April Fools’ met with mixed reception

Let me first begin by saying I read your April 1 edition of the Wildcat and I found it very clever and humorous, with the exception of your “”Prideful Alliance”” segment. Today, I read your editorial note regarding the matter, and was really hoping you would have addressed that your story was rather uncouth.

Instead, you indicated the ordeal was merely a misunderstanding, which does not sit right with me. Referring to the story’s reception as a misunderstanding blatantly mocks the intelligence of your readers, while adding unneeded sarcastic undertones. It saddens me that you, the editor, could not be professional by simply acknowledging it was written in poor taste.

As a trusted source of news on campus, I feel it is your obligation to step up and do the right thing by actually addressing the issue instead of tiptoeing around it. Not only did you neglect to publish any of the letters you claimed to have received regarding this story, you went about your official response in the wrong manner. I feel personally insulted that you would think I misunderstood your tasteless article.

I read the Wildcat daily as a Pima transfer student slated to attend the university in the fall. I have always had great respect for the Daily Wildcat; however, I can assure you I am less likely to read your publication in the future.

— Greg Daniels, Pre-physiology sophomore

LGBTQ community deserves sensitivity, respect

My name is Christopher Uhrig and I wanted to bring up an issue about the recent publication on April Fools’ Day. I am Director of Social Justice for Hopi-Graham/Greenlee Hall council, a member of Advocates Coming Together and also a member of the LGBTQ community and Pride Alliance. I have met with LGBTQ Affairs Program Director Jennifer Hoefle and Social Justice Education Coordinator Hannah Lozon to talk about this and we agreed that I need to write to you directly.

I have participated in many Pride Alliance activities and also identify as openly bisexual. I recently went through Safe Zone Training, an extensive session, so I am an ally and someone that creates a safe space for members of the LGBTQ community. I am specifically talking about the article titled “”Fabulous Takeover. “”

Especially with Safe Zone training that had just happened, I don’t feel as if that article was appropriate. It calls Pride Alliance the “”Prideful Alliance,”” a simple joke as a name has a great effect on people. Sometimes Pride Alliance is all that a student has to feel safe, and when it is attacked as it such was, it takes away the promised security. The article also makes fun of the LGBTQ acronym and replaces it with LGTQAAA5Q(upside down question mark)TL. This acronym has gone through many changes and is still under revision but adding those nonsensical numbers and symbols to an extremely powerful symbol was simply unnecessary.

Implements of many stereotypical remarks and ideas were placed on the entire LGBTQ community. Things such as rainbow colors and glitter remarks were made. As a social justice advocate and member of the LGBTQ community, I can vouch for one person only and that is myself; no one is allowed to speak for an entire group. It is unethical to place a stereotype on an entire population because, as we both know, that is not correct.

Despite popular belief, a person does not have to be LGBTQ to like rainbows and glitter, have idols such as Cher, and say things like “”gurl.””

Again, this is extremely rude and a stab at the LGBTQ community. I don’t feel that the Daily Wildcat has the right to make fun of a group that the UA clearly supports. Articles such as this should not be able to go out the student body because this implies that, as students of this university, we are allowing others to put down a group of individuals.

— Christopher Uhrig, Pride Alliance member