'Guess Who's Straight' event kicks off Ally Week
Students and faculty began Ally Week with a lesson in stereotypes.Participants ventured guesses on students’ sexual orientation based solely on appearance and personality with several unexpected results in the end.
In Monday’s “Guess Who’s Straight” event, a panel of 10 homosexual and heterosexual students chosen from and the university community answered general questions from the audience to help determine their sexual orientation. The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and LGBT programs hosted the event. Questions included favorite musical artists, stores and the ideal date, but the audience was prohibited from asking questions directly related to sexuality.
Four of the panelists were revealed as straight, one person who identified as queer, one identified as lesbian and three females and three males identified as gay.
According to Drew Newton, graduate assistant for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender programs, panelists responded with broad statements that taught students not to assume sexuality.
“They didn’t have a clue of their identity,” Newton said. “Respect it and don't assume it. It takes understanding a person on a one-on-one level.”
Third-year Russian student Kelley Freeman was a panelist at the event. She revealed herself as straight, despite assumptions from the audience that she was gay.
“I’ve always had people not really know who I am. I’ve been guessed as a boy,” Freeman said. “It was interesting being a straight woman and being guessed as gay.”
Vice President of BGLSA Tori Moore was also member of the panel. She found that she and other panelists were counter examples of commonly held assumptions about sexual orientation.
“We’re trying to break the stereotypes,” Moore said. “Just because a guy loves Lady Gaga doesn’t mean that he’s gay.”
Newton pointed out since establishing LGBT and Ally programs in OMSA, USC has become steadily more inclusive.
“We’ve made a lot of progress over the years,” Newton said.
During Ally Week, BGLSA will discuss other issues in the campus and community that effect sexual orientation, including sexual assault, relationships and gender.
Today’s event will feature NCAA basketball player Kye Allums discussing his struggle with NCAA regulations as a transgender athlete.
“We’re trying to break the stigmas that come from the LGBT community,” Freeman said. “They aren’t social (outcasts). It doesn’t define them in every aspect of their lives.”