Coffee controversy

Coffee cups are not merely containers used by Haverford faculty and students for swilling magical elixir, but apparently a matter of disagreement, too.

Last year, SAGA decided to put the following quote on a T-shirt, which was featured on cups from a certain coffee franchise.

"My only regret about being gay is that I repressed it for so long. I surrendered my youth to the people I feared when I could have been out there loving someone. Don't make that mistake yourself. Life's too damn short." Armistead Maupin

This might be old news to some of you, but another college took a very different approach to the coffee cups containing the quote:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002508116_webstarbucks20.html


- Mitra

LGBTQ folk in the military

A story about a gay British soldier during World War II:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/36/a2688636.shtml

It’s interesting that he said that in his time, "there were none of the anti-gay witch-hunts we had after WW2". I think that visibility of an ‘invisible’ group, without public acceptance, can be more dangerous than just being underground. By that, I mean that opponents can attack queer people because the queer movement is in most people’s view. Whereas before, many of them didn’t know that queer people existed, and you can’t exactly attack something that you don’t believe to exist.

Sure, Cave said that there were gay drag performers in the army, and (ostensibly) straight soldiers having sexual relations with gay men. But I think that kind of visibility is a long ways from the visibility of activists trying to get same-sex marriage legalized.

I'm not saying that LGBTQ activists 'brought this on themselves'. I'm just suggesting that there's an awkward adolescent phase that most civil rights groups have to pass through in order to gain acceptance. First you remain mostly unseen. Then you start making more appearances, and many will view you with hostility, or at least disdain. The general hope is that everyone will eventually tolerate you. It’s difficult to gain acceptance without becoming visible, yet that visibility itself is risky.

Truth is, I’m not yet sure if I believe everything I just said--I’m just speculating.


- Mitra

Welcome!

This is the new weblog for Haverford College's Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA). Please free to comment, whoever you are... HC students, staff, faculty, alumni, prospective students, or even just random visitors to this page.

SAGA updates will be posted here regularly, as well as relevant articles and commentary that you may be interested in. I have never blogged before, so please excuse me while we get into the groove of things.

And here's the first real tidbit of info: we will have our first meeting on Monday, September 11th, 10:00 PM, in the SAGA lounge in the basement of Jones dorm. Everyone is welcome to come!

So, SAGA won't meet the first week of classes, but you can sign up for our mailing list at the activities fair on Wednesday, September 6th, 8-10 PM. That same evening, we will also be in the periodical room in Magill library during their open house, from 9-11 PM.


- Mitra