Silence breaks: closets open
By Ryan Lewis
Staff Writer

Halfway into Jason Bilaski's freshman year he told his roommate he was gay. Within an hour his roommate had moved out.

"When I came in as a freshman, it was very uncomfortable and non-inclusive," Bilaski, Jackson junior, said of Albion's campus.

"Diversity, as far as Albion was concerned, was racial-based. It wasn't diverse as far as different religions or [homosexuality]."

Break The Silence hosted the second Coming Out Panel Sept. 28 to allow homosexual and bisexual community members to both announce and answer questions about their sexual orientation. Bilaski was one of four students who shared their experiences at the panel.

The first panel, held in 1993, drew a standing-room only crowd. This year's audience filled Norris 101 again.

Lori Sudderth, assistant professor of anthropology and sociology, began the personal discussions. "I actually dated men for about four years," she said, "but it was kind of boring."

Sudderth was one of five faculty panel members. She said the relationships she had with men failed to touch her heart. She also said she had not always considered herself a lesbian, but had been attracted to females.

"And then when I was about twenty, I fell in love with my best friend [a female], and that changed my identity for myself," Sudderth said. "She fulfilled something in me that men never had."

Gwen-Alec Jordan, Three Rivers junior, told his parents he was homosexual during his first year at Albion. "I decided that my parents had the right to know I was gay," he said.

Jordan had to deal with the loss of his boyfriend who died from AIDS. He said Trisha Franzen, director of the Anna Howard Shaw Center for Women's Studies and Programs, helped him deal with the pain and loss.

Franzen was also a member the panel. She and her 9-year-old daughter, Emiliana, attended together.

"It's kind of hard having a mom that is lesbian, because, when you tell other people, you don't really want the response," Emiliana Franzen said.

Trisha Franzen said she was able to "come out" with a supportive lesbian and gay community.

"I really give a lot of credit to the others [on the panel] ... it's too lonely if you don't have a community."

Monique Uzelac, Lake Orion senior and co-facilitator of Break The Silence, said she has been bisexual all of her life.

When she arrived at Albion, Uzelac said, she wasn't open about her bisexuality.

She primarily had relationships with men until she became seriously involved with a woman during her off-campus program in Scotland last year.

"[My mother] is slowly beginning to understand that [lesbian relationships] are all right.

"I'm fine with who I am and I am happy," Uzelac said.

Coming Out Week begins Monday. BTS will sponsor different events throughout the week.