Today as I was walking to the Oakland Center on Oakland University’s campus I went to purchase my school books and was confronted by loud and personally offensive public-playing music.

95.5 had a booth with speakers blasting the song “Lose Yourself” by Eminem. I understand that rap music is a very valued genre for many different individuals. I know it has played and still does play a very big role in people’s lives. It has broken down social barriers, challenged the standards set against groups unfairly and has given them a voice to rise against and be heard when no one listens. Not to mention rap music has provided an income to many aspiring and now influential music artists, making them advocates for themselves and sometimes helping them to give back to their communities.

The song “Lose Yourself” may not be completely bad; but it derives from an artist with a history of making gay slurs within his lyrics and also even sometimes making degrading and even violent connotations towards women. Being gay myself and having a biological mother who was raped, I feel strongly that the music being played and promoted was inconsiderate of my feelings and of my family’s.

The song was amplified in a public area and I had no choice but to hear it. It is one thing to have music playing voluntarily and people listening and enjoying it in a closed setting. But it is another thing when there are people involuntarily being forced to listen to it in an open setting so that others can enjoy it who are not affected by its negative nature.

Public means appropriate. And that is how is should be.

It may come to your surprise, but I do like rap. There are rap artists out there who include rather than exclude and respect and protect the feelings of others. Brother Ali, for example, is a rapper and advocate for women in his lyrics. He supports minority groups and even has positive things to say about gay people. That includes myself, and it makes me so happy knowing that I am being treated like an equal. It makes me want to be outside and not be afraid of anything hurtful coming my way. I am able to enjoy the surrounding areas of the university, and feel right in my place.

AJ is a 2nd-year transfer student studying women and gender studies.