UNC should not be a place for insensitivity

TO THE EDITOR:

For once, I feel justified for crying on campus because I witnessed an appallingly insensitive incident.

I was walking closely behind two girls and a middle-aged man when a gay couple walked by holding hands. One of the girls whipped out her iPhone, stood in front of them and took a picture.

She and her friend were laughing hysterically, commenting on how they “didn’t even want to go to this school anymore” and how they “needed to wipe their eyes.” The two boys undoubtedly heard all of this.

As I continued to walk, a combination of sadness and anger built up inside me.

I finally turned to the group of three and said, “That’s just too mean — you can’t do things like that.”

They were taken aback but immediately started telling me that they hadn’t asked for my opinion.

I started crying and walked away quickly, flustered.

All students should feel safe, and in no circumstance should they be mocked for simply walking through campus.

As a straight white female who has never experienced direct discrimination, the extent to which this affected me sheds light on how challenging it must to be experience the kind of hate I witnessed today.

Too often the burden of discrimination is borne exclusively by minority students. It is within all of our power to stand up for what we believe, even if it means shedding a few tears alone on the quad.

Alison Goyer ‘14
Political Science
Global Studies