AMANDA DEDIE
News Editor
October 1 marks the beginning of LGBT History Month or, as Fredonia’s Pride Alliance renamed it last year, Queer History Month. The Price Alliance at Fredonia and the Student Association have partnered to provide the campus with a number of fun and educational events to celebrate the month and the history of those who fall on the queer spectrum.
According to lgbthistorymonth.com, “in 1994, Rodney Wilson, a Missouri high school teacher, believed a month should be dedicated to the celebration and teaching of gay and lesbian history, and gathered other teachers and community leaders. They selected October because public schools are in session and existing traditions, such as Coming Out Day (October 11), occur that month.”
Maegan Clark, a senior majoring in visual arts and new media with a focus in photography and minoring in women and gender studies, as well as a member of Pride, said, “…We decided switch it to Queer History Month to be more inclusive. It’s really all about the history of the gay rights movement and queer rights and how we got to this point from being more marginalized, I guess you could say, to coming out to an open environment.”
There are some events like Dragapalooza which took place on Oct. 2, and Oct. 11 was the official National Coming Out Day, which Pride celebrated it on Monday, Oct. 12, so as to have it on a school day.
“National Coming Out Day is used for people coming out about their sexual orientation and identities,” said Brandon Harris, a junior majoring in video production and president of the Pride Alliance at Fredonia. “It’s important because a lot of people aren’t out, and this gives them a place to come out and safely come out, whether it just be on campus or just to themselves.”
“It’s just a day for everyone to see that we’re coming out and we’re proud … and to say ‘we’re here and we’re not staying in the closet anymore,’” Clark added, “and to also … let everyone know that there is a support system for those who don’t feel comfortable coming out but can hear these stories of people coming out and not having a bad time.”
On Oct. 14 there will be a presentation of The Laramie Project at 7 p.m. in McEwen 202. The Laramie Project is a play about the murder of gay University of Wyoming student, Matthew Shepard, in 1998 in Laramie, Wyoming. The play documents the murder as well as the overall reaction to it.
Ace 101, or Asexuality Awareness, is on Oct. 19 at the McEwen table from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
A Poetry Slam for Trans Awareness will be on Oct. 22 in McEwen 209, starting at 6 p.m.
Diversity Concert featuring Dream Wolf will be on Oct. 23 in McEwen G26, starting at 8 p.m.
Bi 101, or Bisexuality Awareness, is on Oct. 26 at the McEwen table from 9 a.m. – p.m.
The closing ceremony for the month will be on Oct. 29, featuring Vivek Shraya, a Canadian singer-songwriter and short story writer. The ceremony begins at 3:30 p.m. in Williams Center S204ABC, which then segues into a dinner reception in the Horizon Room, starting at 6 p.m.
The grand finale of the month is a performance of the Rocky Horror Picture Show on Oct. 30 in McEwen 202 at 8 p.m.
These events are free and open to all students on campus.
Mac McCrady, a senior majoring in social work and minoring in sociology and a member of Pride, said, “I hope [people] learn to support those who are of that spectrum, because I’m gonna say 99 percent of people have … someone they know somewhere on the spectrum, and they need to know that they should accept that person as they are and love them as they are, and it doesn’t matter to you that they’re different.”