PRIDE | ESU Bulletin

Posts Tagged ‘PRIDE’

Written by Kenzie Templeton
Thursday, 27 September 2012 16:30
No Comments

Andrew’s Story

“Penis, vagina, breasts, and facial hair would be a lot less of an issue if society would just accept people for who they say they are.” – Andrew Leigh-Bullard

Andrew Leigh Bullard, library science graduate student, speaks on issues regarding transgender individuals Tuesday night in Science Hall, room 72, at “Voices of Witness.” Leigh came out as a transgendered individual in spring 2011 at P.R.I.D.E.’s Alternative Beauty Pageant.
Yohan Kim/The Bulletin

He came out as a transgender individual in spring 2011 to an audience at a drag show on campus. And since then, Andrew Leigh-Bullard, 23-year-old library science graduate student, has continued to live as the man he says he’s always needed to be.

“I’ve known that I was different my entire life, but I never understood what it was until (March 2011),” Leigh said. “That was when I started putting the pieces together. I came out first to myself then to a couple friends, then family, then at P.R.I.D.E.’s Alternative Beauty Pageant, I came out to a room full of 50 people and never went back.”

P.R.I.D.E. is a group at Emporia State that exists to support gender and sexual minorities. Leigh currently works as the graduate assistant for the office of Ethnic and Gender Studies and the Great Plains Center.

Although he’s now living as a man and has found acceptance – for the most part – in the Emporia community, the road to Leigh’s new identity has been a bumpy one with equal parts highs and lows.

The Transition

Born Amanda Bullard, Leigh spent the first 20 years of his life alone and usually depressed. He knew at a young age that he wasn’t anything at all like other girls, which did not go unnoticed by his peers. A favorite taunt was, “It’s a man. Duh.”

“Looking back, it’s actually a little ironic that they were picking up on something I had no idea of – they had something right,” Leigh said.

Before coming to terms with his transgender identity and beginning the transition, Leigh “had a lot of problems,” said Luke Wolford, 30, a former ESU student and close friend of Leigh.

“Amanda was not a happy person,” Wolford said. “She was depressive, never happy, hated herself, and I almost think threw herself into everything as a means of escape…she purposely kept herself busy, to the point of exhaustion, because she wasn’t happy with herself. Once ‘she’ decided to become ‘he,’ it’s really a whole different person.”

Leigh began transitioning almost immediately after coming out. He was on hormones by June and had his name changed by July 2011. He chose Andrew because it means “male” or “warrior” in Greek, and that dual connotation was what drew him to the name, he said. Leigh means “meadow” in Old English, but he wanted to keep his father’s last name, so he decided to hyphenate his surname as Leigh-Bullard.

Once living as a man, Leigh’s personality changed entirely. His self-confidence improved, and the depressive tendencies that once consumed his relationships with those closest to him disappeared.

“Now that the transition has happened, he’s so much more self-assured, so much more well-adjusted,” Wolford said. “It was literally like watching someone go from 13 years of age to 20 years of age within a matter of months. The confrontational attitude really scaled back. Amanda constantly had a chip on her shoulder. The littlest things set her off. She was hyper aggressive with people close to her, like she always had something to prove. Andrew is much more level headed, a lot more thoughtful, a lot more together.”

Leigh said since beginning the transition his energy level has noticeably increased, and he finally feels awake and active.

“So many different aspects have clicked or started to feel right,” he said. “I started to experience sexual attraction for the first time, really, when I got on hormones…I started seeing myself as an adult.”

Today, Leigh stands a little over five feet and sports a neatly-buzzed haircut and glasses. The testosterone treatments are working, not only for his libido – his voice is a high tenor. And his optimism is almost infectious. Most of the interview, even the parts that are painful to talk about, is full of laughter and smiles.

“Now that Andrew has transitioned, he’s finally happy with where he is, and it hasn’t been an easy road…it’s been hell,” Wolford said. “But I think that process of becoming someone who he feels he was always meant to be has had a profound impact on him.”

The transition, still an on-going process, has been a “roller coaster,” Leigh said, both physically and emotionally. When he first came out to his family, the reaction was not what he expected.

“I’d come out before as lesbian, as bisexual…I came out a lot, and each time it was just treated as, ‘Okay, you’re just figuring out who you are,’” he said. “When I came out as transgendered, I got the, ‘What did I do wrong? Do you understand what you’re doing?’ It really took time for them to accept that this has been here all along.”

But Leigh was dealt an even tougher blow when his brother, who Leigh asked to remain unnamed for privacy, decided he could no longer have contact with him because of career concerns. Leigh hasn’t spoken with his brother directly since June 2011. If he wants to talk, he has to send a text message to their mother so she can facilitate communication between the two.

“It always hurts because he and I were close,” Leigh said. “Our parents divorced when I was 16, and then he and I were our family. And now, I’ve lost him because society cannot allow him to be there for me.”

This February, Leigh’s mother, who asked to remain unnamed, send him a Valentine’s Day card addressed to her son, a gesture Leigh said finally meant she was accepting of his male identity.

Physical Challenges

Medically, the biggest obstacle Leigh has had to deal with is the lack of knowledge available about transgendered individuals. Doctors are not traditionally trained to be able to work with the trans community, even though being transgendered is a medical condition.

Leigh is formally diagnosed as a patient with gender dysphoria under DSM-5, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association.

The standards of care for treatment of individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria or gender nonconformity are published by the World Professional Association for Transgendered Health.

“The guidelines state the transition is the recommended course,” Leigh said. “It is never recommended to suppress somebody’s gender identity.”

Leigh has been to five different doctors, and only one of them has had any prior experience with trans individuals, so he has had to educate each doctor he has been to – and it hasn’t been easy.

“One of his biggest frustrations is that he knows if he gets a job and he has to move, he’s going to have to start that process all over again,” Wolford said.

Another concern is the type of medical treatment he might receive.

“One of my greatest fears is to get in a car wreck and wake up in the hospital to find that they’ve reverted to treating me like a female because that’s what they see,” Leigh said. “I actually carry a medical card that says, ‘I am transsexual. Use male pronouns, and these are my medications.’”

A major setback to Leigh’s physical progress came last December when he was denied a hysterectomy surgery. Being on testosterone, his internal female organs will eventually atrophy, and he has two options. First, he could start another hormone called progesterone, which would force his body to have a menstrual cycle. But this is not a route Leigh is willing to take.

“It would destroy me…never again. Shark week is over. I’m done,” he joked.

Leigh’s other option, the one he hopes to be able to do eventually, is to get a hysterectomy. He actually had the surgery scheduled last December at KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., but his insurance at the time, TRICARE, wouldn’t cover it, even though there are major health risks without it. The hospital’s payment plan was also undoable for Leigh.

“I had to come up with $10,000 in a week,” Leigh said. “I don’t make $10,000 in a year. So, at first, I just thought, ‘Well I just want to rip them out myself.’”

Leigh’s current insurance agency, United Health Care, also won’t cover the surgery.

Wolford said the setback was rough on Leigh, not only because of the health risks, but it was also the realization that he would have to continue to visit a gynecologist on a regular basis.

“He has to get back up there and basically be Amanda again for a doctor’s visit,” Wolford said. “Even though he’s Andrew, he’s masculine, he has to be subjected to something that men aren’t supposed to be subjected to.”

Leigh knew he couldn’t simply “rip” his female organs out himself, so instead, he went to Men’s Warehouse and bought a tailored suit for job interviews.

“I realized that while the transition as a whole was impossible at that moment, I could take smaller steps to be seen as who I am,” he said.

For now, the hysterectomy is off the table, but Leigh said his transition was complete when he started being comfortable with himself as a man, even though he doesn’t have a traditional “penis.”

“As far as having a penis, that doesn’t make a guy,” he said. “Does a soldier who’s hit by an IED whose genitalia is blown off, is he no longer a man? Would we ask that question of him? But we ask it of trans individuals all the time.”

But since beginning hormone treatments, Leigh has developed a neophallus.

“When you’re on testosterone the clitoris actually enlarges. In the uterus when a boy (starts producing) those hormones, (the clitoris) is actually what enlarges into the phallus,” he said. “So when a trans guy starts testosterone, over time the clitoris will enlarge to two to three times the original size…it’s about the size of a micropenis, if we’re going with strict, medical definitions.”

Leigh used to wear a packer, which is padding or a penis-shaped object worn in the front of a one’s pants or underwear to give the appearance of having male genitals, but he no longer wears it.

“It kept jostling around and getting uncomfortable, and you know, you have those hot days, and it would chafe,” Leigh said. “For me, I realized that having the packer in or out didn’t make me any more or less of a man, and so I just stopped bothering with it.”

As for his chest, Leigh wears a binder, which is a garment that compresses his chest and abdomen.

“Binders are recommended for use eight to 10 hours a day, at most, because of the pressure they put on the chest area,” Leigh said.

He is also hesitant to get top surgery because there is a major risk for loss of nipple sensation, which is a risk he’s not willing to take at this time.

“Penis, vagina, breasts, and facial hair would be a lot less of an issue if society would just accept people for who they say they are,” he said.

While he’s currently single, Leigh is a self-described pansexual, meaning he has the potential to be attracted to people of all sexes and gender identities.

“I’m attracted to people based on their personality, based on how I connect with them, and so what’s in their pants becomes an issue when we’re discussing what to do in the bedroom,” he said.

Coping with Trans Identity

Acceptance and respect as a man has been somewhat unpredictable for Leigh.

“For me, being respected as a man means being able to do the things I want to do, being able to identify as myself, being, ‘Hey man, what’s up,’ as opposed to, ‘Excuse me, ma’am,’” he said. “It really comes down to language.”

For the most part, Leigh said the discrimination he encounters is unintentional.

“It’s really interesting because you can get those open-minded people who really believe in equality for everyone,” Wolford said. “And then you can have individuals that are very close-minded, prejudice, that just shut off. And then you have people that are indifferent.”

But one source of support and acceptance came from an unexpected group.

Growing up, Leigh was a lonely individual by the time he reached his teens. He left the church he was raised in, which was fundamentalist Christian, when he was 14, after the youth group tried to help him fit in by giving him a makeover.

“It damn near broke me,” he said. “I didn’t understand who I was at that point. I didn’t know why it felt wrong. I just knew it wasn’t right.”

For the next seven years he identified as pagan in the sense of being non-Christian because he knew that he was not compatible with the belief system he was raised in.

After he transitioned, he decided to go back to church Christmas day “just to see.”

“I felt the spirit move in me, even knowing I could not talk to the congregation,” Leigh said. “I could not tell them anything about who I actually was, but I knew I needed to find a faith, a community who would support me and let me be who I was.”

Leigh found that community at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, located at 828 Commercial St. He’d heard good things about the ministry and decided to stop by one week. When he came out as transgendered, the church welcomed him with compassion.

“He’s a great person, really committed and caring,” said Father Kelly Lackey, Leigh’s priest at St. Andrews, in an interview in spring. “I think that in terms of our conversations and from my aspect as his priest, being able to be in a Christian community where he can be in a relationship with God and not have to deal with a great deal of intolerance and negativity seems to have been a positive thing for him.”

Leigh has been returned to the church for about eight months, but he sometimes still finds himself slipping. In reference to Westboro Baptist Church, an extremist group based in Topeka actively involved in the anti-gender and sexual minorities movement, Leigh said he sometimes engages in the same kind of prejudice.

“It becomes really hard to distinguish the fundamental, scriptural literalists, who hate me for being who God made me to be, from the congregation that has given me a home,” Leigh said. “It’s something that I’ve really noticed within the (gender and sexual minority) community is we have a lot of created tension between ourselves and faiths because of the discrimination we’ve run into in the churches we were raised, and so we tend to apply it to all churches.”

While Lackey said he could not speak as to why other churches are not always as open as St. Andrews, he did say that the Episcopal Church has always been somewhat progressive and open to diversity.

“We try to look at where the Holy Spirit is moving the church, and by and large what we see is, as Jesus presented the Kingdom of God, it’s expansive and it’s inclusive, and that’s not always comfortable, and it’s not always easy,” Lackey said. “But it seems like in order to be faithful to our charge to be followers of Christ, it’s our ministry, our obligation, to proclaim the good news to all of God’s children. The details of their struggle and living to be who God has created them to be is something that we’re not here to condemn – we’re here to offer support as they’re being formed to the image of God.”

Although Leigh has found acceptance in a faith-based community, he is still always on guard wherever he goes. Something as simple as going to the bathroom or changing in the men’s locker room at the recreation center on campus could turn into a violent situation in an instant.

“We’re in small town Kansas. I assume if someone sees me in the men’s locker room and questions me, I could be attacked for it,” he said. “So I go to my locker at the library, empty my pockets of everything, and then go change…when you read the stories, when you hear the news, and then you see the legislation of people disliking the concept of you based on their religion, based on their beliefs, based on their sense of what’s right, it makes it very difficult to feel comfortable that everyone you meet is not going to do something to try to harm you.”

While he hasn’t yet been attacked physically, Leigh has plans for wherever he goes. He recommends that if individuals who are transitioning feel unsafe, they should do something to raise their awareness of their surroundings and to prepare themselves for any scenario.

“Just know what you would do and who you would go to,” he said, “and prepare your friends.”

Wolford is one friend who Leigh knows he can turn to if something goes wrong or if he is attacked. The two have worked out a contingency plan of what they would do if such a situation ever occurred.

“If he has to defend himself and somebody gets hurts, he’s worried about getting charged with assault, getting charged with murder if it comes to that because it’s all too real a possibility,” Wolford said. “The biggest role I have is being there for his support.”

Leigh said there are not currently any accurate statistics on how many transgendered individuals are living in the United States because most do not live openly, mainly as a safety precaution.

But Leigh strives to be the exception and lives completely open because he wants to be a role model for other trans individuals who do not have anyone to turn to for support and guidance. And now that he is finally able to live as the man he feels he’s always been inside, he is excited for the future.

“I didn’t realize being trans and not acknowledging it was killing me,” he said. “A year ago, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to function a couple months ahead. Now, I’m looking forward to the future. I have a degree and several different career options. I can do anything.”

‘Dude looks like a lady’

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 28 April 2011 13:30
No Comments

“Ben Dover,” better known as Kristin Gilmore, health promotions graduate student, and “Lady Hollyweird,” or Jamarious Wicker, sophomore theater major, were named the 2011 Mr. and Ms. ESU at PRIDE’s alternative beauty pageant last Thursday.

“Winning was great, I had so much of fun, like I said in the show I’ve come a long way – this has really boosted my confidence,” Gilmore said. “I never would’ve seen myself doing this four years ago.”

Despite some costume malfunctions throughout the show, Wicker was still very excited to win and enjoyed the fact that his dance partner, Gilmore, also won the crown. He said this was his last year for doing the show because it was so much work, but he loved the experience.

Last year’s Ms. ESU, Austin Schopper, senior secondary English education major, hosted the show under the stage name “Valerie.”

“I (was) most excited to see the new talent this year – we didn’t have anyone that competed last year compete this year,” Schopper said.

The first event was the catwalk, followed by the talent portion, then an interview with the three judges, Giovanna Follo, assistant professor of sociology, Edward Emmer, assistant professor of social sciences, and Michelle Hernandez, the adviser for PRIDE.

Schopper’s stylist for the event was Shanon Fletcher, a stylist at Salon Del5ive, who did his hair, make up and even a waxing for the show. She said she enjoyed the challenge and all the hectic activity that happened backstage.

Schopper started the event with a dance number showing off some of the skills that won him last year’s crown such as a cartwheel in high heels. Then the rest of the participants joined in the dance number.

There were poetry readings and song and dance numbers. The questions posed by the judges offered the contestants an opportunity to show how well they could stay in character.

Emmer enjoyed the whole show and the opportunity to get a new perspective since he had just been an audience member for the previous year’s show.

Richard Stephenson, junior chemistry major, while under the stage name “Mindy the Mennonite,” sang Marilyn Monroe’s “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.”

“I’m just strutting my stuff, showing off what I have, letting it be judged in the harshest competition Emporia has to offer,” Stephenson said.

PRIDE President Josh Smith said the group plans to continue the show next year and keep drawing in the crowd.

Charlie Heptas

Cocktail tour drinks in the legends and lore of New Orleans.(Knight Ridder Newspapers) go to web site court of two sisters

Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service September 21, 2004 | Kingsbury, Amanda Byline: Amanda Kingsbury NEW ORLEANS _ Not long ago, some vegetarian teetotaler wrote about his trip here to discover if the city could support a vacation devoid of sin.

Nice idea, but really, such sober sanctimony doesn’t belong in a city of to-go cups, a city with a higher number of bars per capita than any other city in the country, a city where the collective blood-alcohol level on Bourbon Street on a Saturday night measures on the Richter scale.

Word has it that during Prohibition, federal agent Isadore Einstein was dispatched around the country to see how the laws were being upheld, and cities were ranked according to how fast he was able to score a drink. New Orleans was No. 1 _ Einstein got off the train and had a cocktail in hand within 37 seconds, according to Kerry McCaffety, author of “Obituary Cocktail: The Great Saloons of New Orleans” (Vissi d’Arte Books. $39.95).

No, the best way to tour New Orleans is not to skip over the bars but to hop them _ those legendary places where O. Henry, Tennessee Williams and Oscar Wilde took intoxicating inspiration and where generals and pirates hatched world history. Bars where you can find old-school bartenders who know how to make old-school cocktails and where you can hear stories like the one about a group of old college buddies who make an annual pilgrimage to the city, toting the ashes of their dead, beloved friend in a Crown Royal bottle.

It was in New Orleans that Southern Comfort was created, back in 1874. The first Sazerac was mixed here, too, along with the Ramos Gin Fizz, the Hurricane and the Hand Grenade.

They say the word “cocktail” itself was first uttered here, though that’s disputed. But New Orleans doesn’t always care about the truth _ sometimes it just wants a good story, passed around in those places where people drink in legends and lore, where exaggeration is always on the house.

___ BOTTOMS UP: A TIPPLER’S TOUR OF NEW ORLEANS _The Court of Two Sisters: Brandy Milk Punch 613 Royal St.

(504) 522-7261 or www.courtoftwosisters.com I’m not accustomed to drinking before a certain civilized hour (say, noon), yet here it is only 9:30 a.m., and there’s a Brandy Milk Punch sitting on my table that’s not going to drink itself. In New Orleans, such eye-openers precede the morning coffee, putting the brightness back into bleary eyes.

The cold, sweet, velvety Brandy Milk Punch is a traditional a.m. favorite, and the Court of Two Sisters makes one of the best in town, mixing brandy with milk, half-and-half, simple syrup and vanilla and dusting it with nutmeg.

The historic restaurant is world-famous for its jazz brunch buffet that seems to go on for miles. But the Court of Two Sisters’ real star is a 66-year-old bartender named Flo, who has invented or perfected many a cocktail in her 40 years of mixing drinks. Her Hurricane even beat out Pat O’Brien’s in an early 1990s bartending contest.

Flo likes to make the French 75 but says humbly, “I don’t have no specialty. My specialty is doing it the way they want it _ whatever drinks the people order.” _Tujague’s Restaurant: Grasshopper 823 Decatur St.

(504) 525-8676 It’s easy to justify a second eye-opener: one for each eye. Besides, it’s barely 11 a.m., and the woman next to me just lit a cigarette and ordered a double margarita to go. She appears to be making one of those cursed transactions with the venerable piper, and I think she’s still wearing her pajama bottoms.

The last time I ordered a Grasshopper, I was underage, attempting to get served in an off-the-highway dive bar in the Midwest (a bar whose specialty, I’m sure, was dessert drinks for novices). But, standing here at the bar _ the original stand-up bar in New Orleans _ it seems the right thing to order, given that the drink was invented by one of the former owners in the 1930s.

Paul the bartender makes it the old-fashioned way, with brandy, creme de menthe, creme de cacao and milk. Meanwhile, Eddie, a scruffy regular, is offering some historical perspective on the bar. Eddie says there used to be a trough in front of Tujague’s bar, so men could unzip and conveniently relieve themselves.

Paul says that’s dubious, though there’s no doubt that the restaurant has a colorful history. It opened in 1856, feeding the dock workers, seamen and market laborers who crowded the riverfront. Tujugue’s has since pleased many a famous palate _ from world leaders (Charles de Gaulle) to women who have romanced world leaders (Monica Lewinsky).

None of them get any special treatment from Paul. “The only thing that matters to me is if you’re an (expletive),” he says. “That’s the only criteria in how you get treated.” _Brennan’s Restaurant: Bananas Foster Martini 417 Royal St.

(504) 525-9711 Can I make the case for a third eye-opener? The menu at Brennan’s lists 14 liquid kick-starts _ among them, a Red Rooster and a Mr. Funk of New Orleans. Obviously, I don’t have three eyes _ but there’s always the possibility of seeing double, which would then technically give me four eyes, which would then qualify me for that third eye-opener, and hey, if I felt like it, a fourth, even.

But I drunkenly digress. Brennan’s may be renowned for its aristocratic breakfast tradition, but what diners really go bananas over is the dessert. In 1951, Chef Paul Blange of Brennan’s invented Bananas Foster _ back when New Orleans was the major port of entry for bananas shipped from Central and South America.

The dessert was named after Richard Foster, a friend of Owen Edward Brennan, the restaurant’s founder.

This summer, the restaurant concocted a drink just as scrumptious as the dessert: the Bananas Foster Martini, served in a martini glass rimmed with brown sugar and cinnamon. It tastes best sipped in the shade of a big old magnolia tree on the patio.

_Napoleon House: Pimm’s Cup 500 Chartres St.

(504) 524-9752 or www.napoleonhouse.com Three drinks and two slurred words later, it’s time to join the official Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour, led by Joe Gendusa, a New Orleans native with a sense of history and a sense of humor. Southern Comfort’s sponsorship is likely the only reason we’re being handed plastic cups full of a Southern Comfort concoction _ because the Napoleon House is famous for the Pimm’s Cup, made with Pimm’s (a gin mix developed in the 1840s), lemonade and 7UP. here court of two sisters

The charming, crumbling Napoleon House was intended to be a New World residence and refuge for Napoleon. Nicholas Girod, then the mayor of New Orleans, conspired with one of Jean Lafitte’s pirates to rescue the exiled emperor from St. Helena, where he was under guard by the British fleet.

Napoleon died three days before the ships that would rescue him were to leave New Orleans. But his presence still resides here, in portraits on the peeled-paint walls, in the oft-played Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (Eroica), composed for the famed general, and in the form of out-of-towners at the bar who apparently suffer from an alcohol-induced Napoleon complex when it comes to conquering women.

_Ritz-Carlton’s Library Lounge: Mint Julep 921 Canal St.

(504) 524-1331 By this time, I think I’ve drunk as much as I did last New Year’s Eve. In my muddled mind, that calls for some resolutions.

I will never drink another appletini.

I will never again order a drink from a blithely authoritative bartender dressed in all black at a bar that looks like it was designed by someone on Ecstasy.

Sometimes, you just want a bar _ and a bartender _ with a soul. At the Library Lounge, Chris McMillian concocts drinks with the precision of a chemist and the lyricism of a poet. His bartending colleagues say he’s so good, he can make a drink to match your mood.

McMillian, a fourth-generation barkeep, considers himself a classicist. “There are only four seats at my bar, so I have the liberty to be able to take the time to create the cocktails, to handcraft them in the ways that made them classics in the first place,” he says.

In this dimly lit bar _ lightly perfumed with cigar smoke and peppered with jazz _ his favorite cocktail to make is the noble Mint Julep. More so than making the drink, he performs it _ taking five to 10 minutes to wed the ingredients and presenting it in a silver cup. Properly enjoyed, a Mint Julep should take an hour to finish, he says.

“If you sip it slowly, it melts together and takes on a quality it didn’t have at the beginning,” McMillian says. “And by the time you’re done, you’ll wish it had never ended.” _Fairmont New Orleans’ Sazerac Bar: Sazerac 123 Baronne St.

(504) 529-7111 or www.fairmont.com/neworleans I have stormed the Sazerac.

There’s a challenge on the table, too _ in 1949, when women were first allowed into the Sazerac Bar, a lady named Jenny Martin drank 13 Sazerac cocktails in one night. “She was out of this world!” a bartender told Dixie magazine. “The next day, she called up and said she’d lost her glasses.” Every Sept. 26, the bar celebrates equal-opportunity drinking with a “Stormin’ the Sazerac” party.

Tonight, it’s a party of one _ because I’m the only person here drinking the bar’s namesake drink, said to be “the” original cocktail, created by a New Orleans apothecary named Antoine Peychaud in the 1830s. He served his brandy-and-bitters concoction to ailing customers in a ceramic double-ended cup called a cocquetier (kah-kuh-tay) in French. But people kept mispronouncing it, and it devolved to “cock-tay” and then “cocktail,” or so the story (unlikely story, some say) goes.

The original Sazerac _ named after a popular bar that served it in the 1850s _ was made with bitters, cognac and absinthe. The modern version is made with bitters, rye whiskey and absinthe substitute. The sweet, spicy drink seems to warm up as you sip it, leaving you positively glowing _ or is that flushed?

Cheers to Jenny Martin for drinking 13 Sazeracs and losing only her glasses. I’ve had one, and I’ve already lost my room key.

_Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Bar: The Goodie or Vieux Carre 214 Royal St.

(504) 523-3341 or www.hotelmonteleone.com Is my head spinning? Or is it the bar?

`Round and `round we go at the Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Bar, a merry-go-round for merrymakers. The revolving 25-seat bar finishes a rotation every 15 minutes, though sauced patrons often accuse the bartenders of turning up the motor speed.

The Hotel Monteleone is famous for two drinks: the fruity Goodie and the dry, complex Vieux Carre. It’s also famous for its imbibers. Tennessee Williams drank Sazeracs and Brandy Alexanders here. Oscar Wilde drank anything here. Former Louisiana Gov. Earl Long courted famed stripper Blaze Starr at the Hotel Monteleone _ the notorious affair inspired the movie “Blaze,” starring Paul Newman and Lolita Davidovich.

Across the bar, one of the men from the earlier cocktail tour is courting a woman whom will most likely not meet his standards after sunrise.

I decide to call my sister, for no reason except to make the point that I’m in New Orleans and she’s not. Cell phones really should come with Breathalyzers that prohibit irresponsible dialing after a certain blood alcohol content is reached.

_Pirate’s Alley Cafe: Absinthe 622 Pirate’s Alley (504) 524-9332 “The first stage is like ordinary drinking, the second when you begin to see monstrous and cruel things, but if you can persevere, you will enter upon the third stage where you see things that you want to see, wonderful, curious things.”_ Oscar Wilde, describing the stages of absinthe intoxication Yes, that’s what I need: a 110-proof nightcap.

But no self-respecting reveler would miss a visit to Pirate’s Alley Cafe, a spooky little bar across from St. Anthony’s garden, where Creole gentlemen used to settle their differences with swords and where Lafitte sold his pirated loot and gave part of the profits back to the church.

The house specialty here, Gendusa warned earlier during the tour, would “separate the men from the boys.” Absinthe.

No, you can’t get the real stuff here _ the potent elixir, blamed for murders and madness, along with Van Gogh’s missing chunk of ear _ has been banned in the United States since 1912.

But you can still see the seductive ritual of absinthe performed at Pirate’s Alley Cafe. The bar substitutes Absente, a licoricelike liquor that contains Southern or “petit” wormwood _ a less-toxic, FDA-approved version of the wormwood said to cause delirium and contribute to permanent mental deterioration.

Bartenders rest a slotted spoon atop a tall glass and place a sugar cube in the spoon. Then they pour an ounce of Absente over the sugar and light the cube on fire from underneath. Cold water, poured over the cube, dissolves the sugar and completes the drink, which is stirred with the slotted spoon.

Halfway through the drink, I realize I’m making eye contact with a guy sitting at the bar who’s dressed like a pirate. “Who arrrrgh you?” I want to ask. And that’s when I realize it’s time to go home.

___ IF YOU GO:

Drink in the legends, lore _ and yes, libations _ of New Orleans’ famous bars and restaurants as part of the Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour. The 2 {-hour tour leaves at 4 p.m. daily from the Gray Line Lighthouse at Toulouse Street and the Mississippi River. Stops include Jax Brewery, O’Flaherty’s Irish Channel Pub, Galatoire’s, Arnaud’s, Cafe Lafitte in Exile, Tujague’s and others. Cost is $24 per person; you must be at least 21. Reservations: (800) 535-7786 or www.graylinetours.com.

___ Amanda Kingsbury: akingsbury@star-telegram.com ___ Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.

_____ PHOTOS (from KRT Photo Service, 202-383-6099):

TRAVEL NEWORLEANSDRINKS ARCHIVE PHOTOS on KRT Direct (from KRT Photo Service, 202-383-6099):

ARCHIVE ILLUSTRATION on KRT Direct (from KRT Illustration Bank, 202-383-6064):

Kingsbury, Amanda

PRIDE Week promotes LGBT tolerance

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 14 April 2011 12:44
No Comments

Tomorrow’s National Day of Silence marks the first event of PRIDE week at Emporia State. A table in the Union will prompt students to write down instances of bullying to be used at Monday’s Breaking the Silence bonfire from 7:30-9 p.m., where the papers will be tossed into the fire at Wilson Park.

Wednesday is Movie Night from 7-9 p.m. in SH 072. Throughout the week, the PRIDE table will take religious questions to address at the Religious Discussion Panel from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday in SH 072.

The men will dress as women and the women as men at the Alternative Beauty Pageant from 7-9 p.m. on Friday in Albert Taylor Hall. The winners will be crowned Mr. and Mrs. ESU. The PRIDE Prom, a costume ball, will be held from 8-11 p.m. on Saturday at Wilson Park.

Diversity week aims to elminate stereotypes, educate

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 07 April 2011 13:13
No Comments

Masatoshi Takami, sophomore vocal performance major, sings a solo piece during a benefit concert for Japan Tuesday night in Heath Recital Hall. Chris Franklin/ The Bulletin

This week marks Emporia State’s first ever Diversity Week. Hosted by the Hispanic American Leadership Association, Diversity Week has been comprised of several different events across campus.

“The purpose of Diversity week is to promote…and show off the vast assortment of cultural backgrounds we have at ESU,” said Manny Requenes, sophomore pre-pharmacy major and president of HALO. He said the idea for Diversity Week came after he and other HALO members attended a conference in Chicago and saw how other campuses were having diversity events.

But HALO is not the only organization involved in Diversity Week. Several other groups supported and participated in the planning and execution of the events. The Black Student Union, Muslim Student Association, Department of Music, Islamic Student Association, Associated Student Government and several others had a hand in Diversity Week.

“I feel proud that (ASG) can be the supporting group and show up and get the word out,” said Joel Wilburn, senior social science major and Multicultural Affairs liaison for ASG.

Another major theme of Diversity Week, Requenes said, was the elimination of demeaning stereotypes. Stereotype Label Challenge Day was Monday. Students who participated wore labels that depicted a common stereotype from their particular ethnic, cultural or social background and lived that label to the extreme.

The Japan Crisis Benefit Concert on Tuesday night in Heath Recital Hall was presented by the Department of Music and the Japanese Student Association. The concert helped raise funds for the disaster relief efforts in Japan.

Members of the JA Sakura Choir performed songs in Japanese as well as a performance by the String Quartet during the intermission. The group was originally formed only to perform at the International Food Festival in March.

“We were planning on singing just for the Food Festival, and then the earthquake happened and we decided to have more concerts for the benefit,” said Kiwamu Otsuka, senior physics major and member of the JA Sakura Choir. Three music majors, Tomoko Hayasaka, Masatoshi Takami and Takako Iyadomi performed solo pieces and also as a trio. The whole choir came together to sing songs to close out the concert which was followed by a reception in the rotunda of Beach Music Hall.

Other events included a forum on the D.R.E.A.M. Act at 7 p.m. on Monday. PRIDE also presented Safe Space Training, a program supporting acceptance of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual individuals and creating an accepting environment on campus. The week will finish up with a Diversity Dance Night tomorrow from 7-11 p.m. in Visser Hall. The event will feature popular dance music from around the world.

Luke Bohannon

FT MYERS, FL– The U.S. Post Office in downtown Ft. Myers, Florida, lost it’s roof because of Hurricane Charley on Friday, August 13, 2004.

KRT Photos August 13, 2004 | TIM CHAPMAN

KRT Photos 08-13-2004

US NEWS WEA-STORMS 19 MI site ft myers fl

–NO MAGS, NO SALES–KRT US NEWS STORY SLUGGED: WEA-STORMS KRT PHOTOGRAPH BY TIM CHAPMAN/MIAMI HERALD (August 13) FT MYERS, FL– The U.S. Post Office in downtown Ft. Myers, Florida, lost it’s roof because of Hurricane Charley on Friday, August 13, 2004. (mvw) 2004

Document Name|US NEWS WEA-STORMS 19 MI ————-+————————————————– Document Date|Aug/13/2004 ————-+————————————————– Photographer |TIM CHAPMAN ————-+————————————————– Format |1181 x 1800 Color JPEG ————-+————————————————– Category |A ————-+————————————————– |krtedonly, krtnational national, krtnature |nature, krtrain rain, krtsouth, krtstorm, |krtstorm storm, krtusnews, krtweather weather, |u.s. us united states ————-+————————————————– in our site ft myers fl

?? 2004 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service TIM CHAPMAN

PRIDE Week events ‘Break the Silence’

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 15 April 2010 08:05
No Comments

The annual PRIDE Week events will begin April 16th and continue to the 23rd with events including an alternative beauty contest, a speaker and a prom.

PRIDE, People Respecting Individuality and Diversity in Education, has been in existence for over ten years. It was founded as a way for members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, Transsexual, and Questioning community along with their Allies to come together, support one another, and grew to include educational outreach to the Emporia State campus as well as the surrounding community.

“Each officer within PRIDE has taken charge of one event, to organize and get everyone involved,” said Luck Wolford, president of PRIDE and junior sociology major.

Events this year are being more publicized.

“More individuals and groups from campus are involved to make sure that everyone knows what is going on this year,” said Joshua Smith, secretary of PRIDE and graduate student in mental health counseling.

The “Day of Silence” is the national event, which is a day where a vow of silence is taken to call attention to the members of the GLBTQA (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Questioning and Allies) community who have been silenced within education, without a choice. It is also in honor of every voice that has been silenced through hate and discrimination and as a call to break this cycle.

“Acting Out” is supposed to be in contrast with the “Day of Silence” and will be considered “Breaking the Silence.”

“It is to show that with our voices, by acting out if you would, that things are better than when we’re silent.” Wolford said.

There will be a 3-rounded “Drag Show,” which any student is welcome to compete in starting at 7 p.m. on April 19 in Heath Recital Hall in Beach Hall. Winners will be crowned “Mr. ESU Drag-King” and “Miss ESU Drag-Queen.” Competitors will be challenged in areas of attire, talent and interview.

“It will be the first time we do a drag show at ESU,” said Austin Schopper, senior secondary education major.

In addition, there will be performances by individuals and skits from the ZOIKS! cast.

Robyn Ochs is a long-time activist, and the editor of the Bisexual Resource Guide and the new anthology “Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals around the World, ” will be presenting the two lectures, “Beyond Binares” at 4 p.m. and “Building a Diverse Campus Community” at 7 p.m. on April 20 in the Memorial Union Ballroom.

The goals of PRIDE Week are “so (that) everyone, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, veteran status, disability, etc. can be welcome and accepted at ESU.” said Wolford.

During movie/craft night, which will be held at 7 p.m. in Visser Hall 330, people will be invited to watch a movie and make Mardi-Gras style masks for PRIDE Prom.

“It’s just designed to be a fun night, where everyone wants to get together.” said Wolford. “And the movie will be a surprise!”

At 7 p.m. on April 22 in Science Hall 72 an educational panel will be held for ESU and the community to come together and raise awareness about the GLBTQA community.

“If anyone has ever had a question about what it is like to be gay, lesbian, or an ally, they should come by and ask, because it’s always better to get answers than just to be left wondering,” Schopper said.

PRIDE’s Prom “Behind the Mask” will be held at 7:30 p.m. on April 23 at the Granada Theatre and welcomes everybody to come. Donations will be taken for the Emporia S.O.S. Shelter.

“It is not only a masquerade ball, but also an event to raise awareness for the issue of Domestic Violence, which affects every community, regardless of sexual orientation,” Wolford said.

The PRIDE Prom this year will be a new experience from previous years.

“The venue is perfectly fitting into our theme this year, and I am really excited about it,” Smith said.

The attendance of people from Fort Hays State University, Pittsburg State University, Kansas University and Wichita State University will make the prom state-wide event.

“In the past, we have had individuals come to our events from other schools, however, it is shaping up this and should just be a ton of fun.” said Wolford.

PRIDE Week Events are sponsored by PRIDE, ZOIKS!, Union Activities Council, Alpha Kappa Delta, the Sociology Honor Society, ESU Division of Student Life, ESU Multicultural Affairs, ESU Ethnic & Gender Studies, ESU Gamers’ Guild and ESU Swing Society.

“And of course, the difficulty in any event planning is financing. As we do have to plan everything on a budget, so we have to be careful not to spend more money than the organization has, and to make sure we leave some for next year’s activities,” said Wolford. “I think we’re going to have one of the best PRIDE weeks that we have had in many years.”

PRIDE offers support and diversity to new students

Written by Lauren Walbridge
Wednesday, 02 September 2009 22:24
No Comments

Luke Wolford, junior sociology major and executive chair of PRIDE, proposes the election of Brittany Zirkle, senior communications major, as the public relations chair of PRIDE as Ali Kane, senior computer science major, and Amanda Bullard, senior library science major watch. Zirkle was unanimously approved to be PRIDE’s public relations chair Wednesday in the Flint Hills Room in the Memorial Union. Jennifer Baldwin/The Bulletin

People Respecting Individuality and Diversity in Education, or PRIDE, had its second meeting of the school year on Wednesday in the Flint Hills Room, upstairs in the union. PRIDE, is the campus gay-straight alliance and serves to provide support, education, and outreach for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and straight individuals.

“PRIDE is here to provide people who are in or who have been in the same situation or a very similar one,” said Luke Wolford, executive officer of PRIDE. “Having someone coming from a similar perspective can really help a lot because it’s like ‘I’ve been there, I know what you’re going through’, so it’s much more personal.”

At the meeting, Brittany Zirkle, senior communications major and PRIDE 5 year member of PRIDE, was elected as the group’s new public relations chair. The individual who was originally elected to the office was unable to make meetings because of scheduling, so he resigned. Zirkle was nominated for the position at the first meeting on August 26.

“We did do open nominations at our last meeting,” Zirkle said, “Given my experience with PRIDE and many of the activities that we do throughout the year, it was kind of fitting that I step into a leadership role.”

The group has meetings every Wednesday in the Flint Hills room of the Memorial Union and anyone is welcome to attend. Social outings and various other activities will follow each meeting. At the end of one meeting per month, an educational panel based on the theme of communication will be available.

“Meetings are open to everyone,” Wolford said. “Students, faculty, gay, straight, bisexual, questioning, transgender, everybody’s welcome. We don’t judge on age, sex, race, religion, or anything like that. We try to be as non-judgmental as possible.”

PRIDE plans to host various events throughout the year such as Ally Appreciation Day, National Coming Out Day, Helium for Hope, Transgender Remembrance Day, National Day of Silence, and PRIDE week.

“I’m excited because there are a lot of opportunities to get PRIDE’s name out on campus to make sure people know we’re here and some of the programs that we do,” Zirkle said.

Wolford said the group is trying to get more straight members to join as another mode of support.

“Something PRIDE has been working on is getting more heterosexual individuals involved with the group because that’s the pillar for the LGBTA community,” Wolford said, “To have our allies, our support network of individuals that say ‘hey, I might not be in that situation, but I’m here for you.”

Daniel Lawrence, junior history major, transferred to ESU from Johnson County Community College. In his first year as a PRIDE member he said he felt welcome to the group and is getting more support than he did in high school and at JCCC.

“If you feel kind of differently about your sexuality, these seem like the cats to talk to,” said Lawrence.

Zirkle, who has been involved with PRIDE since her freshman year, said it was great to have a sense of community as a first year student.

“It’s a great place to meet people, make new friends, and, without question, network on campus especially if you don’t know people,” Zirkle said. “And you get to work within the community and get community service. It lets you kind of leave an imprint on Emporia State.”

Web Marketing Association Calls for Entries for Best Education Website of 2012

Wireless News April 23, 2012

Wireless News 04-23-2012 Web Marketing Association Calls for Entries for Best Education Website of 2012 Type: News

The Web Marketing Association announced the call for entries for its 16th annual international WebAward Competition for Web site development.

The Company said the WebAwards is the standards-defining competition that sets benchmarks for 96 industries, including education, schools and university websites, based on the seven criteria of a successful web site. The deadline for education websites to enter to be judged is May 31.

“The education industry is very competitive when it comes to Web development and companies can benefit from the independent evaluation of their online efforts,” said William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association. “Education web sites tend to have a smaller budget than other industries in the competition. Because of this, many are unable to implement some of the features, such as Flash technologies, that could help them get higher scores.”

Websites are judged on seven criteria including design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copy writing and ease of use. Each WebAward entry in the Education category is judged against other education entries and then against an overall standard of excellence. web site hot shot business

According to a release, all education entrants benefit from receiving valuable feedback in terms of their specific criteria scores compared against the average scores for their industry. They also may receive specific comments from the WebAward’s professional judging panel on their Web site development efforts.

Winners of a WebAward in the education categories will also receive:

-Handsome statue or certificate of achievement

-Increased visibility for their company

-Marketing opportunity to promote the company website to the media

-Links to your site from the highly ranked WebAward site to help SEO

-A highlight for your resume.

-Admiration of peers, friends and co-workers

Each year, the Web Marketing Association names the Best of Industry for the various education categories based on the score they receive from the WebAward judges.

Recent winners of the Best Education Web Site include:

-2011 – Florida Institute of Technology for Florida Tech Decision Dashboard

-2010 Risdall Marketing Group for Mounds View Public Schools

-2009 American University for American University Web Site go to website hot shot business

-2008 – TribalDDB for START A CHAIN REACTION

-2007 – Creative Channel Services, LLC for Virgin Mobile – Train on Your Terms

-2006 – National Geographic for Discover Antarctica

-2005 – Disney Online for Hot Shot Business

-2004 – General Motors for GMability Education

-2003 – Disney Online for Hot Shot Business

-2002 – Freddie Mac for Your Route to Homeownership

Recent winners of the Best Schools Web Site include:

-2011 WhippleHill Communications for Glenelg Country School

-2010 Designkitchen for Wheaton College 150th Anniversary Web Site

-2009 WhippleHill Communications for Latin School of Chicago

-2008 WhippleHill Communications for Vail Mountain School

-2007 Tellus for Bethany School

-2006 WhippleHill Communications for St. George’s School

-2005 Tellus for West Clermont School District

-2004 eSiteful Corp. for Plano Independent School District

Recent winners of the Best University Web Site include:

-2011 Denison University & Fahlgren Mortine for TheDEN

-2010 Corey McPherson Nash for University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business

-2009 BrowserMedia for University of Maryland Women’s Basketball

-2008 – Market United for Murdoch University Switching

-2007 The Art Institute of Pittsburgh for The Art Institute of Pittsburgh

-2006 – Xavier University for The Road to Xavier

-2005 – Geary Interactive for Sand Diego State University Timeline2004 – School of Visual Arts for School of Visual Arts web site2003 – 160over90 for Chestnut Hill College Admissions site2002 – University of Houston for University of Houston Division of University Advancement

The 2012 WebAwards are sponsored by the following organizations: BGT Partners, PR Newswire, Burst Media, MycroBurst, EContent Magazine, ExactTarget, ad:tech conferences, Internet World UK, SES Conferences, Webmaster Radio, and Website Magazine. The Web Marketing Association thanks these companies for their commitment to the entire online marketing community.

The Web Marketing Association was founded to help define the standard of excellence for online marketing.

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))

child labor laws
hp warranty check
bp stock price
how to get rid of razor bumps
los robles hospital

Guerrero speaks on transgender, hate issues

Written by Alex Pedersen
Monday, 27 April 2009 17:59
No Comments

Sylvia Guerrero, mother of murdered transgendered person Gwen Araujo and resident of California, speaks about hate and transgender issues Thursday night in Heath Recital Hall. Guerrero was hosted by P.R.I.D.E. Kellen Jenkins /The Bulletin

When Gwen Araujo, formerly Eddie Araujo, was beaten to death in 2002 for being a transgendered person, nobody was more shocked than her mother, Sylvia Guerrero.

“It’s the hardest news I’ve ever had to hear in my entire life,” Guerrero said. “It was shocking. It was so surreal, even when I think about it now. It’s a moment I would never want to repeat in my life, that’s for sure. The first feeling you get is shock and then accepting what’s really transpired.”

Guerrero spoke at Emporia State last Thursday to educate students on the damage caused by hate. Guerrero came to ESU through the efforts of People Respecting Individuality and Diversity in Education (P.R.I.D.E.).

“There’s not a day in my life that I don’t think of Gwen and I miss her,” Guerrero said. “What can I tell you about Gwen, except that she was a normal teenager, very vivacious, full of life? She had goals and dreams just like all the rest of you.”

Araujo was murdered on Oct. 3, 2002, in California while attending a house party. Four partygoers beat Araujo to death with a frying pan and a shovel before burying her in a shallow gave because they found out that she was biologically male.

Guerrero said that Arajuo was always feminine and, when Araujo turned 14, she made the transition from male to female with the approval and support of her family.

“I didn’t know very much about the transgender group,” said Seth Farris, freshman art major and P.R.I.D.E. member. “I’m even part of P.R.I.D.E., and I’ve never met a transgender person in my life, and so this is really interesting to me and very informative.”

Guerrero also said that Araujo would get the same whistles and head-turns as her other daughter and, fulfilling a promise she had made to Araujo during her life, Guerrero legally changed her name posthumously to Gwen.

“I didn’t know about the story before, so it was disturbing,” said Lynn Pratt, sophomore English major. “I hope that she can go to other places, especially in the Midwest. I think it’s important with (Fred) Phelps stuff, people can be pretty closed-minded and I hope that some people came today that opened their eyes a little bit.”

Of the four people charged with Arajuo’s murder, two are serving 15 years to life sentences for second-degree murder, one is on a plea bargain for 11 years and the fourth is on a plea bargain for six years and will be released this year, Guerrero said.

She has forgiven them for what they have done.

“It was hard,” Guerrero said. “I fasted, I got on my knees and I prayed, and I have such a great faith. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life. It’s just really, really hard to get to that point. It’s not just the word “forgiving,” it’s really meaning it… Forgiving was a hard thing, but it was a wonderful thing at the same time, it took this huge burden off of me. It’s empowering.”

Guerrero said that one does not choose to be transgendered and that, during the first trimester of pregnancy, sometimes a baby develops the anatomy of one sex but the brain of the other.

“I feel like it’s just sharing a story, a mom’s story,” Guerrero said. “It’s, hopefully, just to open minds, open hearts and to create change in this world that so desperately needs it. I believe it starts one person at a time. I’m sure that there was at least one person in this room that has been changed tonight and, if it’s just one out of the whole room, it’s so worth it to me.”

Pride Panel raises awareness, answers questions

Written by Zachary Hughes
Thursday, 23 April 2009 20:30
No Comments

As part of an ongoing week of events, People Respecting Individuality in Education (P.R.I.D.E.) hosted a panel Tuesday night in the Flint Hills Room of Memorial Union. The panel members answered questions about the gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gendered community.

“I was invited to come to this event by a friend, and I support P.R.I.D.E., so I decided to come and show that support,” said Jonathan Heath, sophomore psychology major. “I’m interested to hear what kinds of questions were asked.”

Questions were selected from a box which was available in the Memorial Union Monday afternoon for students to submit questions to be answered by a P.R.I.D.E. member. Questions answered included issues related to discrimination, identity expression and “coming out.”

Answering questions related to GLBT issues was part of a larger goal of education over P.R.I.D.E. week, said Derrek Zietz, junior communication major and education chair for P.R.I.D.E.

“What we are there for is to educate, not only the group but the public as well, as to discrimination issues that affect students, particularly the GLBTQA community, which stands for Gay Lesbian Bisexual Trans-gendered Questioning and Ally community,” Zietz said. “We are there to educate on political issues that affect us in Emporia and around the world.”

The overall idea behind P.R.I.D.E. week is one of information and awareness, including spreading knowledge about what it means to be a member of P.R.I.D.E. and what it means to be an ally, Zietz said.

Allies, a term for any individual who supports raising awareness and support for GLBT issues, were represented during an Ally Appreciation Day on Wednesday, Zietz said.

“Ally Day is to raise awareness in the general public that just because you are a member of P.R.I.D.E. doesn’t mean you’re gay… you can be an Ally and be heterosexual,” Zietz said. “Just because you see someone supporting P.R.I.D.E. doesn’t mean you are gay and people shouldn’t assume that.”

Educating people over trans-issues was also a major goal during the week.

“We also wanted to educate people on what it means to be trans-gendered, transvestite, and so on, and let people know what that means,” Zietz said, “which is why we’re holding Thursday’s event.”

Thursday’s events include a speech by Sylvia Guerrero, the mother of a murdered trans-individual, which will take place at 7 p.m. in the Kanza Room of the Memorial Union.

P.R.I.D.E. week was the result of a collaboration of efforts between P.R.I.D.E. and supportive groups and individuals at and around ESU.

“The ESU groups have been awesome in helping us get this together, Amnesty International in particular,” Zietz said. “Several organizations donated money to us, including some groups off campus, and we’re really thankful for that.”

For those who attended, P.R.I.D.E. represented the ability of GLBT people to stand in the open without fear. For psychology graduate student Joshua Smith, that also means respecting individuals for who they are.

That respect includes an awareness that GLBT issues are not simply hot-topic or trendy issues and that organizations like P.R.I.D.E. are created in the spirit of fostering unity rather than antagonism, Smith said.

“We want to send a message that we as the GLBTQA community are here, and we’re not going away or sitting silently,” Smith said. “It’s time to accept us for who we are – we’re not anyone’s enemies, we’re just people like everyone else.”

Gerish speaks on Ally Appreciation

As part of Ally Appreciation Day for People Respecting Individuality and Diversity in Education (P.R.I.D.E.) week, Deborah Gerish, associate professor of social sciences, spoke Wednesday night in the Kanza Room of Memorial Union about what it means for her to be an ally.

“I’ve been affiliated with P.R.I.D.E. for a couple of years now as a straight ally and it’s always been my goal to help P.R.I.D.E. recruit straight allies,” Gerish said. “I want to help them let people know that we’re not just whining about issues that only affect GLBT people, we’re talking about issues that affect every human being on some level, whether they know it or not.”

Gerish’s speech started with her personal story of how she became an ally to P.R.I.D.E. Simply passively supporting the GLBT community is not enough, Gerish said. She also shared her perspective on the development of GLBT issues in America over the last 30 years.

“I think that in the last three decades in America, we’ve seen things moving towards an acceptance of civil rights,” Gerish said. “It’s a slow process, and there are bumps along the way, but it’s occurring.”

News Briefs – March 26,2009

Written by Kelsey Ryan
Thursday, 26 March 2009 13:17
No Comments

Kan. Health and Environment Secretary to speak at Community Health Workshop

Kansas Health and Environment Secretary Rod Bremby will speak at a community health workshop to be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 4 at the Granada Theatre.

John Barnett, assistant professor of social sciences who is organizing the workshop, said that he heard Sec. Bremby speak last May at Washburn University. Barnett said that he was inspired by Bremby’s message and that the purpose of the workshop is to create a dialogue in the community. He said he hopes this could end up being a statewide model for Kansas and that it will be a continuing process.

A question and answer session will follow Sec. Bremby’s speech.

For more information, contact Barnett at jbarnet4@emporia.edu.

Greeks to host fundraiser

Sigma Tau Gamma and Sigma Sigma Sigma will host a fundraiser for Compeer from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 27 at 12^th Street and Commercial Street.

The goal of the fundraiser is to raise at least $1,000.

UAC to bring Wii-HAB to Memorial Union Main Street

UAC will host Wii-HAB, a chance for students to play games on up to four Wiis, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 30 on the Memorial Union Main Street.

Kyra Strobel, chair of the UAC public relations committee, said that the idea to host the activity came from Rehabilitation Centers using Wii games for patients.

The grand prize will be a Wii Fit, but other fitness-oriented prizes will also be given away. Students do not have to be present to win.

PRIDE to host garage sale to bring speaker to campus

People Respecting Individuality and Diversity in Education (PRIDE) will host a garage sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 28 at St. Andrew’s Church. Proceeds from the garage sale will be used to bring a speaker, Sylvia Guerrero, to campus during Pride Week, April 20-24.

Guerrero is the mother of transgender Gwen Araujo. Araujo was murdered in 2002 for being transgender. Guerrero will speak not only about her daughter, but also the rights of the LGBTQA community. The Lifetime movie, “A Girl Like Me,” is about Sylvia and Gwen.

Items sold at the garage sale will include clothing, furniture, toys and dishes. In the case of inclement weather, the garage sale will be rescheduled for a time and place to be announced.

Didde Center to host Cake Walk

The Didde Catholic Campus Center will host the First Annual Cake Walk for Relay for Life at 7 p.m. April 3 at the Didde Center Social Hall.

Mary Sigle, outreach minister at the DCCC, said that the cake walk is the opportunity for the community to come together in the fight against cancer while still having fun.

The cost is $1 per game. Cakes are being supplied by Dari Delight, Reebles and local parishioners. Sigle said the goal is to raise at least $400.