Proud Safe Space member, professor Anderson, supports Obama initiatives

On Feb. 3 President Barack Obama said gay people should be allowed in the Boy Scouts to end long-held exclusions of minorities. The proposal opens up a discussion to this week’s Boy Scouts’ national executive board meeting, which is going to be voted on in Texas.

Patricia Anderson, associate professor for counseling and special education, proudly presents her Safe Space sticker on her office door. Her office looks like a cozy and vintage cabin with books stacked to the ceiling and old, comfy chairs. A lamp shines warm light on the sign, “You have the right to NOT remain silent.’

“The president is acting as a positive role model expressing the values of inclusion by keeping with the majority of the U.S.’s opinion and most people with the trend to recognize gay rights,” Anderson said.

Safe Space is an organization founded in 1919 for the prevention of cruelty to children. Today it also supports gay people and other minorities, who need support to achieve equal rights.

Since Boy Scouts announced their acceptance of gay members, not only Anderson is satisfied with the direction this society is heading, except for the very conservatives who reaffirmed the no-gays policy of the Boy Scouts just seven months ago.

Good that the executive board changed their mind, even though I am a little concerned about the Girl Scouts now, but on the other side not many gay people between the ages of 10 and 17 come out as gay.

Putting the emphasis on equal rights and removing restrictions to certain groups does not show gay people as another ‘species’ of human beings, but it secures their rights, which everybody else has. The Boy Scouts’ decision is just another step for our society to take each other’s hands, compromise and open up the same opportunities for every child and adult.

Anderson encourages her students to speak up and offers a comfortable seat to everybody who would like to have a talk. An open mind and the courage to speak up have helped gay people in the past years to gain respectful recognition.

Even though gay people still have not obtained the same rights in every field, every step is a step closer to full acceptance. And I hope I am not the only one, who is looking forward to rainbow cookies now.