Battling queryphobia: Don't shy away from asking controversial questions

The world is not, in general, a comfortable place. So why does it seem that people around here, including myself, are always trying to pretend that it is? Many issues that are at the front of many people's minds constantly don't get spoken about. Or only get spoken about in certain "appropriate places." I'd like it if we'd all stop being so "appropriate" for a change.

For example, last week I went to a talk on the census undercount and how it disproportionately affects racial minorities and people in cities. Towards the end of the discussion, we received information on how we could volunteer to help in the census count, and people had an opportunity to ask questions about the census. One thing I wanted to know was if sexual orientation was going to be counted in the census. I've heard many debates and estimates that anywhere between one and 10 percent of the population is not straight, and I thought it would be great if it were included in the census. However, did I ask?

No. I chickened out. What if it's a dumb question? What if everyone in Robertson Bowl 6 looks at me weird? So now to make up for this mistake, I'm going to ask you all loudly, "Is sexual orientation going to be counted in the census?" Actually, I've looked it up, and no, it's not. So don't bother finding out for me. The thing is, I was not in a specifically "queer" place, we had not specifically gathered to talk about "queer" issues and so for some twisted reason, I didn't feel comfortable about asking a question about "queers."

What I worry about is that I'm not the only one keeping my mouth shut about important or even not-so-important issues. How many of you out there sometimes feel like you want to say something, only to decide not to because it might be volatile or slightly outside the topic that's being spoken about?

For example, in history class does anyone ask why the books we're reading include so few non-white points of view? When asked what we think about a certain article, does anyone mention that it's annoying that the male pronoun is used as if it's universal (outside of a gender class, that is)?

Does anyone think about reducing waste for a reason even if it's not specifically an "environmental reason"? In biology class, does anyone point out that the class portrays heterosexual animal sex as if that's the only kind of animal sex? (It's not.) Or is everyone narrowly focused and afraid to break out into "irreverent territory"?

Issues are talked about and complained about in specific groups all over campus everyday. People are really involved and become excited about them. However, what I notice is that some issues and experiences are talked about only by some groups in some places. The groups are great, but they can't be everything. If they are, we all miss out.

So the next time you hear someone say something meaningful that seems slightly off topic, perhaps a little awkward or even just a bit wacky, how about congratulating him or her?

And the next time something important occurs to you, but you think it might make you feel a little uncomfortable, how about saying it? Congratulations in advance from me. Catherine Archibald is an ecology and evolutionary biology major from New Rochelle, N.Y. She can be reached at archibld@princeton.edu.