Members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community held a rally and a march last Wednesday to remind the campus that diversity is a strong part of ETSU.
The event was sponsored by Lambda Society, the Counseling Center, and the College of Education Diversity Team.
Dr. Wayne Andrews, vice president of administration, opened the ceremony by reminding students and faculty that ETSU has a mission to treat all individuals with respect.
“We should celebrate diversity,” said Andrews. “It is a strength of the university, not a weakness.”
Dr. Amber Kinser, assistant professor of communication, also spoke. She reminded the audience that ESTU has come along way in recent years in accepting those in the gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual communities.
“It is gaining momentum,” said Kinser. “You can either get on board or get out of our way. Let this rally be a constant reminder that nothing will stop us. Not your religion nor your fear nor bias. “
Kinser also urged students not to accept discrimination but to also stand up and fight.
“Martin Luther King Jr. fought for civil rights when it was still risky,” Kinser said. “Then did the work to make it safe. It will require us to work while it is still risky to accomplish our goals.”
ETSU is one of only two of the schools in the Tennessee Board of Regents that has adopted a policy against harassment or discrimination because of sexual orientation.
Students in the gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual communities say that discrimination on campus is happening less frequently, but the battle is a long way from over.
“We look at everyone else’s signs yet ours get torn down,” said April Hughes, president of Lambda society. “Finally ETSU has adopted a policy that helps all people of diverse culture.”
An award was given to Pat Robertson, associate professor for human development and learning, for her devotion and actions in the area of cultural diversity.
“She has been a person that has gotten this momentum going,” said Mary Jordan, director of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action at ETSU, who presented the award.
Parade marshal Gary Petiprin, director of the Counseling Center, also spoke a few words of encouragement.
There’s a type of terrorism in our society of a different sort than we normally talk about,” said Petiprin. “I call it a terrorism of the soul. When you are discriminated against or told to not be who you are it hurts more than physical harm.”
The organizers say they will be holding another rally next year.
Let this rally be a constant reminder that nothing will stop us. Not your religion or your fear or bias.

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