Three put on probation because of loud party
THE ASSASSINATION OF A GAY LEADER'
Gay alumnus’ novel becomes tragic coincidence
By john Antczak
Staff Writer
rhe university student judicial placed three students on disciplinary probation as a result of a disturbance in a university housing complex, the Daily Trojan learned Fndav.
Names of the defendants were witheld bv the judicial to protect the privacy of those involved.
A complaint was filed against the three students following a party in their apartment that residence officials said created a disturbance.
The Oct. 13 partv was reportedly attended bv approximately M) people and became noisv. said Richard Sherman, the judicial's chiet justice for the case.
According to Sherman, the officials brought the complaint against the students for "behavior not conducive to community living."
The officials tried to quiet the party, Sherman said, but were unsuccessful. They eventually called campus security who broke up the party.
He said the police were also called but never arrived.
The judicial held an informal hearing Nov. 22 at which the university officials presented their case.
The university's witnesses included the apartment officials and campus security. Fellow tenants and a fourth roommate were witnesses for the defendants.
The officials testified that no fighting broke out when thev warned the students to quiet the partv but the students became belligerent.
1 he university wanted the student’s housing contract cancelled, a probationary term tor all three and payment for damages, which a-mounted to s4().
I he judicial, however, decided not to cancel the housing contract and all three are ‘•till living in the apartment.
Sherman said it was pointed out that the disturbance was not an isolated event, that there were previous incident reports involving the students.
However according to'Sherman those reports were not a factor in the judicial s de«. ision
V\e didn't s.n Well they've done it in the past ...but we were aware. We examined this case on its own merits." he said.
(anttinut'ii on page 2)
"There could never have been anv gay student union when 1 came to school here."
He explained that he went to school during a conservative era.
"At that time, the campus Young Republican organization was very large-the largest one in the coun-
try."
But after returning to the university, he feels that it is still the same in a lot of ways as it was then.
Students in the Gav Student Union (GSU) agreed that homosexuality is still not verv open.
"It is like an open closet case," one of the gav students observed.
"People come up to the office, but may walk by the door two or three times before coming in," he said.
"I just came from Ohio here this semester, and it is not as open as you would think-—-being in Los Angeles and that."
He said that people still have misconceptions and still believe a lot of the stereotypes about gavs.
"i moved out of my apaitment because 1 didn't like the wav m\ roommate kept house. Then I found out that he wanted me to move because he saw me in the GSU office."
"1 guess he believed that homosexuals were all sex fiends and thought I might attack him in the middle of the night or something."
'Milk was one of the first to read the book, and he liked it. He was amused at how he was portrayed.' Four months later, Milk was dead.
But this student tried to point out that his sexual preference was nothing more than just that.
"It doesn't change you. I would just rather sleep with a man."
Other gay students commented that if people had a better knowledge about homosexuality they would be able to accept it more easily.
"Those people who know somoene who is gav are fairly accepting; those who don't are more likely to say derogatory things about it," a junior business student said.
But Diamon feels there is a reason for negative reactions.
"People who feel their own masculinity is threatened often make comments. 1 strongly believe that these are the people who are the most insecure about their own sexuality. When they react in an aggressive and violent way against gay people it is usually their own homosexuality that they are hiding from themselves as
well as from other people," Diamon said.
Some of the gav students received negative reactions w'hen they held an anti-Proposition b disco dance earlier this semester.
"People outside made comments like, look at those fags,' but it doesn't matter to me what thev think.
"I don't depend on them to pay my rent or cook my meals. They don't go to my classes for me either, so 1 don't have to worry about what other people say,” one one student said.
'I am not a blatantly obvious queen who walks around and is instantly stereotyped, but if someone were to ask me if 1 was gay I would tell them.'
Although the homosexuals on campus have met with some pestering comments, most of the ones interviewed felt comfortable about being a homosexual.
"I am not a blatantly obvious queen who walks around and is instantly stereoty ped, but if someone were to ask me if I was gay I would tell them.’
All ot the students agreed that there has been an attitude change, however, and that homosexuality ;s gaining in acceptance.
The changing of attitudes finally made it possible tor the organization to exist. After a five year battle (starting in 1970) w'iih university bureaucracy the GSL > image changed from what one trustee had original!) called a communist plot to its present position as an official organization funded by the university.
The GSU now holds weekly meetings, and has outlined its organization's functions.
"One of the things we try to do is provide social activities for gav people,"a member said.
The GSU also organizes an unequal gay celebration week, which consists of a week of speakers and special events.
"We also try to educate people about homosexuality. Teachers ask us to come to their classrooms and talk about our experiences."
"We usually just talk a while, and then open it up to questions. People are curious about homosexuality, and ask all kinds of questions about it," another member said.
"When I first came here the Los Angeles Times wouldn't so much as print the word gay. Now, you don't go a week without reading something about gav people," a graduate student said.
BEST FRIEND — This loyal pooch sits patiently gone to class. Dogs seem to have taken to the uni-outside the Administration Building awaiting the versity campus as their home, return of his master, who has done the unusual —
By Amy Alpem
f eature Focus Editor
It was a tragic coincidence. Harvey Milk, a self— proclaimed gav and former supervisor in San Francisco, was shot and killed Nov. 27. Four months before, a close friend of his had written and published a book about the assassination of a gay political leader.
Although Milk was not the gav leader assassinated in the book, he was portrayed in it as a minor character.
"Milk was tine of the first to read the book, and he liked it He w as amused at how he w as portrayed," said \ A Diaman, a I9W almnus and author of Ed Dean is' Queer
Four months later. Milk was dead.
Milk was killed moments after San Francisco Mayor George Moscone had been gunned down in his office.
Dan White, former San Francisco supervisor, is suspected m both murders.
The question remains as to whether Milk's homosexuality was a reason why White is now dead.
"I can't get into the man's (White’s) head, but I do know that when he was on the board he was the only person who voted against a nondiscriminatory homosexual housing and employment proposal," Diamon said.
N.A. DIAMAN
"The reason he stated for maintaining his antigay stance was because he felt homosexuality was immoral."
Diamon described White as the "local Briggs." "People who took the antigay stand would go to White, Diamon said.
He had been friends with Milk, and had lived near him in San Francisco before his death."People used to meet in Milk's camera shop and discuss issues."
Diamon became aware of his own homosexuality when he was attending school here 20 years ago.
He said that although he believes there were as many homosexuals here when he attended as there are now, the subject of homosexuality was never openly talked about
volume LXXV. Number 47	University of
trojan
Southern California Monday, December 4, 1978