For untold numbers of Americans, attending a school prom is a natural step along life's path, a joyous commemoration to be anticipated and long remembered. For much of the GLBT population, however, the right to attend such an event has historically meant conforming to the heterosexual standard and attending with a member of the opposite sex.
But for two openly gay Northeastern Illinois University students, a school prom not only represents a rite of passage; it is an inalienable right. Meet Robin Matthies and Rob Rawls, two dedicated activists from Northeastern's GLBT Alliance who conceived the idea of having a "Coming Out Ball" open to GLBT individuals from both within the university and the community in general.
Thanks to their hard work and perseverance, their dream is soon to become reality as Northeastern prepares for its first annual "Coming Out Ball" Friday, Oct. 11, 8-11 p.m. at Alumni Hall on the NEIU campus; www.glbaneiu.org .
Sponsored by the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Alliance of NEIU, the gala event offers a unique opportunity for GLBT Northeastern students to come together in the spirit of unity for an evening of music, food and revelry. As Rawls, the 28-year-old vice president of NEIU'S GLBT Alliance, puts it, "We initially saw this as a chance to become more visible on campus. It has become an opportunity for everyone in the GLBT community to come together in general."
Rawls refers to the fact that the event is open to GLBT's of all ages&emdash;it is open to straights as well. Since the dance is inclusive of people in all age ranges, it extends an invitation to older gays and lesbians to enjoy the prom they never had.
The price is certainly right, the nonalcoholic event is free (that's right, FREE) to all NEIU students carrying a valid ID. All others pay a nominal charge of $5 for admission to an evening celebrating National Coming Out Day. With entertainment being provided by the "Chicago Kings" and a DJ on board to play a wide variety of tunes, the evening promises to deliver excitement and fun. Semiformal attire is suggested (though not required), and NEIU counselor Kristen Leathers will also be present and available for counseling during the event. Free street parking will be available or attendees may park in Lot "H" for a charge of $5.
Matthies, a 25-year-old bartender at Star Gaze (and president of NEIU'S GLBT Alliance) and Rawls, a restaurant/café manager, recently sat down for a lively chat about the upcoming first NEIU "Coming Out Ball."
David Guarino: The first thing I'd like to know, Robin, is when did you become President of NEIU's GLBA?
Robin Matthies: The fall of 2001.
DG: And you are from Chicago?
RM: Well, I grew up in Forest Park and Elmhurst, so the western suburbs of Chicago.
RR: I grew up in Huntsville, Ala.
DG: Have you been "out" at school for a long time?
RM: I mean, relatively, yes. Once I became president of the GLBA, I was pretty much out.
DG: Have you encountered any prejudice resulting from your "out" status on campus?
RM: No, I can't say that I have. I mean, other than having flyers torn down that we put up around campus for events or somebody writing something on them, nothing really bad. We have a pretty diverse campus in general, and they don't seem to mind gay people.
DG: How long has the GLBA at Northeastern been in existence? Does the faculty support it?
RM: I'm told it's been about five years, I'm not exactly sure, but the roundabout number is five. The faculty is very supportive; in fact there are a lot of faculty members who are involved in the organization.
DG: Rob, how long have you been involved in the GLBA at Northeastern?
RR: Around two years now.
DG: And have you encountered any resistance on campus?
RR: (shakes his head) No, not really. We have an information table during the meetings and you can see some students walk through the halls and gaze at us to see what gay people look like, but other than that ...
DG: What are some of the groups you've targeted for Northeastern's first annual "Coming Out Ball," Rob?
RR: At this point we're trying to contact all GLBT youth organizations. We're talking to Horizons; we're talking to GLSEN. Some of our members have gone to high schools which had Gay Lesbian Alliances, so we're letting professors and teachers at those schools know about our dance.
DG: Could both of you tell me what you hope to achieve?
RR: This year we've taken on the theme that pride equals visibility. So that's our major goal for this year, and all our activities are planned around that. So we thought that having a big dance would be an excellent way of being visible on campus. I have found that, in Chicago, the coming-out process can be very painful. There's so much pain and so much uncertainty.
DG: Was that true for you?
RR: It was true for me, I think it's true for everyone I know. This dance is kind of a way of commemorating that experience and celebrating it and also honoring it.
DG: Robin, your thoughts on what you hope to achieve both for the students of NEIU and the GLBT population in general?
RM: (Robin smiles) Rob's good. He's a tough act to follow. Besides visibility, we also want to promote diversity. There are now a lot of organizations on campus (like The Hip-Hop Club) that have events, we've never really done anything big. Up to this point, the GLBA has been known to never do anything big. We decided it's time for us to get noticed, it's time for other people in our school to get involved and begin coming to our events, even if they're not gay or lesbian. We need support for our group, and what better way to get it than on National Coming Out Day?