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The Daily Tar Heel

Unity Conference did not receive deserved coverage

TO THE EDITOR:

Although we are not surprised we find it extremely unacceptable that The Daily Tar Heel did not cover the Unity Conference in Monday's issue.

Unity a conference dedicated to LGBTIQ diversity and activism is put on solely by UNC-Chapel Hill students. It drew more than 500 individuals to the Student Union for the weekend.

They came excited and hungry for affirmation that is clearly lacking in today's society. They were provided with workshops and performances that worked to break down their ideas of queerness and energize them to fight for the rights they deserve. Performers and activists from across the country came to lead and participate in the discussion.

More issues within the LGBTIQ community were expanded to discussions of race class sexism and religion that challenged our participants' images of themselves and others. Both allies and members of the LGBTIQ community consistently patronized our events from Friday to Sunday.

We have received e-mail after e-mail praising the success of the conference and encouraging it to continue. Some were straight parents who came with their queer children some were hardened activists and more still were closeted individuals who finally realized being who they are was OK.

Does the DTH find these stories unworthy of being told? Or is it simply that LGBTIQ issues are just not that important?

These were real diverse people that did not fit in to popular stereotypes. These were not the people that the media loves to satirize or belittle.

Unity should have been covered by The Daily Tar Heel if only to educate the wider UNC-Chapel Hill community that being queer is not just what they see on TV.

In the future we challenge The Daily Tar Heel to truly serve all its students. It's time to walk the walk and not just talk the talk.


Camille Archie
Finance Coordinator
2009 Unity Conference Steering Committee


Editor's note: No one contacted DTH staff to let us know about this conference beforehand. Any student groups hosting events should e-mail udesk@unc.edu. We'd be happy to be there.


 


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