'Queers' try to raise visibility at U.

Queers Invading Penn held the first in a series of "queer lunches" aimed at increasing lesbian, gay and bisexual visibility yesterday in Houston Hall. About 30 QUIP members participated in the lunch in the Hall of Flags, wearing clothing and carrying signs supporting their cause. Some members left fliers behind blasting heterosexism which read "You've got the fear . . . of the end of the dogmatic, ableist, sexist, racist, classist, heterosexist rule, and ultimately . . . of yourself." Others wore t-shirts supporting AIDS funding and which sported the word "FAG" in bold print. QUIP is an organization of lesbian, gay and bisexual students, faculty members and University employees that was formed this semester to bring issues of sexual minorities at the University to the forefront. QUIP's aims include securing domestic partner's benefits, increasing curricular support for "queer studies" and liberating all sexual minorities from "heterosexist oppression." In addition, QUIP members prefer to be referred to as "queer," a term they say is more empowering than homosexual. QUIP member Mark Dominus, a University employee, said he was pleased with the "queer lunch" because "any activity that creates even a tiny bit of visibility is worth doing." "It's important to let people know that employees are involved in this kind of action," said QUIP member Cappy Harrison, also a University employee. "This is not just a crazy student thing." Students in Houston Hall yesterday had mixed feelings about QUIP's presence at the University, although nobody was overtly hostile. College senior Ashley Tuttle said that QUIP was free to do whatever it wanted as long as it did not "force it on everybody else around them." College freshman Chris Meyer was more supportive of the group. "I think they should be accepted as a social group," he said. "If they wish to increase their visibility through social gatherings, that's their prerogative."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.