 "Photo: Jensen Power/Manitou Messenger")
On Oct. 11, people across the nation celebrated National Coming Out Day. The St. Olaf organization Gay Lesbian or Whatever! turned the day into a week of festivities that ran through Oct. 16.
The week’s events featured a talk about faith and sexuality with theologian, writer, poet and hymnist David Weiss. Weiss’s lecture focused on the public theology of sexuality, justice, diversity and peace. Tuesday featured a potluck with singer/songwriter Ellis ’89 at the SeedPod/Aaker House, followed by her concert in the Pause at 8 p.m. The potluck was restricted to vegan and gluten-free dishes, including tacos and brownies.
On Thursday, GLOW! held a Coming Out Week Community Party in Buntrock Crossroads. That evening, Richard Aviles ’13 conducted a workhop focusing on the issue of queer people of color. Discussion revolved around the history that queer people of color have brought to the LGBT movement.
“While it wasn’t very well attended, the lecture was still really good,” said Brian Walpole, a first year involved in GLOW!
A campuswide party for students at the Asian House, featuring a live DJ, concluded the week on Friday.
Jordan says that she has heard good feedback from students about the event.
“The lecture [on faith and sexuality] and workshop [on queer people of color] we sponsored both covered important issues for Oles. Ellis’ performance, the Community Time Celebration and the GLOW! Underground party all had great turnout and were a lot of fun,” Catey Jordan ‘11, one of the GLOW! coordinators
said.
Clayton Smith ’10 admits that he is not an active member of GLOW! but he does appreciate the events of the week, which have special meaning for him.
“My sophomore year, it was a big deal. I came back, and came out just before Coming Out Week. It was an exciting time for me, and it meant a lot to be able to celebrate with my peers,” Smith said. “But it’s not just about coming out as a queer person. It’s about coming out as an ally, or even coming out as a Republican, which would be a shock on this campus.”
Smith says he fully supports GLOW! and the events put on last week.
“Coming Out Week is really interesting on a campus that is already so supportive
of the community. It’s not a big deal to see a rainbow balloon arch.”
Smith says that he sees Coming Out Week as a great time for the community to
come together and celebrate.
“Even on Friday, at the party, it was so wonderful to see everyone together and celebrating. Some Carleton students came over as well. It was a unifying time and I enjoyed it.”
Planning for Coming Out Week began during the summer.
“Most of the planning happened in September with all the manual labor done the week before and of Coming Out Week,” Jordan said. “The most labor intensive event was the community time celebration.”
Walpole also brought up the possibility of gender-blind housing on campus in the
future, one thing that GLOW! is working toward this year.
“I’m not sure how accepting the Board of Regents will be to the idea, but it’s still a
dialogue worth having,” he said.
“From what I can tell, the atmosphere is very accepting and those who do have a problem keep their distance. I realize that we can’t change all minds all at once, but a constant water can cut through rocks, yeah?” Walpole said.
National Coming Out Day is organized by the Human Rights Campaign in the United States. Events that happen around the country include speak-outs, rallies and events that demonstrate that GLBT people walk through in all arenas of American life. Activism around a specific day began in 1987 when half a million people marched in Washington D.C. for lesbian and gay rights, which was the second movement of its type at the capital. The idea came from Rob Eichberg, one founder of the personal growth workshop The Experience, and from Jean O’Leary, head of the National Gay Rights Advocates. Between the two,
National Coming Out Day became a reality.
Upcoming events for GLOW! include ally trainings and the Day of Silence, anational day when individuals are silent in solidarity with those who suffer oppression for their sexual orientation. Other GLOW! events will include Drag Ball in the spring, Pride Week in March and Outfront Lobby Day in April.
southwor@stolaf.edu
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