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Homosexuals By SKOT GARRICK Gamecock Staff Writer Homosexuality: . A social stigma, an anathema. Homosexuality: Something to be laughed at and made fun of. Homosexuality: a dirty word. A Health Enrichment week lecture by Bob Sigman presented the problems, attitudes and stigmas attached to homosexuality. Sigman, a homosexual from Atlanta, has devoted his career to informing people about what he said he feels, to be the slighted condition of homosexuals. Sigman said he feels homosexuals are mostly thought of in the sexual sense, but "there's more to it than that." His ^ui sunai uciiiiiuuii ui uuilluscAUcita is jwwpie WUU JJI'Ciei' emotional and physical attachments to members of their own sex." He added he is gay and speculated that probably 10 percent of the audience at the lecture was gay. "One thing I'd like to clear up," Sigman said, "is the terminology used for male and female homosexuals. 'Gay' is a word used for both males and females, even though it is used usually just for males. So, when I use the term Gay I'm referring to both sexes." Sigman said there is no male term equivalent to "lesbian." "GAYS HAVE always had a problem with social acceptance," Sigman said. Americans are geared to dislike the non-conformist. When someone begins to realize that he might be gay, the first thing he does is panic. I remember when I used to get "the scare" that I might be gay. "The first thing I'd do is run out and get married. Needless to say, the marriages never did work out. I finally Communication keys sexual fulfillment By JANE SHEALY you do it, as well as i News Editor done it." Bad communication in a sexual ALSO INCLUDED relationship begins with what interview were seve parents tell their children about interviews about the fr body parts and their bodily func- lack of communication tions, said Dr. Murray Vincent, a sexual relationship. On USC professor, in a Thursday "When you make love Health Week presentation. want different kinds "We men don't have penises ? There's a type of we have winkies," Vincent said. He Sec SEXL cited several examples of sub stitute words parents teach their P"1 children such as "number one" or | "tee-tee" for urinate and "down there" for vulva or vagina. "Communication is the key to effective parenting, effective m loving, effective health care, effective bank telling or whatever it is," he said. Vincent, reading from an interview with Dr. William Simon, a Kinsey researcher, quoted, "One of the most difficult aspects of _ sexual relationships appears to be IfUPil the difficulty many people experience in talking about it, having discussions before you do it, while Lion's Hea SB 3? Restaurar hSPrRp1' 741 Saluda Ave t phone: 799-630: Steak N ight Every Mon., Tues. & Wed. $3.39 Reservations Required. Special not good for private parties t } groups of more than six people. and society Gays misunderstood, s admitted to myself that I was gay. Things didn't right away get easier for me, but psychologically I was better off," Sigman said. Sigman said he has a 9-year-old child, who he is forbidden to see by law. Sigman asked the audience to consider how they would explain homosexuality to those closest to them. "Just imagine for a few minutes that you were gay and you went home to tell your parents. How do you think they would react? How about other people close to you?'' SIGMAN said USC is one of the few campuses that does not have a gay university union. - He described the organizations' functions including a popular project, National Blue Jeans Day. National Blue Jeans Day is a day set aside when all those in favor of gay rights are instructed to wear blue jeans. Sigman also spoke on the "Word is Out," a movie of interviews with 28 gays ages 16 to 84. The film is designed to be viewed by straights (heterosexuals), he said, but it is mostly being seen by other gays. "It is an informative and aeep mm, ana i tninK it is important for people to see it." said Sigman. Sigman said he did not know what it is that makes a person become gay. "No one knows," he said, but added that many people commonly think about becoming gay. "Most people think that at one time in someone's life, he suddenly decides to change his lifestyle and become gay," he said. "Of all the gay people I've met and talked to, I don't know of any that have made a decision to become gay.' Ti? r ? j8t m?u l~ x nc; VJrtlllCl vx UldUli Room 311BRH. ? * ' s& after you've 1" "^ Is your weight for in Simon's srai candid affecting the way Woi ustrations a .emantaw! Vou live yourlife? on ' i, you often j of returns. Call Overeaters poi aggressive, A . . _ A n nn ir m r\n n al, page 7 I ,1UUUD I flp | I 252-6085 I >ck "d ^ tu New UQ ' Come to the gen< tonight at 7 in Rc I JOIN TH _1| EXPI PWMHMBMHmBMMNMMMHHIBMMMHMI itigmatized, speaker says ^11 *^pt: Bob Griffiiv-THE GAMECOCK ??s cafeterias I S Cafeteria is taking applications waitresses and food services. rking Hours: 4:30-9:00?Full time weekends Also some full time sitions available if ijou desire. ply S & S Cafeteria 1411 Cervais ^ W Ul Find out what The mecock can do forijou. A/AI fttrvtf mAAtinn ?i vti torn 311 Russell House. IS EXCITING RIENCEI