LGBT community attempts to reach residence halls with forum

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Southfield sophomore Robert Donald never related to just one group — gay, black or athletic.

Donald, Gay Straight Alliance ambassador, wants to educate people about the process of coming out and how to handle the differences people may have with their orientation.

“The biggest thing is to educate people on terms and issues, and show people we are people too,” he said.

A panel of five LGBT community members spoke casually with a group of about 40 people Thursday evening in Merrill Hall during an event called “Gay Elephant in the Room.”

Donald came out to his friends in the eighth grade, when he was 13 years old. At 15, he came out to his family.

Donald said it was a complete relief to know he can truly be himself around his friends and family, which lead him to start a series of forums to educate and inform people of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender communities.

The idea of the forum is to reach out to residence halls, Donald said.

“Education is a powerful thing,” he said. “If we come to them in their residence halls, it would make things easier.”

The panel consisted of Holt senior Matt Darling, also GSA president, Howell senior Stasi Russell, GSA pride co-chair, and Detroit junior Arielle Watts, public relations for GSA.  The panel told their coming-out stories and their experiences with the LGBT community.

They talked about dating, religion, name-calling and how to approach friends and family.

The crowd asked questions and talked about their personal stories as well.

Aly Jarosz, a Traverse City sophomore, attended the forum to learn more about the LGBT community.

“I’m straight,” she said. “But I wanted to learn more about the gay community.”

Jarosz learned how many people struggle with the coming out process and was mostly shocked people are actually scared to come out to friends and family.

Overall, she felt she had become an advocate for the LGBT community.

“I have a huge prejudice with the people that are against gays,” she said.

As a panelist, Darling casually spoke to the crowd and expressed his sentiment for those still dealing with identity concerns. He wanted the attendees to get comfortable and see the forum as conversation rather than a presentation.

During his coming-out process, Darling said he was scared, but realized it was the best thing he could have done for himself.

“I came out and experienced a lot of support and love instead,” he said.

Donald said this was the first forum of the series. He plans to continue the series and hopes to host it in Kulhavi hall at the end of March.