A nationwide tour of “Love Makes a Family: Living in Lesbian and Gay Families” has arrived at the Margaret Sloss Women’s Center.

The “traveling photograph-text exhibit” depicts 20 families of all races, all with gay or lesbian family members.

“I was very excited to bring this exhibit to [Iowa State]. Not only is it another opportunity to increase visibility and awareness of LGBT issues, but it is done in a creative and beautiful way,” said Curt Lund, vice president of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Ally Alliance and freshman in graphic design.

The display’s opening day reception was held immediately after Leslea Newman, author of more than 25 books, presented a lecture about lesbian/gay issues at the Memorial Union last Thursday. The purpose of this photo-text display is to break down the stereotypes that are sometimes associated with being a gay or lesbian parent.

Lund takes issue with the ideology that homosexuals are “unfit to raise children.”

“They are just as fit, and sometimes more so, than heterosexual parents,” he said. “As [subject of the exhibit] Liza, a little girl being raised by lesbian moms, said, ‘A family is a bunch of people, or not so many, who love each other.'”

For those who are interested in seeing the exhibit, time is winding down. It originally was scheduled for display until Feb. 10, but the exhibit will now be taken down this Friday to be shipped to Des Moines.

The exhibit, which is in the front parlor of the Sloss House, is free and open to the public.

“I am pleased with the turnout so far, especially at the reception on Jan. 29, but no matter how many people view the exhibit, I wish more would take advantage of it,” Lund said. “It is incredibly rare that something like this is here, so I encourage anyone interested to come and take a look.”

The exhibit contains black and white photographs of gay and lesbian family members.

Some of the photographs are accompanied by text, which describes the trials and rewards of being in a family with a gay or lesbian member.

“I want them to know there are people who accept us, and there are many other kids with families like ours,” said Miriam Lavender, a subject of one of the photos, in reference to her young children.

Allan Arnaboldi, another photo subject and a gay elementary school teacher, tries to denounce gender stereotypes in his teachings. He said he feels the myth that gay teachers encourage children to be gay is “unjust.”

“Being gay is not a choice,” Arnaboldi said.

Pamela Thomas, director of the Women’s Center, said the center has received positive reactions concerning the exhibit.

Thomas said people have commented on “how beautiful the pictures are for one, and how moving the stories are.” She said a mix of ISU students and Ames residents have viewed the exhibit.

Lund agreed that he also has heard positive feedback about the exhibit.

“People really got into the families’ stories and found the pictures beautiful,” Lund said. “Several people have mentioned to me that they are glad this specific issue, lesbian and gay parents and families, can be addressed so positively.”

Thomas said people who view the exhibit can learn about the love that a gay/lesbian-membered family share in spite of the extreme prejudice it may face.

“There’s an expansive definition of what a family is, and the main thing is that people love each other,” Thomas said.

Lund said he hopes those who view the exhibit realize that love is the most important thing in a family.

“Hopefully, students, staff and faculty at ISU can come to the realization that the common ground between traditional families and alternative families is just that — love,” Lund said.