Dear Editor:

I am responding to the Letter to the Editor published April 11 in The Pitt… Dear Editor:

I am responding to the Letter to the Editor published April 11 in The Pitt News. While I can respectfully sympathize with the writer’s feelings of misrepresentation by certain stereotypes, there are some important points that need to be highlighted.

Most of the events of Pride Week focus on education and discourse within the community. The Pitt News’ and the Rainbow Alliance’s prominent advertisements of last Thursday’s charity Drag Show were with the best of intentions.

The Drag Show was an entertaining experiment with gender for all involved – homosexual, bisexual, transgendered and straight (all represented by participants). People enjoy a good drag show every now and then, and the Rainbow Alliance raised $800 to benefit the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force. In one night!

This is an absolutely wonderful accomplishment for a worthy cause regardless of anyone’s sexual orientation. The Rainbow Alliance accepts and respects differing sexualities and genders, and that often includes, not discounts, the “flamboyant homosexual male.” We see nothing in the world wrong with that.

Pride Week was about showcasing one’s pride. I am a proud member of the Rainbow Alliance and the LGBTQAxyz community. But associating myself with this community by no means indicates that I base my identity on the popular myths or generalizations about that community.

I’ll admit that the Rainbow Alliance warmly embraces the “representation of effeminate gay men.” Would you ever expect them not to?! I promise though that the Rainbow Alliance is just as accepting of non-flamboyant homosexuals. Because that’s what we’re about – acceptance and respect.

Kayla Burkett Sophomore Member, Rainbow Alliance