Diversity Day is a day to educate and celebrate cultures, however, there are people who use hurtful remarks to get their point across. so it is unfortunate when the whole point of the even is missed due to a certain situation.

However, there are people who use hurtful remarks to get their point across.

Jenny Boylan comes to visit Corvallis

Many people know her as a superwoman, public speaker, and an inspiration. Other people know her as best-selling American author, political activist, professor of English at Colby College in Maine, and transgender woman.

Jennifer “Jenny” Boylan, born James Boylan, made a trip all the way from Maine to Oregon State University to discuss her books and how they related to her life and experiences. 

Sydney Carbaugh, an OSU student, had heard about Boylan’s book and found it to be uplifting. She is also the person who had gotten Boylan to come to OSU for a presentation.

“I found her book to be courageous and well written,” said Carbaugh, “I asked around to she if she toured. She helped to show me I shouldn’t hide who I am.”

This was Boylan’s first time being in Corvallis, but this was not her first time in Oregon. She had been up to Portland in 1982, when she was 24 years old.

“Being here again in Oregon, and even here in Corvallis is remarkable and a blessing,” said Boylan.

Boylan was born in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. She graduated from The Haverford School, a private all-boys prep school in Haverford, Pennsylvania in 1976. This made her now one of only a few female graduates of the school. 

She graduated from Wesleyan University in 1980 before completing graduate work in English at Johns Hopkins University.

She became a professor at Colby College in 1988, where she works to this day.

Boylan has made appearances in a variety of media outlets to discuss her life, books, and activism. She's been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live, The Today Show, 48 Hours, and NPR.

During her presentation, Boylan took the time to talk about her 2003 autobiography, She’s Not there: A life in Two Genders, and even took the time to read some sections of her book to the audience.

Boylan has written a total of 13 books, including novels, collections of short stories, and her autobiography. She has even written contributions to the op-ed section of The New York Times.

She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders, was the first book by a transgender American to become a bestseller. The book focuses on Boylan’s life as of now, and inner struggles of her life as a teenager. The book gives flashbacks of moments in her life where she felt conflicted.

“Many times when I was younger and growing up I had lost hope. It’s hard to be gay or lesbian, it’s even harder to be transgender,” said Boylan.

Boylan had done a couple readings for the audience from her autobiography. The chapter was titled, In the early monring rain.

 It had talked about how before she came out as a woman, it felt as if there was no one to turn to, and no one to tell what was really in her heart. After a few struggles with her identity, she came to the realization that, “it will get better.”

In another reading, Boylan describes a fencing match one of her two sons, Zach was invovled in. Causual conversation can turn into describing everything about yourself in a few moments.

“I will admit, sometimes I have to lie as a shortcut when people ask about me, it just saves time from telling my entire unique history,” said Boylan.

Boylan said that she hopes that the fact that her kids went from having a dad, to having a mom is more of a gift, rather than a curse. She wants to keep them open-hearted, rather than that of their peers.

She closed her presentation by telling her audience to educate everyone about things they don’t know.

“Be loving, read books, learn about this community,” said Boylan, “if you withhold support, you might be missing out, be welcoming, you have to know their whole story in order to open your heart.”

This is the 10^th anniversary of her autobiography, She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders, and she is proud to announce her new book, Stuck In The Middle with You, a memoir of parenting dealing with motherhood and fatherhood, is in bookstores now.

"The Underpants," comes to LBCC

 Someone should be applauded — Steve Martin, I imagine, and originating playwright Carl Sternheim — for the silky red bloomers, talk of young married women taking lovers, virile poets and sexual innuendo.

The hilarious theatrical play entitled, “Underpants,” was put on by LBCC’s theater department and was directed by Dan Stone.

The wide range of acting done by the cast, and spectacular stage design was enough to enjoy the show and constantly want more.

"The Underpants" is Martin's adaptation of Sternheim's 1910 farce "Die Hose" and is about what happens after something as seemingly simple as someone's bloomers falling down can cause such a scandal.

It's what happens to Louise Maske (Asia Lederer) as she's watching a parade for the king, much to the dismay of her no-nonsense, bookkeeper husband, Theo (Joe Hill), who thinks the scandal might cause him to lose his government job.

Instead, what the incident does do is attract two renters to the Maske home — poet Frank Versati (Abe Cusick) and barber Benjamin Cohen (T.J. Hagey). Of course, the two don't just want to rent a room.

What they really want to do is woo Louise. Apparently, her losing her bloomers has ignited an unquenchable passion in them for Louise, who is not yet pregnant after a year of marriage. Her sensible, not-so-passionate husband says they do not have enough money to have a child.

The Maskes' nosy neighbor, Gertrude (Kim Willaman), who is living vicariously through Louise, suggests Louise should take a lover and will help her do whatever it takes to achieve it.

Then there's Klinglehoff (Wolf Krebs), a scientist who wants nothing to do with bloomers, who also shows up during the comedy to rent a room. Heck, even the king (Craig Currier) decides to stop by in the end.

Asia Lederer, who plays Louise, is a jewel of a find. She's very animated, throwing facial gestures here and there and really overplaying her stage motions — perfect for a farce like this.

Joe Hill as Theo, paints a perfect picture of the attitude and thought process of what his character should have. The character of Theo is someone who thinks it's a man's job to take care of someone and to have a retirement account. Hill is confident on stage and excels in his timing.

Abe Cusick and T.J. Hagey make for some overly ardent, smarmy lovers, though both the characters do come off a little too much like caricatures.

Kim Willaman’s portrayal of the character, Gertrude is absolutely dead-on with high-energy as the nosy neighbor. Her character is always welcomed to the stage waiting to see how she’ll encourage Louise to be a bit more naughty.

There is a lot to like about "The Underpants," thanks to not only some funny characters but some funny lines, too, like when Theo says to old maid Gertrude during a moment of passion, "Rivers still flow from rusty pipes!" That's when she replies, "That is the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me!"

“The Underpants,” is still showing at the Russell Tripp Center at LBCC.  Performance dates are May 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m., and May 11 at 2 p.m. (ASL performance).

Ticket prices are $9 for adults, $7 for seniors and students, $5 for under 18 when accompanied by an adult.

Purchase online for no fee at www.linnbenton.edu/russelltripptheater, by phone at 541-917-4531, or at the theater box office the week prior to the performance.

I highly encourage everyone to go. It is a delightful production that has clever wit, some great theaterical acting, and innuendos for days to come.

At a glance:

Cast:

Director: Dan Stone

Louise: Asia Lederer

Theo: Joe Hill

Cohen: T.J. Hagey

Versati: Abe Cusick

Gertrude: Kim Willaman

Klinglehoff: Wolf Krebs

The King: Craig Currier