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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, April 13, 1993                   TAG: 9304130363
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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MEN GET LESSON IN UNDERSTANDING

IN RESPONSE to Ed Shamy's March 24 column concerning gays in Wasena Park:

He seems annoyed that he can't even sit in his car in the park and read the morning paper without getting ogled at by gays. Well, don't blame it on gays. That's just their nature to want to have sex with a man. They can't help it.

No doubt, this response seems ridiculous to many. I don't see why it should. It is the rationale that has been used for centuries to justify sexual harassment of women by men.

Shamy, I sympathize with you because you can't even do your own thing without being bothered by gays. But think about this: How would you feel if your gay oglers were twice as strong as you and 50 pounds heavier? Be glad you have only irritation instead of fear of sexual violence.

You say, "My rights to use my park, or my sidewalk, or my street, must yield to permit a sexual aggressor the right to exercise his." I agree wholeheartedly that this is unfair. We should be outraged that your rights are tromped on like this. But women have always had to forfeit their rights to walk on the sidewalk alone in the dark. We have always been ogled at and leered at. Why don't you take it as a compliment that men want to have sex with you? That's what women have always been told.

I don't advocate gays eyeing men, looking for sexual partners. However, maybe aggressive gays will help men to understand a little better the sexual oppression that women have always faced. RUTHY WOODRING EMORY

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