Panel answers, raises questions on stereotypes

Ten students sat in State Room West with their eyes closed Wednesday night, waiting to judge.

After a short introduction from each of the six panelists at the front of the room, students were allowed to ask about each person’s favorite music, Broadway musical and hobbies.

“Raise your hand if you think Eric is gay,” IU Health Center employee Kathryn Brown said. “Raise your hand if you think Eric is bisexual. Raise your hand if you think Eric is straight.”

This event for Culture of Care Week, called “Guess My Orientation,” was created to address stereotypes about sexual orientation, Brown said.

“When you have a stereotype, you can’t see differences in people of a certain group,” Brown said.

Brown said she organizes three or four of these panels a semester, using faculty and student volunteers from a variety of orientations.

Wednesday’s panel comprised six members, including Ph.D. students, undergraduates and faculty.

After tallying up the audience’s responses, the panelists revealed their true sexual orientation to the audience. They were allowed to ask why people grouped them into certain categories.

Many audience members said if they could not guess, they categorized the person as bisexual. Others said any male panelist’s expressed interest in Broadway musicals, classical music or theater were giveaways of homosexuality. 

Second-year law student Brandon King said he identifies as gay, an orientation that has caused him career-related problems in the field of law.

“I have to make an effort to make myself more straight,” King said. “I can’t wear any extravagant ties. I have to even watch my tone sometimes.”

King cited an experience when a potential employer said he was not a good fit for a potential job because of his “unprofessional vocal inflections.”

Ph.D. candidate Sarah Gordon said she identifies as a lesbian, which she said has been an advantage in her job searches.

“Them pitching me as a diversity hire could be in their favor,” Gordon said. “I don’t put it in my letters, like, ‘P.S. I’m gay.’ But if you are looking for cues, you can find them.”

Jamie Brazel was the only straight person on the panel. She is an office supervisor at the GLBT Service Center, and she said she initially worried she wouldn’t get the job because she was straight.

But she said her work at the office could inspire people of all sexualities to come in and learn more.

“It’s not the job of the LGBT community to solve homophobia. And I felt like, as an ally, I could empower people to get more involved.”