Diversity Week offers LGBT awareness events

The week of Oct. 6-10 is LGBT Diversity Week at Boise State University. Events will surround themes of diversity particular to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered issues.

The week is in conjunction with National Coming Out Day, observed Oct. 10.Event participants have the opportunity to do everything from witnessing a same-sex civil union (cake provided) to attending a screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

This year, LGBT Diversity is sponsored by the Cultural Center, with specific events sponsored by the Women’s Center and BGLAD, a student organization that works to promote LGBT issues.

“First and foremost, we provide a safe space for people, including straight allies, to meet others who can relate to their feelings and experiences,” BGLAD President April Hoy said. “We provide a space where people can simply be who they are without having to explain the basics.”

The Associated Students of Boise State University first recognized LGBT Diversity Week in the fall of 2005.

“When we first tried to get ASBSU to officially recognize the week, there were a few very vocal opponents,” Hoy said. “We were really moved by how many people from other pro-diversity and progressive groups came to show their support.”

Student participants in BGLAD feel that events such as Diversity Week allow the campus community to acknowledge the presence of LGBT students.

“I feel it is vital for students to understand that LGBT students are first and foremost people like everyone else,” H. Casey Sievers, psychology major and vice president of BGLAD said. “We have the same insecurities, fears and worries that all college students do.”

“Our mission is to raise awareness and do programming for issues that are found in underrepresented groups,” Cultural Center Coordinator Ro Parker said. “The LGBT student community on campus is definitely underrepresented and we are committed to raising awareness about issues that affect them.”

Parker and the Cultural Center have received mostly positive feedback from LGBT students and their allies about sustaining and sponsoring the event.

“It was, of course, very nice to hear that students appreciate it, but I want them to understand that they should hold this university responsible for educating its students about these issues,” Parker said. “All of our students have the right to feel represented on campus, especially those that have been historically ignored or marginalized.”

What does that mean?

GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Questioning/Queer)
An acronym that groups several marginalized sexual/gender minorities. While these groups are collected under one heading, it’s important to understand and respect the distinctions among them.

Transgendered
Refers to people who do not easily fit into male/man or the female/woman categories.

Transsexuals
These people may live full time as the gender they identify with instead of the gender they were born into. It’s usually correct to refer to a person by the gender they identify with (male/female) instead of as “transsexual.”

Gay and Lesbian
Exclusively attracted to members of the same sex. The term “gay” can be used referring exclusively to men or as a blanket term for either gender. The term “lesbian” refers only to women attracted to other women.

Source – “GLBTQ. Who are We? Who Are You?” pamphlet provided by BGLAD.

LINDSEY RHODES-PURDY
ARBITER JOURNALIST

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