National Coming Out Day sheds light on LGBT issues

“FIU has a long history of working with LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] students, and I hope this event creates visibility of the issues [that] students are facing daily,” said Ferrer. “It’s still hard for a student to come out in their academic life because it will follow them and we still see students attempting suicide because of these issues, so letting others know is important.”The event, which was spearheaded by the LGBT Advocacy Coalition in collaboration with the Multicultural Programs and Services LGBT Initiative, served the double duty of providing engaging activities for all those in attendance while presenting educational materials that shed light on common LGBT issues.

Youth Treasurer Alex Febres, a sophomore and English major, who got involved with Pridelines Youth Services when he was in high school, has had his fair share of troubles with coming out. “I faced homelessness at the age of 15 when I came out to my mom. She’s very religious so it’s a daily struggle. With Pridelines, I have been able to help those who need it; I have met a lot of homeless youth who need a hot meal and a place to stay.”

Febres has also created the Spirit Day Candlelight Vigil in remembrance of those who have been killed or committed suicide because of bullying.

Elvira Velez, the former director of the Health Care and Wellness Center at the Biscayne Bay Campus, noted the importance of educating students on campus about health and sex.

“I used to go [into] the residence halls and have sessions about sexuality in which students were encouraged to come and ask questions in an environment that was understanding and not judgmental,” said Velez.

Velez, whose own cousin was ostracized for being gay, was sensitized early on about the issues in the community.

“I remember being at the forefront of the AIDS epidemic and having to come together as a University to educate students on what was going on. Condoms were a taboo at the time, but by being able to put them out in the Health Clinic, it became a normal idea.”

Nan Van Den Bergh, an associate professor of the School of Social Work and founder of Area Resource and Referral Organization for Women, was shocked to find the limited resources available to lesbian women during her battle with cancer in 2003.

“Lesbian women are at greater risk for breast, lung and gynecological cancers [as well as] cardiovascular disease than straight women mainly because they have faced discrimination in the past or fear discrimination,” said Van Den Bergh. “ARROW aims to provide a health care resource for LBT women and teach health care providers how to be culturally sensitive.”

Marcus Ramirez, a junior majoring in social work, described his experience as a transgender student on campus as positive, but noticed a lack of events for transgender students, despite their growing power.

“The main thing for me is for people to learn that everyone is human and deserves respect,” said Ramirez. “Coming to these events puts a face to the LGBT community and those who get involved see that we are real people with real problems.”

Tony Martinez, who works with Switchboard of Miami, has seen that educating youth goes a long way. A new program at Switchboard, Project Protect, has been created to educate college students about the effects of unsafe sex and substance abuse.
“For now, we are focused on Florida Memorial University, because the zip code where the university is located has seen high numbers of STDs [sexually transmitted diseases] and substance users,” explained Martinez. “We have created a Dimensions of Wellness workshop, which is kind of like a first-year experience course; we present the information in nonthreatening ways, like flash mobs, as a way for students to enjoy themselves while learning.”
For Zoe Russia, a freshman and architecture major, coming out to her parents in Venezuela via Skype continues to be a daily challenge. “They told me to stay here and hoped that I wouldn’t get AIDS. They called the next day to apologize, but I am taking it day by day. I know they love me, and I try to always keep communication open. I feel the event had a lot of acceptance on campus, though, [with] a lot of people asking questions and signing up for organizations. It’s rare that I am even in GC [the Graham Center], but I’m glad I came.”