RSSGroups educate campus during LGBTQA month
By Annamaria Anselmo
Issue date: 10/24/08 Section: News
div id=articleBody>Students are organizing events to spread awareness and increase knowledge about October's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Questioning and Ally History Month.
The Rainbow Room, the student-run club Spectrum and the Women's Center are hosting events, such as tailgates and lectures, in conjunction with the history month.
"This month is about learning about LGBTQA people and their history. The best way to describe it would be a mix of awareness, history and education," said Timothy Gardner, director of LGBTQA Programs and Outreach.
The groups are hoping to increase knowledge on campus.
"I think it's a good way to reflect on how far we've come but at the same time how far we have left to go," said Daniel Bahner, '09.
Events include the Alan Turing: Enigmatic Gay Genius lecture, Safe Zone Training and the LGBT Domestic Violence discussion promote education, and the National Coming Out Day picnic.
"It's a way to be visible and have fun," said Shelly Harris, '09.
Each year LGBTQA presents new activities during October.
"We try to touch on a lot of people because we cover all spectrums of life," Gardner said. "Next year we might add some more spiritual and religious connections with our events."
LGBTQA students said they use this month to reflect on the individuals attacked for their sexual orientation, such as the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard.
"There are some tough truths about our history, like with the Holocaust where we were slaughtered and the gay witch hunts of McCarthyism," Gardner said. "But we have a flourishing history as well, as far as people go."
Jill Franco, a graduate assistant in the office of LGBTQA Programs and Outreach and a former high school social studies teacher, said some sexual identities are not taught in class.
"I think in general we have a tendency to forget or ignore the history of people who are identified as queer," Franco said.
In an effort to spread information, LGBTQA services and Spectrum use fliers, Web sites and advertisements, such as the banner that is hanging over Memorial Drive this month.
"It's really cool to see the banner over Memorial Drive," Harris said. "I saw a tour group walk past it, talking about it. It really draws attention to the issues and it shows people that we are here on campus."
LGBTQA activities are open to all students throughout the year.
"It's a good way to open up the community to diversification and it gives the campus a sense of importance," said Rebecca Isacowitz, '09. "I have been to one or two events during my freshman year. One of my friends is very active in LGBTQA and it meant a lot to him that I went."
LGBTQA is a Lehigh department that is nationally recognized under LGBTQIA, which stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Questioning, Intersex and Ally.
"We want more than tolerance; we want acceptance," Bahner said.
The Rainbow Room, the student-run club Spectrum and the Women's Center are hosting events, such as tailgates and lectures, in conjunction with the history month.
"This month is about learning about LGBTQA people and their history. The best way to describe it would be a mix of awareness, history and education," said Timothy Gardner, director of LGBTQA Programs and Outreach.
The groups are hoping to increase knowledge on campus.
"I think it's a good way to reflect on how far we've come but at the same time how far we have left to go," said Daniel Bahner, '09.
Events include the Alan Turing: Enigmatic Gay Genius lecture, Safe Zone Training and the LGBT Domestic Violence discussion promote education, and the National Coming Out Day picnic.
"It's a way to be visible and have fun," said Shelly Harris, '09.
Each year LGBTQA presents new activities during October.
"We try to touch on a lot of people because we cover all spectrums of life," Gardner said. "Next year we might add some more spiritual and religious connections with our events."
LGBTQA students said they use this month to reflect on the individuals attacked for their sexual orientation, such as the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard.
"There are some tough truths about our history, like with the Holocaust where we were slaughtered and the gay witch hunts of McCarthyism," Gardner said. "But we have a flourishing history as well, as far as people go."
Jill Franco, a graduate assistant in the office of LGBTQA Programs and Outreach and a former high school social studies teacher, said some sexual identities are not taught in class.
"I think in general we have a tendency to forget or ignore the history of people who are identified as queer," Franco said.
In an effort to spread information, LGBTQA services and Spectrum use fliers, Web sites and advertisements, such as the banner that is hanging over Memorial Drive this month.
"It's really cool to see the banner over Memorial Drive," Harris said. "I saw a tour group walk past it, talking about it. It really draws attention to the issues and it shows people that we are here on campus."
LGBTQA activities are open to all students throughout the year.
"It's a good way to open up the community to diversification and it gives the campus a sense of importance," said Rebecca Isacowitz, '09. "I have been to one or two events during my freshman year. One of my friends is very active in LGBTQA and it meant a lot to him that I went."
LGBTQA is a Lehigh department that is nationally recognized under LGBTQIA, which stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Questioning, Intersex and Ally.
"We want more than tolerance; we want acceptance," Bahner said.
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