Bobby Lincoln, a junior English major, said he hasn’t been persecuted for his sexual preference.

“I don’t want to sound like I’ve been cheated or anything – I’m not complaining,” said Lincoln, the publicity director for PRIDE, an organization on campus promoting gay and lesbian awareness. “I just haven’t had the experience that others have had, and I can’t empathize the same way.”

Lincoln expected to discuss many issues facing homosexuals at a panel discussion from 8-10 p.m. Monday in the Arcola/Tuscola Room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. The event is the first of many scheduled for PRIDE Week.

Kelly Keyes, PRIDE president, and her father will participate in the panel discussion. Brittany Leslie, a sophomore sociology major, Jamie Fetty, a junior journalism major and Lincoln are among those on the panel.

Leslie said the discussion focuses on homosexuals and religion, how to ask a friend about sexual preference and gay adoption.

“That’s really the overall goal of PRIDE week,” Leslie said. “A lot of people come from smaller communities, and they’re not accepting. We want to help bring acceptance.”

But Lincoln said there has been a misconception about PRIDE.

“A lot of people think it’s just a support group where people share sob stories,” Lincoln said. “But we’re trying to find some unity – we’re doing this to bring awareness.”

Members of PRIDE use the term ally to describe a straight friend of a gay person. Ally, especially in the current political climate, is a term reserved for war. Lincoln said in some ways PRIDE is fighting a war for acceptance.