College Cops Can't Cope With Gay Kisses
Last Updated on Monday, 15 March 2010 20:53 Written by Out In Jersey Saturday, 20 February 2010 00:00
It seems the specter of love breaking out all over drove the security team at Mercer County Community College into a tizzy. The campus student LGBT organization held a "Kiss In" in the college quad and dining hall at noon on February 18th to raise awareness of queer presence and the right to display affection openly just as straight couples do. The event was sanctioned by the Student Government (SGA) in the duly approved and usual manner of student activities. This didn't seem to matter to campus security however, according to participants, because
officers apparently did everything they could think of to interfere with and intimidate the students.
Reporting for The College Voice, Dmitry Gurvits, Matthew White, Veronica Furman and Sara Gatling covered the event in detail and posted an audio link in which a lengthy and heated exchange took place between a college security officer who refused to give his name (identified as badge #142) and a female student who was forcibly separated from her girlfriend while kissing. The officer is heard, apparently desperate to formulate reasons why kissing is disruptive, saying he was sure it was against college policy. A review of the current student handbook does not reveal a specific anti-kissing rule. The only rule stated in the "Rights And Responsibilities" section that might apply reads as follows: "Obscene or indecent behavior, which includes, but is not limited to, indecent exposure or the display of sexual behavior that would reasonably be offensive to others." The question arises as to whether queer students kissing is obscene, indecent or reasonably offensive while kissing by straight students, anecdotally reported as a common occurrence, is not.
The college has so far not commented on whether this policy will be reviewed with a view toward establishing the specificity campus security may require as guidelines. Some campus observers are wondering if a "peck on the cheek," will be allowed and if so, will full lip kissing be tolerated? Further, if insertion of the tongue is in question, how far in will such insertion be allowed? Will officers be equipped with small sterile rulers for rapid evaluation? If all kissing is banned, will "air kissing" be included? How will this apply to French students, for whom the kiss-on-either-cheek is the routine greeting of acquaintances? Issues of cultural suppression may arise. As yet, no plans for a study of these issues have been announced.
Approximately 50 students participated in the Kiss In and whistles were used to call attention to the event. The use of whistles was an approved part of the event plan submitted to the SGA, but they were also suppressed by campus security officers. This led to at least one confrontation in which an officer reportedly said, "Shut the fuck up, asshole," regarding a student's unwillingness to throw away his whistle. Faculty advisor Professor Alex DeFazio, sensing the event was in danger of getting out of control, put an end to the escalating drama by calling students to a meeting room to discuss the event.
Complete coverage of the Kiss In conflict can be found on the College Voice website.
For editorial comment see http://tobygrace.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/a-kiss-is-just-a-kiss/