Taveras will most likely make his debut this year. This, coupled with the arrival of Jhonny Peralta, will more than make up for the departure of Carlos Beltran. Cincinnati Reds: If Johnny Cueto and Mat Latos stay healthy and continue to improve, this rotation is both formidable and deep. And once the Cincinnati bullpen starts pitching with a lead, you can forget about it. Pittsburgh Pirates: Losing A.J. Burnett will hurt, but with the strength of their bullpen and a young rotation, the Pirates will be competing for at least a wild card come September. Milwaukee Brewers: After making no notable acquisitions during the offseason, the Brewers are hoping for a season of development and overachieving—which will be hard in the very tough NL Central. Chicago Cubs: Another year of rebuilding in Chi-town, but this one will be less painful for Cubs fans as Starlin Castro will recover his pre2013 form. West:
AL Division Winners: Rays, Tigers, Athletics NL Division Winners: Nationals, Cardinals, Dodgers AL Wild Card: Red Sox, Orioles NL Wild Card: Braves, Reds World Series: Rays vs. Nationals World Series Champions: Washington Nationals
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
8
Humans
I Am Asexual
In the Gray Anonymous | I want to start by say-
Dakota Hall Humans Editor
Recommended listening: “Someday” by Tegan and Sara, “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel, & “Boy Lilikoi” by Jónsi
PHOTO BY MELODIE ROSCHMAN
Isabel Stafford | I don’t experi-
ence sexual attraction. I’m a junior studying physics, math, and English. I’m a chronic insomniac. I love stories. And I don’t know what I want to do after college. Every statement in the above paragraph is equally important. When I tell someone that I’m asexual, there are a few standard responses: blank incomprehension, puzzlement, or the insistence that I don’t have a “real” sexuality. I’m asked how being asexual feels; I’m told that I’ll grow out of it; I’m told how lucky I am that I don’t have to deal with sexual relationships. I’ve been asked if that means I can’t love. I’ve been asked if I’m happy like this. After a lifetime of living in my own sexuality, I still can’t answer some of those questions. What does being asexual feel like? I don’t know, because I’m accustomed to it. I feel as comfortable in my sexuality as I do in my body and personality. I couldn’t describe being asexual any more than I could describe how it feels to take a step with my legs, or read
a book with my eyes. I do think about asexuality a lot, not because I’m agonizing over it myself, but because it’s so misunderstood in this society. I don’t agonize over whether I’m actually asexual, I don’t analyze my decisions and wonder whether I’d behave differently if I weren’t asexual. I do wonder what life would be
one else? Like every other human, I have relationships, emotions, successes and failures and all the painful choices inherent in living. I have a life: nothing more, and nothing less. Yes, there are obvious ways in which asexuality affects me. For one thing, it makes romantic relationships more complicated—try telling someone that you have a crush on them but will never be attracted to them. However, everything about me affects me. I wouldn’t be studying English if I didn’t love stories, but I also wouldn’t be enjoying college nearly as much. I wouldn’t be so tired all the time if I weren’t a chronic insomniac, but if I could go to bed early I don’t think I’d finish my homework. I’m not going to grow out of loving stories, and I doubt I’ll grow out of my insomnia. I’m also not going to grow out of asexuality— it isn’t the sort of thing you grow out of. I will never know what life I would lead if I weren’t asexual, and I don’t regret that. I like my life, asexuality and all, and I wouldn’t trade it in.
“I will never know what life I would lead if I weren’t asexual, and I don’t regret that.” like if the world I live in didn’t treat my sexuality either as nonexistent or as a bizarre curiosity. While the reactions of people around me affect my happiness, I don’t think my sexuality inherently changes my quality of life. The life I lead as an asexual person is just as fulfilling as any hypothetical life I’d lead as a sexual person. Do sexual orientation and gender identity change whether you feel emotion and form relationships and dream just as deeply as any-
ing that I am terrified. I don’t usually share this much with people I’m friends with—much less an entire campus of people, but here it goes: my sexual orientation is gray-asexual and my romantic orientation is panromantic. You’re probably wondering what those two terms mean, and that’s fine, most people do, so here’s a quick primer. Asexuality is a sexual orientation in which a person does not experience sexual attraction, so comparatively, grayasexuality falls somewhere in the middle of being asexual and being sexual, meaning that a person does not regularly experience sexual attraction. Being asexual or gray-asexual does not mean people don’t have crushes or are not in non-platonic relationships—asexual people date, get married, have children, etc.—but that said, there are some asexual and gray-asexual people who don’t experience or want any of those things. As for romantic orientation, that is the gender or sex a person is more likely to have emotional intimacy with. For me, being panromantic, gender and sex do not really play into that. If I think you are cute, interesting, funny, and whatever else I am looking for - it is possible I could have a crush on you- whether you are a boy, a girl, or anyone who does not fall into the gender binary. Asexuality is hard to talk about because everyone in the community has different experiences and opinions; the one unifying thing is a lack of or infrequent sexual attraction, and even with this unifier everyone interacts with it differently. My story has been a mostly internal battle. It’s difficult to explain what it’s like to experience the lack of an experience. Figuring out my identity was a long and sordid process, a lot of it came from hearing about my friends relationships, crushes, and romances, and comparing them to my own feelings and thoughts on these matters. It turned out that, while I could understand to a point (I have had my own crushes and infatuations over the years), there was always a bit of a disconnect. Sure, in the past
GRAPHIC BY AMY BEISIEGEL
I have wanted a relationship, but when I thought about it, the only reason I really wanted one was to fit in; it was the thing that everyone was doing and I felt like I should be doing that too. This is not to say that I don’t want to date or get married or have kids, just that, for me, it’s not anything of huge importance right now. When I have crushes on people, it is mostly because I think they are cute or interesting. There is not usually a sexual component to it, unless I have gotten to know the person better, but even if there is sexual attraction there, I never really feel the need to act on it or resist temptation or whatever. It’s just…a feeling. Still, I’d be lying if I said I haven’t wondered if there’s something wrong with me. The way everyone talks—whether it’s the church, the media, or just society in general—sexual attraction is, apparently, an integral part of the human condition, and for whatever reason, I am just not in on this. At the same time though, I don’t feel like I am missing anything. I have a pretty full life with family, friends, interests, hobbies, plans for the future, etc., but it’s hard not to doubt yourself when the rest of the world is insistent that you are not a whole person. The one thing I do know is that God loves me no matter what and that is deeply comforting. Being gray-asexual has taught me how to look at relationships differently. Often, people, especially women, are told that if you aren’t in a relationship of some sort you will never be truly happy and are destined for a life of loneliness. But here’s the thing: humans are complex creatures. There are so many different types of meaningful connections we can make, and not one of those connections is better than any other. Every connection is beautiful and important for its own reason and will bring different types of happiness to people. Furthermore, not everyone is going to experience or even want to experience all of these different connections - and that’s perfectly fine. As for me, I’m ready for whatever life brings my way.
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ISSUE 21
about marriage and “the husband and the wife” and I just think it would be so refreshing to say “the husband and the wife, or two husbands, two wives, whatever.” That would make my day. There needs to be some sort of support group in place for LGBT members of the community; it needs to be official and advertised. Especially for those coming here as a new student, somebody might not know anybody. The sort of fear is there, how we don’t know, coming here, if we are going to be expelled simply for asking for support. So, this is not a question that often students feel comfortable coming to the administration to ask. If they don’t know anybody else, if they aren’t out to anybody yet, that makes it harder. I think a lot of students aren’t going to be
other person said, “Even if you’re only going to date men.” Another person was like, “Are you okay? What is this?” I had such a good time. Later in the day, I took a selfie where I was waving the rainbow pride flag and I was holding up a sign that said “April Fools! I’m bisexual! Haha!” I just thought this might be an interesting thing to turn on its head. People are always doing this thing, which I think cheapens it. I think it’s not quite respectful for people who really have to come out, which is in some cases a really difficult thing to do. I definitely had jitters. I was having thoughts of “What now?” It was scary at the same time it was funny. There was a lot of support. For the seven or eight likes the original status got, there were twentyseven or so likes on the picture of the big reveal. I thought that support was affirming and lovely.
9
Humans
Emotions Jonathan Doram | Fear. I am afraid
that if one day I fall in love with a man and start a family, that we will not be welcome in any church. I’m afraid that if I don’t fall in love and start a family, I will be alone the rest of my life. I am afraid that I have gotten everything wrong, and I have confused my own words for God’s. I am afraid that churches will split, families will be torn asunder, and battle lines will be drawn. I am afraid that I may not be doing the right thing, or that I have strayed off the path God wanted for me. I am afraid that I will never find answers, or instead that I will find answers that I did not want. Hope. I am hopeful that through dialogue and discussion our church will become a safe place for the hurting, the outcasts, the marginalized, the different, the “oth-
Puppies and Popcorn er.” I am hopeful that even though we make messes and create scars now, that Jesus will return to bring healing, reconciliation, and restoration. I am hopeful that the verse “perfect love casts out fear” will ring true in our churches, campuses, communities, and in myself. Gratitude. I am grateful for the chances I’ve had to listen to others’ stories and learn from their lives. I am grateful for the fact that we are not all the same, and yet there is so much that binds us together. I am grateful that I have family and friends to walk with me on my spiritual journey as I walk with them on theirs. I am especially grateful for a God who knows the answers to all of our questions. And I am beyond grateful that we have a God who forgives, who listens, and most importantly, who loves.
Is There a Place for Me? Anonymous | One week before I
came to Andrews for my freshman year, I finally admitted to myself that I was gay and that I was probably not going to change. It wasn’t for lack of trying; I had spent five years trying to change my attraction to the same sex, or at least ignore and repress it. I had only met a few gay people before, and I was very uncomfortable around them. As far as I knew, all gay people were sex-crazed and “worldly.” It wasn’t until I came to Andrews that I found a diverse community of LGBT people who had similar backgrounds and experiences. Looking back, if I had understood my sexual orientation sooner, I would probably not have come to Andrews. I love the school, and the friends that I have made, but being here has been an emotional ordeal. When I first came here, I really struggled with social anxiety, which I’ve fortunately been able to overcome a good deal. As a side effect, it took me a long time to feel comfortable enough with anyone to open up and be myself. Because Andrews was a very don’t-ask-don’t-tell environment, for my first few years here, I had trouble finding other students I could trust to talk about myself with honesty. Fortunately, that environment has changed dras-
tically; there has been so much real and open discussion with all viewpoints represented. Despite the progress, I don’t feel completely safe at Andrews. I don’t feel safe coming out in the Adventist church. I don’t feel safe being authentic and honest with my classmates and teachers; you don’t always know who you can trust. So I put up with the comments about dating and marriage, the questions about who I think is attractive, the lack of awareness in others that I might not be straight. I hold my tongue (too much, perhaps) when others speak about LGBT people as though they’re outsiders who need to be taught the Bible and converted, when in reality we are here, born and raised Adventists, every day being told who we are by people we don’t know. At this time, I have some disagreements with many Adventist beliefs and will, in all honesty, probably not try to find another Adventist church after I graduate. Though I’m very attached to the church I grew up dedicated to, I think it will be a long time before I would ever really feel welcome in Adventism. I long for the day when everyone truly feels welcome at Andrews and in our churches.
“I don’t feel safe being
authentic...”
Interviewed by Dakota Hall
Hi, I’m Dori and I am an English major with an emphasis in literature. I just switched this semester, so that’s been exciting. I’m bisexual, and I really want to go to Iceland. That’s maybe my supreme goal in life right now. (laughs) Well, not quite all that serious, but I really want to go to Iceland. Why Iceland?
Oh my goodness, well, there are volcanoes and glaciers and geysers and the Northern Lights. The geography is beautiful, their houses are colorful and their language is extremely difficult and pretty and they have pretty good music too. My favorite band, Sigur Rós, is from Iceland. I understand that you have an adorable puppy. Can you tell us about her?
I have a wonderful, adorable, impish Papillon puppy named Lilikoi. She just turned one on March 29th. Lilikoi is actually from one of the songs that are related to my favorite Icelandic band. Lilikoi means passion fruit. She’s something else. She wakes me up every morning at 7:30 and jumps all over me. She’s sort of a delight and sort of a terror in a good way. What have been some of your experiences as an LGBT student at Andrews University?
The story that mostly comes to mind is right at the beginning, at an orientation event. There was an anonymous question / answer panel. The panelists were all very peppy about Andrews. Everybody was really friendly, so I thought, “Well, it’s an anonymous Q&A session, so why don’t I ask if there’s a gay-straight alliance or any support for LGBT students?” So I asked the question. They had a host who took questions and had the panelists answer them. He got to my question, which was, “Do you have a GSA club on campus?” The host actually just said, “No,” and he crumpled it up and threw it into the trash. He didn’t even pass it on to the panelists, which I think would have been reasonable. The tension in the room shot up. I blushed. I started thinking, “No, what am I doing? What am I thinking?” I held it together until I got home, but then I lost it and I started crying. I had wanted to go to the same college my friends were going to, and I wanted to stay in the Adventist system that was familiar to me. I had a good idea that if I went to a public university, things would be a lot better in terms of people accepting and af-
firming LGBT students, but I had no idea what it would be like here at Andrews. That event made me scared. It made me question what I was doing here. Very often I was pausing and asking myself, “Do I really want to do this? Do I really want to willingly put myself in this situation? Is this going to be a safe space?” I had to ask around to find any sort of support. It wasn’t in any way offered up. Once I found that support, it’s been great. This experience could have affected my choice to come to Andrews. It’s that serious. This might be affecting people’s decisions across all the Adventist campuses. I know a lot of people probably want to stay in the system, but I can definitely imagine that after an experience something like that that somebody might change their mind and go to a public university like I almost did. What changes do you think Andrews should make to be more sensitive to LGBT students?
“Are we making this a good environment for LGBT people, not only
This is an educational institution, right? That’s the main focus of being here: to get an education. I think that for students, as well as professors, that education should include something about gender identity and sexuality. It seems like a really important topic for being kind to oneself, for being kind to others, and for keeping them safe. The suicide rates are higher among the LGBT community and depression rates are higher. I think a lot of that is situational and environmental. Are we making this a good environment for LGBT people, not only tolerating them? I think right now a lot of what goes on is tolerating LGBT individuals, and it needs to be affirming. As for professors, I think it wouldn’t be too insane of a thing to ask professors to be more affirming of same-sex relationships, of using the correct pronouns that people identify as when they ask, and recognizing that there are people who don’t want to be in a romantic or sexual relationship. There’s just an entire group of people who are not really considered. I think that professors should be made aware of that and asked to include them in conversation and in lecture. I hear so much in lectures professors talking
tolerating them?”
comfortable asking anybody that question about support, so that’s why it needs to be advertised that there is support. There are people in the community, willing, able, that want to be that support. Recently we had April Fool’s Day, and you had quite the interesting practical joke.
Yeah, I kind of came out to everyone on Facebook. I see so often people will “hack” their friends’ Facebooks and the first thing they always say is, “I’m gay!” and the comments section is always: “Oh, you’re hacked. Nope we don’t believe you.” I find that so annoying. I’ve seen it for April Fool’s too, people “coming out,” then, “Just kidding!” So I thought, “Why not change it up?” So, I said, “Guys, I know there’s been some speculation happening, and I’ve heard a rumor regarding my sexuality, and I just want to assure everybody that I am as straight as an arrow.” Immediately, the comments started happening. One of my friends who definitely knew that this was a joke, it was funny, said “I support you. I support you so much.” An-
What’s something you’ve done recently that you are proud of?
I don’t like to sound like I’m bragging or anything, but I just got a pretty good grade on one of my tests— the highest in the class. It was curved and I was above the curve so I wound up getting a final score of 106.5%. I studied really hard for the test and I’ve been working really hard in the class so I was really excited. To close, what sort of advice could you give to the average reader on how they can do better at affirming their LGBT peers?
I would recommend doing some reading. Go online and explore these concepts. There are a lot of resources online to find out about these topics to be better informed, to learn how to better use the vocabulary, to know things to say and not to say. Education is key. Remember that we are people, just like you. We want to go to foreign places and to do well on the upcoming test. We might like or hate popcorn. A lot of us are Christians. We’re passionate about God and about our beliefs. The theology debate is not cool, where people try to shut us out or say “It’s a not good thing, the way you are.” That might need to stop for the sake of the lives it’s affecting.
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
10
Arts & Entertainment
Christina Perri’s Head or Heart The Importance of Being Earnest
Demetri Kirchberg | In love, is it
Matthew Chacko Arts & Entertainment Editor
better to listen to your head or your heart? This is the question that Christina Perri’s new album, Head or Heart, proposes to listeners. After making her transition from YouTube to mainstream pop in the blink of an eye in 2010, Perri became a radio fixture with her first single “Jar of Hearts” and later released her first album Learn to Play Piano with Christina Perri. Head or Heart is her sophomore release and strives to prove that she is not just a one album wonder. And though released on the first of April, there was no room left for fooling this time around. Perri immediately reassures her fanbase with the album opener, “Trust”, showing that her debut success did not change the singer/ songwriter’s signature style. Simple, droning guitar plucks paired with her lullaby like vocals set the mood for the rest of the album. After first listen, Head or Heart sound much like a love-child of Norah Jones and Sarah Bareilles. Tracks like the first single “Human,” “Lonely Child,” and “I Don’t Wanna Break” meet Perri’s standard for sweet ballads, yet fit into the same mold as so much of her music that they could be considered fillers. After hearing the first chord progression, listeners can easily predict where the rest of these songs are going. Though much of the album does sound like Learn to Play Piano with Christina Perri, certain tracks ven-
ture into an altogether new sound for her. In “Run,” Perri takes on the character of a far more sultry woman than the one singing in the rest of the album, as if she had taken a note from Mary J. Blige. It was a note that could have inspired a whole record. Head or Heart is in no way a dance album, but “One Night” defies listeners not to get up, close their eyes, and dance in the bass drum heartbeat. Anyone’s second album is really a test of staying power, and Perri,
though passing the test, sounds to have played it unreasonably safe. The hints of progress mentioned could be precursors to a potentially unique and creative career if Perri can find a way to keep evolving before the mold she is shaping for herself hardens. In the end, if you are looking for sweet, highly emotional group of songs to drift away in, Head or Heart is probably just what you need. I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Fountainview Academy Orchestra & Singers: A Might Fortress Nelson Starkey | This past Satur-
day evening, April 5, the Fountainview Academy Orchestra and Singers performed to a packed concert hall at the Howard Performing Arts Center as part of their current tour of the Midwest. Fountainview is an Adventist academy in British Columbia that is dedicated to spreading the gospel of Jesus through the use of their music. This group is known throughout the world for their multiple filmed concerts, the most recent of which is The Great Controversy Tour, which was filmed in many different locations throughout Europe. One of the unique parts about this school is that every student at Fountainview Academy takes part
in the concert. They began their concert with “A Mighty Fortress,” which also served as the name of the concert series. They then followed this with a combination of “In the Heart of Jesus” and “Be Still My Soul.” Other highlights of the evening were an acapella rendition of “Marvelous and Wonderful” and a sextet in vocals and flute, clarinet, and violin solos playing “His Strength is Perfect.” During the offering appeal, the school’s future plans were revealed as they plan to perform in China in the summer of 2015. The second half of the concert began with an instrumental version of “Peace be Still,” which was played as they took up an offering. They
then marched straight into their next number, “I Believe in a Hill Called Mount Calvary,” featuring the men’s quartet 4One. Concluding the concert was “Battle Hymn of the Republic” were the audience was invited to join. This final number was greeted with thunderous applause from the concert hall, which commended the performers’ skill. This called for an encore where the director, Craig Cleveland, invited all of the alumni to join them on stage as they sang their school song, “I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb.” For more information about Fountainview Academy, please visit the website at www.fountainview.ca.
Zipporah Gaines | After months
and months of blocking, memorizing, and rehearsing, the big nights of performance finally arrived. Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30, the English Department put on Oscar Wilde’s play The Importance of Being Earnest, a Trivial Comedy for Serious People beginning at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday evening. However, before the clock had chimed eight, the University Tower lobby was full and a line had begun to form. There was light-hearted jostling for position and line cutting as playgoers waited for the doors to open. Inside the auditorium, the lights were low and the atmosphere was warm. The room was filled with murmurs of excitement as everyone took their seats and made themselves comfortable. Bruce Closser, Associate Professor of English and director, started the evening off by giving a brief introduction about Oscar Wilde and the pertinence of this comedy as an examination of the British aristocracy. Earnest humorously questions the social customs and traditions of Wilde’s time. After that explanation, the lights dimmed and the play began. The play focuses on Jack Worthing (played by Alex Gaytan) who, along with his best friend Algernon Moncrieff (Stephen Batchelor), leads a double life under the guise of Ernest as one persona in the city and the other in the country. Jack is weary of his double life and intends to do away with his other identity of Ernest. Algernon, on the contrary, is very appreciative of the opportunities that “bunburying” (leading a second life as someone else) provides. Algernon falls in love with and proposes to Jack’s ward, Cecily Cardew (Simone Weithers), in his own Ernest disguise, and Jack proposes to Algernon’s cousin Gwendolen Fairfax (Cheryl Simpson) under the same guise. Unfortunately, both women are obsessed with the name Ernest, and this proves to be a problem for the two. Through many twists and turns of
“I was
events, the two men and their separate identities are found out and the fiancées come close to ending the engagements. However, after promises of christening and the approval of Lady Bracknell (Tiffany Evering), Gwendolen’s mother, all is resolved, and the play ends in romantic bliss and happiness. The play was filled with laughter and amazement at the character’s bold lines or smooth double entendres. When the character Gwendolen Fairfax made her first appearance, her admirer Jack Worthing tells her that she is perfect. She responds, “Oh! I hope I am not that. It would leave no room for developments, and I intend to develop in many directions.” Lines like that contributed to the merriment of the audience all night long. Riana Mitchell, a social work major, said, “I loved the play. I thought it was brilliantly performed and the scenery was brilliantly displayed. Each actor was passionate about their role and it was easy to invest in them and root for them! I was thoroughly entertained.” Audience members felt the play was successful. The actors’ lines were well memorized and rehearsed, and the accents were spot on, hardly ever faltering or wavering. Each performer seemed to have a connection and relationship with their role, and it was evident to all watching. The stage setup was welcoming and reflected well the society of this time period. Shawn Schwarz, who worked with the stage design and construction team, said, “The play was a major success, not only for the actors and the English Department but also for those behind the scenes who helped create the beautiful stage. . . . [And it was] worth it as the audience’s applause demonstrated the enthusiasm of the play’s intellectual and satirical humor.” Although Andrews University doesn’t have a drama-related department or club yet, thriving plays like these help elevate the arts scene on campus.
thoroughly
entertained.”
WED 04.09.14
VOLUME 97
ISSUE 21
11
Arts & Entertainment
Divergent: A Movie Review Shanelle Kim | Readers of the pop-
ular Divergent series by Veronica Roth have been eagerly waiting for the film adaptation of the first book. The film stars Shailene Woodley as Beatrice Prior (later “Tris”), a teenage girl living in dystopian Chicago. Society has been divided into five factions, each focused on a particular virtue— Candor, the Honest; Amity, the Peaceful; Erudite, the Intelligent; Dauntless, the Brave; and Abnegation, the Selfless—and in their sixteenth year, all teenagers must take a test to see which faction they have the highest aptitude for before deciding which faction to join. It’s a heavy decision, as the whole society’s motto is “Faction before blood,” and Tris, whose family is part of Abnegation but has never felt like she belonged, has a difficult path ahead of her. Her test results show she is a “Divergent”— part of a group of individuals who do not fit into a single faction, and who the government is hunting down and destroying for reasons unknown. Because of its portrayal of a dystopian future and its tough female protagonist, the Divergent series (both the books and the film adap-
tation) have often been compared to the Hunger Games. But let’s get one thing straight—this is not the Hunger Games, nor is it supposed to be. Post-apocalyptic Chicago is not Panem, and Beatrice Prior is not Katniss Everdeen. While The Hunger Games series tells the story of a revolution, Divergent is more of an allegorical tale—one that seeks to raise interesting questions in its readers on the nature of morality. Or at least, it should. Unfortunately, the first half of the film meanders through Tris’s new life as a Dauntless (surprise!)—it feels like a high school underdog movie. Watching Tris trying to adjust to her new faction is like watching Cady Heron trying to fit in at North Shore High School in Mean Girls, with the same amount of backbiting and gossip. That’s not to say it’s not intense—there’s plenty of jumping and fighting to make audience’s hearts race, but for a while the movie disregards the looming, ominous presence of the dystopian society at large—references to the hunting of Divergents feel random and out of sync. Consequently, the second half of the film feels rushed and jarring. The intensity is there, but whether it’s coming from the
fast-paced action or the imminent closing of the movie, is hard to tell. This uneven distribution of time applies to the main romance, as well. While Shailene Woodley and Theo James—who plays Four, a Dauntless instructor—are brilliant in their roles and have enough chemistry, the film doesn’t give their romance enough time to grow. Their tender moments are short and far between, and the establishment of their relationship ends up feeling overdramatic, and even contrived—as if their love story has been shoehorned in to add interest. However, fans of the Divergent series should not despair. Shailene Woodley really proves her acting chops as the tenacious Tris Prior and the entire cast does well in embodying the characters in the novel. The movie is definitely energetic. The action scenes, though not particularly violent, are seriously intense—though these small victories may seem paltry to readers of the original novel, especially in comparison to the film’s divergence (no pun intended) from the original source material. Overall, Divergent is fun, frustrating, and, ultimately, forgettable.
The Whisk Review: Ban Thai Tanner Compton | Located just off
Niles Ave. in St. Joseph, Michigan, Ban Thai features some of the best Thai food in the area. With fair prices, friendly service, and great food, it’s a must try for any Andrews student. Taste: Ban Thai features wonderful flavors that will please both a first time eater and one accustomed to Thai flavors. They are very cautious with their spice levels, and if you don’t like spicy food you’ll be safe here. The pad thai and curries are all quite delicious, and they give generous servings. The food is also vegetarian friendly—anything can be made with tofu upon request. Be sure to try the Thai tea, a sweet and creamy treat.
Setting: Ban Thai is located in a small space and can be difficult to find if unfamiliar with the area. Additionally, the restaurant has limited seating. On a busy evening, you may need to wait for a table, but the wait is worth it. The décor is inviting and features pictures and figurines from Thailand. The restaurant is always very clean, as are the tables. Student Friendliness: The prices are affordable for a student budget. A meal, complete with drinks, can be had for under $15. The only problem for students is that they are closed on Sundays, when we have time to go out.
Service: The owner is very familiar with Andrews students and will make you feel at home. The owner tends to be the only waiter, but he makes sure to always have your drinks filled and checks to see how your meal is going. The service is friendly and will make you comfortable and want to return. Overall, Ban Thai is a fantastic find with great food and friendly service. There is a dish for everyone and it will bring you back again and again.
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
The Last Word
Love Actually Melodie Roschman | Until recently,
Melodie Roschman Editor-in-Chief
Glossary:
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT STAFF
to believe. Ever an observer and cataloguer of the world around me, I started collecting examples to support both sides of the rift forming in my mind. On the one hand—oft-circulated stories of child abuse, sexual repression, and promiscuity. The message repeated again and again that if you were gay, there was something terribly wrong with you. On the other hand? When I was fifteen, I remember watching an episode of the medical TV show House where a lesbian woman donates a lobe of her liver to her partner after an accident even though she knows she cheated on her. The story moved me to tears, and I remember turning to my dad and asking, “Do you think that, in some way, gay people can really love each other? What she did was beautiful.” The deciding factor in my struggle was my friend Tom. One sunny Sabbath afternoon while we sat on the grass joking around and people-watching, he told me he was gay. I wasn’t surprised, but I still felt the revelation subtly change the way I saw him. Before, he had been someone who always beat me at board games, who did hilarious impressions of teachers and celebrities, who would always offer me a ride when it was raining, even if it took him out of his way. Now, he was “Tom, my gay friend.” The problem was that he hadn’t changed at all. I had, and it disturbed me to the core. Tom told me about how he wanted to get married and adopt kids from all over the world, so that they could learn that family is about more than just genetics. He wanted to go to Little
League games and read his kids bedtime stories and take them to museums. He wanted to devote himself to someone and sacrifice for them, putting them above himself for the rest of his life. How could I tell him that his desire was wrong? How could it be wrong? Tom is one of the most Christ-like people I know. He is constantly asking questions and reaffirming his faith—and more importantly, he lives Jesus’s love. He is the one who has been there when I broke down crying over a failed relationship, when I was stressed over school, when I was questioning how God could let my aunt die of cancer. Who am I to doubt his relationship with God? Who am I to tell him that I see a speck in his eye when there is a veritable forest in my own? I’ve spent a long time wrestling spiritually over this, and I don’t have an easy, simple answer. I don’t think there is one. All I know is that we see through a glass darkly, but we will someday see face-to-face. I have to believe that I worship a God who is loving and welcoming to all those who seek Him, because they are His creations. Even as I write this now, I’m torn in a different way—between recoiling at how ignorant I have been (and no doubt still continue to be), and being afraid of proclaiming publicly that I support LGBTQ people. Then I’m hit by another wave of guilt, because being an ally is nothing compared to the pressure, fear, and judgment that LGBTQ people face every day, in the church and outside of it. For a long time after I started to question how I felt about the LG-
BTQ community, I figured this was something I could keep to myself. It wasn’t my business. I could stick to vague statements and modifiers like, “Regardless of how you feel about this issue…” and it would be fine. But this isn’t just an “issue.” It’s a group of people who are the precious, beautiful, wonderfully and fearfully made children of God. When I became Student Movement editor, I realized that I had a power that few people on this campus do. I had the opportunity to be a megaphone to those who were quieted. I had a responsibility to the students of Andrews University–all of the students–to be their voice. With that in mind, we have created the first-ever LGBTQ-centered issue of the Student Movement–and, I would suspect, one of the first of its kind in the entire church. These 12 pages are not here to start a debate. I am not asking you to change your theology. I am simply asking you to be willing to listen. Furthermore, if you are part of the LGBTQ community, or you’re still discovering who you are—I want to dedicate this issue to you. You are a valuable and valiant person beloved by God, and I am inspired by your courage in being honest about your identity. I am so sorry for how you have been hurt in the past by people you should have been able to turn to. My prayer is that together we can grow in our understanding and worship of our ever-loving God–a God for whom “There is no fear in love, because perfect love expels all fear” (1 John 4:18).
Intersex — a person born with ambiguous sexual anatomy; has nothing to do with sexual orientation
Grey-A — an asexual person who may experience sexual attraction under limited and specific circumstances
Genderqueer — a gender identity used by one who rejects traditional notions of the sex and gender binary, identifying as neither male nor female; includes androgynous people and those who see gender identity and sexual orientation as overlapping
Transgender — a gender identity used by one who does not identify themselves as the gender they were assigned at birth; has nothing to do with sexual orientation
Bisexual — a sexual orientation ascribed to a person who has romantic, emotional, physical, and sexual attractions to members of the male and female sex
Heterosexual — a sexual orientation ascribed to a person who has romantic, emotional, physical, and sexual attractions to members of the opposite sex
LGBT — lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender. Used when referring to the community of such identified people, as well as any other queer person
Cisgender — a gender identity used by one who identifies themselves as the gender they were assigned at birth
Homosexual — a sexual orientation ascribed to a person who has romantic, emotional, physical, and sexual attractions to members of the same sex. Most use other terms (gay, lesbian) instead of this term due to the pervasive negative ways this term has been used
Pansexual — a sexual orientation ascribed to a person who has romantic, emotional, physical, and sexual attractions to all gender identities: cisgender, transgender, intersex, androgynous, and anything else
I had never really thought about being straight—if you asked me who I was, I would tell you I was someone who adored books, talked a lot, wanted to move to Europe, and enjoyed gourmet cooking long before I even thought to mention that I liked boys. I experience straight privilege – I am allowed to have a life, not a “lifestyle.” People treat me as an individual, not a representative of an entire group of people. Perhaps most importantly, I am allowed to be complex instead of defined by one aspect of who I am. The journey to realizing that this is unfair has taken most of my life. In elementary school, “gay” was an adjective mostly reserved for homework. “This assignment is so gay!” someone would complain, as if a math worksheet could have a sexual identity. Of course, even at eight years old, I knew that when they said “gay” they meant “stupid, irritating, wrong.” It wasn’t until much later that I realized that was a problem. In 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. I listened to the adults around me making disparaging comments and proclaiming this to be another “birth pang” of the End Times, but when no one was watching, I looked at pictures in the newspaper of couples celebrating the new legislation. They didn’t look freakish or depraved. They looked normal. They looked happy. I think that was the beginning of my personal cognitive dissonance between what the church taught and what I was beginning
Asexual — a person who does not experience sexual attraction; may form romantic relationships
Gay — a sexual orientation ascribed to a man who has romantic, emotional, physical, and sexual attractions to men. Often used as a blanket term for the entire LGBTQ community
Lesbian — a sexual orientation ascribed to a woman who has romantic, emotional, physical, and sexual attractions to women.
Queer — a descriptor that can be used by any person who is not heterosexual and cisgender
Melodie Roschman Editor-in-Chief Timothy Hucks News Editor Jaime Vargas Ideas Editor Tim McGuire Sports Editor & Distribution Dakota Hall Humans Editor Matthew Chacko Arts & Entertainment Editor Joelle Arner Photo Editor Jason Shockey Copy Editor Jacina Shultz Copy Editor Iván Ruiz Layout Editor Scott Moncrieff Faculty Advisor
Letters to the editor can be submitted to smeditor@andrews.edu All letters subject to publication. The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventhday Adventist church.
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Transsexual — a person whose biological sex at birth does not match their identity; has nothing to do with sexual orientation “Language is constantly changing, and these definitions are not by any means comprehensive. They do however provide a basic understanding that allows for further dialogue and exploration” (from the UConn Division of Student Affairs website)