GAY, LESBIAN AWARENESS WEEK STARTS

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Gay and Lesbian Student Association at Southeast Missouri State University will sponsor a series of activities this week during the fourth annual Gay and Lesbian Awareness Week.

The planned activities are aimed at increasing awareness of homosexual and lesbian issues and people, organizers said.

The week of activities will include showings of three documentary films "Out in Suburbia: The Stories of 11 Lesbians," "Pink Triangles," and "We Are Family: Gay Parenting and Foster Parenting" throughout the day on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

A panel discussion is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Crisp Hall auditorium.

The discussion will focus on "Gay and Lesbian Rights Activism" and will include activists representing the Privacy Rights Education Project, Human Rights Project, Lesbian/Gay Pride Celebration Committee of St. Louis and the Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays organization.

On Thursday, Barbara Fittings will present "Gay and Smiling: Tips From My 32 years of Gay Rights Activism" in the Riverboat Room of the University Center at 7:30 p.m.

Fittings, a Philadelphia native, was involved in the founding of the New York chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis in 1958. She also served on the board of directors of the National Gay Task Force from 1973-86, and headed the Gay Task Force of the American Library Association from 1971-86.

All of this week's events are open to the public.