‘Corduroy Skirts Are A Sin’: Student Protest Gains International Attention

ABC News on Campus reporter Julia Aubuchon blogs:
‘Corduroy Skirts Are A Sin’: They’re the five words that drew a crowd of more than 50 and a Facebook group of more than 3,000. Standing behind it all is Syracuse University junior Christopher Pesto. Pesto, an acting major at S.U., created a sign stating ‘Corduroy Skirts Are A Sin’ in response to the outfit worn by an evangelist demonstrator, Michelle Deferio, who was accompanied by her father Jim Deferio. They appear on campus from time to time, and on this particular day both held signs that read ‘Homosexuality Is Sin.’ Though Pesto began protesting alone, soon dozens of students were by his side with signs of their own, chanting S.U. was ‘No Place For Hate’ or ‘Honk If You’re Gay’ late into the cold November night.
 
Now, almost a month later, Pesto said the accolades just keep pouring in. “I have gotten probably about 60 Facebook friend requests every day since the blogs have started, it’s just spread more and more,” Pesto said. “I’m getting friend requests from people saying they’re from Ireland and Spain, saying that they’ve read about me.”
 
But international recognition isn’t the most surprising result of Pesto’s spur-of-the-moment signage.  “I think probably the most shocking thing that I’ve been hearing from people is they keep saying ‘You’re my hero.’  It’s so odd to hear it because I was just being myself,” said Pesto. “I was just doing a witty act like I normally would. I never thought twice about it.”
 
In fact the response was so overwhelming students have begun making shirts of their own bearing those same five words: Corduroy Skirts Are A Sin. “We have contacted a few major clothing companies (we can't use names as they have not committed to anything yet) who seem to be interested if the Human Rights Campaign is interested,” Syracuse University senior and Pesto’s roommate Sarah Olbrantz wrote to ABC News on Campus in an e-mail. “As of right now, the Entrepreneur Club at Syracuse University has taken over the T-shirt making. They have created a Web site, which can be found on their Facebook group. They will process all orders, including shipping if people out of state want to order a shirt, also including a 20 percent donation to the HRC.” The HRC has yet to officially endorse the T-shirt.
 
Pesto’s rally even reached the ears of popular gossip columnist Perez Hilton, who later featured a link about the story on his personal Web site. “People's interest in this astounds me and I think it speaks volumes about its message,” wrote Olbrantz. “We are all human beings on this earth attempting to live life the best we can — love each other, no matter what.”
 
With close to 100 people placing orders for the shirts in a matter of days and more than 3,180 members in the Facebook group, it’s evident that support has spread fast. But Pesto says he still doesn’t see himself as a hero. “I’d rather just look at it as an inspiration to people,” Pesto said, “that anyone can do it. Because I know that if I did it, and I’m getting this response from so many people, that anybody can start something. That’s pretty much what I want – to inspire people to not be afraid, and that they’re not alone.”