On September 20, the first lecture in Carnegie Mellon University's OUTSpoken discussion series took place. OUTSpoken discussions are run by SoHo, the University's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered (GLBT) resource center.

This particular discussion featured Matthew Pratter and Tina Ammons, juniors at Duquesne University, who worked to create an underground GLBT/Straight alliance at their school. Duquesne is a Catholic university that is located in downtown Pittsburgh.

The journey towards an alliance started in freshman year for Pratter. He had asked around about a GLBT organization, but no one gave him a real answer. Around campus, he saw men donning shirts that said "Duquesne: It's all about pride!" In actuality, the shirts were not about gay pride, but rather football.

"It was really confusing!  It took me awhile to figure out what they really meant," said Pratter.

When he tried to initially start a GLBT organization a year ago, the school suggested alternative organizations, such as a religious counseling center. Pratter almost gave up until his school paper published an article suggesting that penguins with the "gay gene" could be genetically "fixed." The implication was that gay humans could be fixed as well. For him, that was the final straw. In response, Pratter wrote an article voicing his opinion, figuring he would be asked to leave a school he did not like at the time. Instead, the campus showed him a great deal of support and respect. English staff member Michelle Gaffey actually approached him about creating an underground alliance.

The alliance, which has been communicating with its members through websites such as Yahoo.com and Facebook.com, saw sixty people at its first meeting, although numbers have dropped due to summer break. Gaffey has been scheduling rooms, and the alliance has relied on those instead of an actual office to meet in. On September 21, 2005, the organization was set to meet with the president of Duquesne about becoming a recognized organization at the University. 

"We basically have made it to the point where they say we can exist.  Right now, we're determining how," said Pratter.

While some members of the Duquesne campus community did not agree with Pratter's actions, their response was something to be admired. No student groups have protested against the creation of the alliance; those who do not want it around have been described as not caring enough to do anything against it besides letter writing. Both Pratter and Ammons described all dissent as courteous and respectful.

"I had expected to meet with a lot of resistance," said Pratter. "I didn't expect the kind that I got."

The only major complaint came not from on campus, but rather from Pastor Fred Phelps, who threatened to protest outside of this passing spring's graduation. Phelps is pastor of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, which is known for going across the country to picket against homosexuality. Pratter found Phelps' threat to be something of a badge of honor.

"I personally am deeply honored," he said, even though Phelps never showed up.

After telling the story of how the alliance came to be, the floor was opened for questions.  One of the first questions asked was about what sorts of activities would happen if the organization received approval. Pratter answered honestly that they had "spent so much time focusing on how we're going to exist that we haven't thought much about what we'll do once we do."

"I want to have a nice meet and great party and have the slogan be 'we are the rainbow at the end of the thunderstorm,'" said Ammons.

Another person asked if Pratter and Ammons knew which departments gave the most support. Pratter explained that, while the English and psychology departments gave the most support, all of the departments had supporters here and there. When asked why Pratter went to Duquesne in the first place, Pratter stated that his parents had played up the academics and that he had not realized just how Catholic the university was before he arrived. He described the Catholic roots of the university as "engrained." For example, at Duquesne, alcohol is forbidden, there is no mention of sex, and all freshmen must be signed into their dorms by midnight.

One person asked about why the students chose to start this alliance. Ammons, who grew up in the Greater Pittsburgh area and went to North Catholic High School, replied that she had learned what sort of power she had once she left high school. At North Catholic, there are no "out" gays or lesbians.

"I have a voice and I don't need to keep my mouth shut. I should not have to keep quiet.  That's not right," said Ammons.

When asked about family support, Pratter shared his family's reactions to his work with the alliance. Once his sister found out what he was doing via a search on Google.com, her response was simply, "You are a rock star!" His parents, while not as enthusiastic, have grown to the idea of what their son has done.

"It took until now for them to be ready for me to do this," Pratter said. "It was lucky it took me this long, too."

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