Lat Seeks a Homogenous Society

As members of the Bisexual Gay and Lesbian Students Association (BGISA) and as citizens of the Harvard-Radcliffe community, we feel we must respond to David B. Lat's spiteful and logically vapid column on National Coming Out Day ("Those Happy Homos," Opinion, Oct. 18, 1994). While Lat is free to write about his own opinions, he should base his opinions on facts, not on his self-righteous and incoherent political and religious views.

Lat claims that the BGLSA's celebration of National Coming Out Day was a weak effort. To our minds, the hundreds of supportive students and faculty who wore the pink and black triangles, the celebratory rally, and the enormous "Out and About" dance tell a different story.

Exhortation is not the reason we spend so much time and energy observing National Coming Out Day. We celebrate the day to take pride in telling the truth about our lives and sexuality and to create a space where people can start telling the truth.

Lat asks, "But how many homosexual Harvard students are still in the closet? Two? Three?" We shudder to think how alone that question made closeted gay, lesbian and bisexuals feel. According to even the most conservative studies on the gay population the number is much closer to 200 or 300. Part of our message on Coming Out Day is to show that there are men and women proud to be gay, lesbian and bisexual, and proud to be out.

Lat claims that one should not take pride in something that "a) you had no hand in bringing about and b) is morally neutral. Being homosexual isn't some great accomplishment that you achieve through years of hard work...It's an identity, nothing more." We agree that pride should be coupled with accomplishment.

However, whether or not Lat will admit it, coming out of the closet and living happily in a mostly unsupportive environment is an accomplishment. Coming out of the closet and not lying to anyone about who you are and whom you love is being honest.

We hope Lat does not think that the celebration of honesty is morally neutral. Lat claims, "These alleged celebrations...reassure people who are still deeply troubled by their lifestyle choices and are desperately seeking a stamp of approval." We have a duty to deny them this approval." Suddenly, Lat no longer thinks homosexuality is morally neutral. In fact, it should be squashed.

Further on in his argument, Lat says National Coming Out Day is unneeded to make gays, lesbians and bisexuals feel good about themselves. He suggests they read the Catechism of the Catholic Church instead. Lat then quotes the one positive statement the Church says about homosexuality.

He neglects to mention that on the same page of the Catechism (566), the Church says "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered...[and] Under no circumstances can they be approved." It goes on to mandate, "Homosexual persons are called to chastity...[and only in that way can they] approach Christian perfection." In other words: you are depraved if you're gay, don't you dare have sex if you want God to forgive you, but we love you anyway. Lat's textual editing is tantamount to quoting Hitler as saying. "I...[think Jews are]...great."

As problematic as Lat's Catechism argument is for Catholics, it's totally irrelevant for anyone else. Over 75 percent of the Harvard out and closeted gay, lesbian and bisexual population who are Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, etc., certainly won't feel any better if they read the Catechism. Now who's out to convert?

In Lat's trashing of the celebration of difference, he again demonstrates his desire to create a homogenous, numb society. He seems to think that we should try to fit into his bland and unrealistic mold of human society where we are silent about our differences. As intelligent and well-adjusted human beings, we have the duty to recognize, accept and respect our inherent diversity. Emma Cheuse '96   Moon Duchin '97   Theodore Gidsonse '96

Duchin is co-chair of the BGLSA. Gideonse is editor of HQ.