Cross-dresser doing a show in a "Free Speech" zone stopped for vulgarity.

[Larissa238]

http://media.www.dailytrojan.com/media/paper679/news/2006/01/24/News/man-Lady.Show.Stopped-1502761.shtml?sourcedomain=www.dailytrojan.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com

-quote-

Eddie Marquez, assistant director of Norman Topping Student Center, shut down a Gender and Sexuality Week event being held in a designated free-speech zone after receiving several complaints about vulgar language.

George Weiss Vando was near Tommy Trojan and in the middle of performing "Man Lady," a performance based on his life experiences, when Marquez interrupted him, asked the organizers to turn the speakers off and pulled the power cords.

Marquez said that after hearing complaints from a Department of Public Safety officer, a staff member and the vice president's office, he made the decision to stop the performance. He did not give names of the complainants.

..........................

When asked if vulgar speech was allowed in the free speech zone, Marquez said, "I would say no, just because we don't want to offend anyone ... We do this to protect the students and make sure we maintain the integrity of the university."


-quote-


I have never seen this happen at my school before. Every single week, there are performances by a comedy troupe, and they use worse language than Vando did. They perform in the same location, and yet nobody stops them for being "profane". Sometimes I hate USC for being so covertly homophobic.

[skylarmae]

1. funny, cause I've known a bunch of bi-sexual men from that school

really...

[Larissa238]

2. There is a GLBT presence....

But when hate crimes happen, USC covers them up. When our huge rainbow flag was stolen, it was an accident. When a Jewish Sukkot hut was destroyed, it was some drunk falling on it (and ripping every palm branch off all 4 sides, stealing the sign, ect). Thats what annoys me.

[sui generis]

4. someBODY is behind those absurd pronouncements

you can find him or her. It wouldn't take much for an alumni group or anybody else who gives money to USC to pay them a visit, with a reporter, and put them on the spot, every time.

Do not tolerate doublespeak, ever.

[Larissa238]

5. I work for the gay magazine on campus

and we are working on reporting this as what it is... a hate crime. One of the other students is finding out who said what, ect.

[sui generis]

7. good for you! I certainly hope it gets wider coverage too

I'm just fed up with these people who think they can treat us differently because we have green eyes or red hair or because the people we love happen to be the same sex instead of the opposite sex.

The absurdity is that we would never treat someone differently because the person they love happens to be the opposite sex and not just exactly like us.

I was so shy even just 10 years ago that I could hardly speak, and now I can't shut up. I've got your back sista - keep up the good fight.

-Michael

[Larissa238]

9. Thank you.

Im one of the weird ones... I dont fit in anywhere. I am a lesbian who is not attracted to men at all, with ONE exception, and I have been called everything from a liar to straight (and therefore unfit to write about gay issues at all). I have an article that I am working on for the magazine about how it is that a lesbian can have a male fiancé, and I hope to be able to open people's eyes. Gay people dont like it because its different. Straight people dont like it because I am attracted to women. I have a few friends who are supportive and mean the world to me. But I have been attacked on this site (in the GLBT forums) and on other sites. Its sad, that even in the gay community that there is this bias. Okay, so Im really tired, and if this makes no sense, sorry. But thanks for standing up, we need more people to do so.

[xchrom]

3. that's the thing about oppression...

when you resist you are always going to offend someone -- always.

people at a university should know that -- but i've stopped expecting better from universities at this time.

[triakis36]

6. That's so sad.

USC is my alma mater. I would have expected better of them.

I didn't know we had a LGBT resource center..where is it? Maybe I'll drop in one day. :hi:

[Larissa238]

8. Its in STU 202B

The other half of the commons/bookstore thing, where the pharmacy and the ticket office is. Just go up the elevator by the ticket office, get off on the second floor, go right (through a door and into a hall) 10 feet later the hallway turns, go right, and its the second door on the right.