T-shirts back gays at Duke

newsobserver.com ^ | April 28, 2003 | Jane Stancill

[Living Free in NH]

DURHAM -- At Duke University, being OK with being gay is something of a fashion statement these days.

In the past two weeks, hundreds of students have been seen wearing T-shirts that say, simply: "Gay? Fine by me."

Duke President Nan Keohane has one. Duke basketball players Nick Horvath and Shavlik Randolph have been spotted in the shirts.

"They're everywhere," said senior Amanda Poston, who got hers Thursday from the boxes of free shirts on a breezeway outside the student union. "This is a peaceful, passive way we can express how we feel."

The trend was started by a group of friends, gay and straight, who decided something had to be done about the perception that Duke is a homophobic place. A few years ago, the Princeton Review rated Duke as the most gay-unfriendly campus in the United States.

So the students thought up a slogan, ordered 500 T-shirts and planned to give them away to as many people as would take them.

The shirts were gone by noon the first day. A rush order of an additional 250 disappeared in about 15 minutes. In 10 days, 1,800 shirts were snapped up.

"We've been giving them away as fast as we can make them," said Leila Nesson, a graduate student in history.

Some were reluctant at first, she said, muttering, "I'll pass," when they saw the message on the shirts.

"Once it was clear there were hundreds of students wearing them," she said, "that was no longer a problem."

The shirts became a must-have.

The friends solicited donations from student groups on campus. They raised $7,200 to pay for the shirts.

Spring classes are over, but the group has contacted college students across North Carolina to suggest similar T-shirt giveaways in the fall. N.C. State University, UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. Central University and Guilford College have expressed interest.

The "fine by me" movement at Duke hasn't been without controversy, though. A group of feminists said the message was troubling. "Perhaps we should invest in a 'It is not my right to authorize your sexuality' shirt," they wrote in an e-mail message.

Abigail Weliver, a senior who stopped by the shirt booth last week, doesn't see it that way.

"I don't think it's necessarily validation," she said. "It's more a sign of solidarity and support and friendship."

Staff writer Jane Stancill can be reached at 956-2464 or janes@newsobserver.com.

[ErnBatavia]

I understand they make a "catcher" shirt also, in this collection - probably saves a lot of questions....

[EdReform]

Gay is NOT OK

[sgiant]

I think these would look just as good on a tshirt:

"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." Leviticus 20:13

"But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly." Genesis 13:13

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters, nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

[Lee'sGhost]

I was assuming that it referred to the place, not necessarily the school. But I appreciate the info. Perhaps the Review is published in Princeton.

[bourbon]

have there been some high-profile gay-bashing incidents at Duke or something? I'm trying to figure out what would lead the Princeton Review or anyone else to make the claim that Duke was "gay-unfriendly."

[wardaddy]

Actually Ole Miss has had a gay students alliance/association since I was there in the late 70s.

I would think Wyoming might be more a choice for hostility to gays on campus.

It's a known fact that the faded gentility of the Old South always had a seamy gay side. I've witnessed it from scandal to scandal my whole life. Just peruse a list of native son writers and playwrights.

And the gay congressman from Missisippi in the early 80s busted with the page in the Capital bathroom...Hinson I think(?).

Nah...Queer Nation is alive and well in the cotton states...just a bit more discreet....like all Southerners.

[Al B.]

Wouldn't know. Down here in TX, don't much keep up with the campus goings-on. I just make sure my cable bill's paid up come hoops season.

[taxcontrol]

Wonder how they would react to:

Leviticus 18:22

"Thou shall not lie with mankind as with womankind: it is abomination"

or

Leviticus 20:13

"If a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination...."

[Lee'sGhost]

"I think these would look just as good on a tshirt:. . ."

It would be interesting to see what would happen when you consider the fact that Duke began as a Methodist School of Religion and still maintains a Divinity School" Perhaps another great T-Shirt would be "Eruditio et Religio," or "Knowledge and Religion," which happens to be the school's motto.

Anyone want to bet it would get banned?

[m18436572]

"Straight? Don't drop the soap!"

[EdReform]

Choice 4 Truth

[bourbon]

It's a known fact that the faded gentility of the Old South always had a seamy gay side.

True. The only difference between now and then is that Southerners no longer shun the word "gay" in their gentility. In simpler and more elegant(??) times, I believe we used to call them "fussy old bachelors."

[sgiant]

Anyone want to bet it would get banned?

The wearer would be stoned BY the homosexuals...OR WORSE(if you know what I mean!) Ouch!!!!!

[Lee'sGhost]

DEATH -- by boofunga!

It's an old joke.

[wbill]

I had the displeasure of spending the weekend with my wife's friends. Incredible liberals - mostly college administrators. One is some sort of a dean of students at a large southern college (not Duke) that will remain nameless. Dunno what my wife has in common with them, but that's a whole 'nother topic.....

The Topic of Religion came up. Mormons and Baptists, specifically. The "Religious Right" is "Weird", "Hateful" and "Intolerant". There's "No room for them on campus".

Next topic.....literally....was the new 'LGBTQ' center they're erecting on the admins' campus. For those not in the know, LGBTQ is "Lesbian, Gay, BiSexual, Transgendered, and Questioning". It was agreed that this was a good thing, provides diversity, multicultural, blah blah blah.

I said "So let me see if I have this straight. Religious people are weird and don't belong on campus, but people that don't know what sex they are are normal? And need their own center?"

No reply.

I didn't push further in my own self-interest of not making my wife mad. Also, it's not worth having a battle of wits with unarmed people.

/rant off. Thanks to all for letting me vent.

[azhenfud]

I just wag my head in shame and disgust that this is a North Carolina "school of higher learning".

[bourbon]

Next topic.....literally....was the new 'LGBTQ' center they're erecting on the admins' campus. For those not in the know, LGBTQ is "Lesbian, Gay, BiSexual, Transgendered, and Questioning"

Hmmm... haven't seen the "questioning" thing before. Very interesting. It doesn't take much thought to guess what kind of "answers" such a center would provide.

I would think that it would be awfully hard to deny charges that this was a gay recruitment center for sexually confused youths.

[Hatteras]

You're talking about Carolina... nah, nah, nah, nah, nah...

http://www.unc.edu/cr/2002_08_01_blogarchive.html

[sgiant]

http://www.desertstream.org/