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Kara Bindus isn’t afraid to admit she’s a pan-sexual.

That means she may love someone, regardless of his or her gender identity or biological sex.

Her friends and family have been supportive, including the nearly 200 members of Pride! Kent.

She says LGBTQ minorities face stereotypes.

“It’s better to get to know somebody before you make an assumption about them,” Bindus said.

Bindus, herself, runs into trouble clarifying her sexuality. She often corrects people who mistakenly call her straight or gay.

People also assume a person’s sexuality, once believing Bindus and her friend were lesbians.

“A friend and I walked back home,” Bindus said. “We were linking arms, and we walked past Fraternity Row. There were guys outside who started hollering at us and asking us if we were gay and asking us to make out for them. It just made me mad.”

Stereotypes like this frustrate Bindus.

She says they don’t characterize everyone, only describing a few.

Now, they have become less of a problem.

“Stereotypes helped form an identity,” Bindus said, “But they’ve become more and more obsolete as LGBTQ identity has become more accepted in our society.”

While the stereotypes may be disappearing, LGBTQ people still search for equal rights in the prejudice they still encounter.

However, Bindus has found her identity and acceptance at Kent State.

“I don’t know if it’s because people are educated well enough to not assume somebody’s gender or sexuality, or if they just really don’t care,” Bindus said. “I feel like our campus is very accepting for the most part.”

Contact Doug Roger at [email protected].