The American legal system has historically been reluctant to combat discrimination against homosexuals, according to a noted academic.
And because gays, he said, are not subject to discrimination based on overt physical traits such as skin color or gender, they are often coerced to assimilate.
Last night, approximately 25 people gathered in Logan Hall to hear a talk from Kenji Yoshino, an associate professor of law at Yale University, whose work focuses on the constitutional rights of gays.
Yoshino's opinions have been cited in various court cases, including the well-known Supreme Court case Boy Scouts of America v. Dale.
"Kenji Yoshino's work marks a tremendously innovative breakthrough in legal approaches to sexuality, race and gender," said Howard Winant, a sociology professor at Temple University.
Yoshino read a chapter from his upcoming memoir and discussed the phenomenon of "covering," in which gays and members of other minority groups are coerced to suppress their behavior to avoid discrimination.
The event was held as part of QPenn Week and was co-sponsored by Lambda Law and the Pan-Asian American Community House.
In Yoshino's emotional presentation, the scholar described the self-denial and depression he experienced while coming to terms with his own sexuality.
Before accepting his homosexuality, Yoshino said he wished to commit "infanticide of his newly gay self" -- a state he calls conversion.
He then accepted his sexuality but refused to disclose it to others. Finally, Yoshino came out to others but refrained from teaching about gay issues or engaging in same-sex public displays of affection.
Yoshino said that the issue of the covering process unites homosexual civil rights demands with those of women and racial minorities. As overt discrimination has been outlawed by the legal system, the pressure to assimilate has replaced it.
Yoshino cited a case in which an African-American woman was fired for wearing her hair in cornrows -- not for her racial status -- despite the fact that cornrows are an expression of black culture.
In addition, he pointed to a Hispanic man who was denied participation on a jury because he spoke Spanish, and stated that lesbians are often denied custody of children if they live with a same-sex partner.
Yoshino said he hopes that his work will promote progress by encouraging the unification of civil rights groups.
Audience members said they were extremely impressed by Yoshino's presentation.
"I was struck by the blending of important legal issues with cultural and personal perspectives," Temple Law Professor David Kairys said. "He presents the possibility of bringing together various groups who have experienced discrimination."
Yoshino's message especially resonated with people in the audience who are members of minority groups.
"Being a racial minority, I feel that it is important for members of the academic and professional communities to assert their political, cultural or sexual identities in their daily lives, and be proud," College junior Linda Wan said.
