The class, which is part of the English department, started in the fall term of the 2000-01 school year.

“I was asked to teach a course on contemporary fiction, and I proposed to teach it on contemporary gay male fiction,” Halperin said.

Halperin said the response to his class was disappointing.

“To find even gay male students treating my course on contemporary gay male fiction like academic business as usual was extremely discouraging, and I decided to try and figure out a new and better way to package gay male studies and queer theory for undergraduates at the University of Michigan — this course on ‘How to be Gay’ is the result of my thinking,” Halperin said.

The class has received national attention and has been a cause for controversy, most recently this past summer.

Gary Glenn, president of the Michigan affiliate of the conservative American Family Association, renewed his crusade against Halperin’s classes, urging the governor to “stop letting homosexual activists use our tax dollars to subsidize this militant political agenda.”

Halperin acknowledges that the class is controversial, but said it has had no effect on the class itself.

Halperin said he thinks the class will not have a positive or negative effect on gay rights.

However, it is not likely that Marquette students will see a similar class in their curriculum.

“I personally think it would be hard to get such a class,” said junior Michael Maloney, president of Marquette’s Gay/Straight Alliance. “Many people here may have a problem with the promotion of the ‘gay lifestyle.'”

Thomas H. Wenzel, vice provost for undergraduate programs, said any potential course has to pass through a number of steps before it enters the classroom.

“For any course to be considered, it first has to satisfy the appropriate criteria of academic rigor used by department curriculum committees,” he said. “Marquette is committed to academic freedom and encourages dialogue and discussion, even when this at times comes into conflict with teachings of the Catholic Church.”

While “How to be Gay” is not meant to promote gay rights, Maloney feels the class could have adverse effects on gay rights.

“This class in particular is not very good for gay rights,” Maloney said. “One part of coming out as homosexual or bisexual is to be true to yourself.”

Maloney thinks the class puts too much of an emphasis on teaching people how to act a certain way.

“Culture defines people with stereotypes,” Maloney said. “Being gay does not mean that we will live up to these stereotypes. The only thing you really have to learn is how to accept yourself.”

Marquette’s Catholic roots have come into play in the past surrounding controversial issues.

“Marquette is moving in a positive direction in accepting homosexuality, but these topics are very touchy in the religious community,” Maloney said.