Public administration and public policy junior Ryan Tisdale and professional writing senior Amara Vear have a pat-a-cake competition with each other Sunday afternoon in the Student Services gardens. The annual “Picnic and Gaymes” was held Sunday as part of National Coming Out Day events.
—A week of games, dancing and community events is aimed to have a deeper educational undertone for many MSU students.
Monday marks National Coming Out Day, and groups at MSU will host several events to raise awareness of the LBGT community throughout the week.
National Coming Out Day is celebrated annually on Oct. 11. Nick Pfost, chair of the Alliance of Queer & Ally Students, said each year on-campus LBGT groups sponsor events for the week in order to incorporate all the events.
“It’s a week to raise awareness about specific issues and to bring amazing opportunities to campus,” Pfost said. “There are so many organizations on campus — to try to fit everything in one day would be a logistical nightmare. It makes more of a presence when we’re making this a weeklong event.”
One of the annual events, Picnic and Gaymes, took place Sunday at the Student Services garden. Spectrum, West Circle PRIDE and Michigan Pride sponsored the event.
This is the first year Michigan Pride is helping with the events at MSU.
Students met for free lunch and games, such as bocce ball, as well as an opportunity to meet other members of the LBGT community.
“The more people you meet (who are) like you, the more comfortable you’ll feel and the less isolated,” astrophysics freshman Anthony Suna said. “Awareness pushes us in the right direction.”
Other events include Out and Famous: Tyler Oakley, a presentation by the MSU student and YouTube video blogger about his experience coming out as well as free bowling, ‘Out’ Politicians, featuring openly LBGT politicians, and culminating with a masquerade ball on Saturday.
Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh, Ann Arbor City Councilwoman Sandi Smith, Ingham County Commissioner Brian McGrain and Oakland County Commissioner Dave Coulter will speak
during ‘Out’ Politicians at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday in Club Spartan at Case Hall.
Because the politicians are open publicly about their self-identified sexual preferences, Pfost said it’s important for LBGT community members, especially those who have not yet come out, to hear what they have to say.
“(There are) really positive role models who are openly gay and are going to share their experiences,” Pfost said. “It’s important to have positive role models, especially in this community where people feel they are less than human because of how other people treat them or say to treat them.”
For those who do not identify as LBGT, these events offer opportunities for education about LBGT issues and culture, Pfost said.
“It’s not just textbook knowledge,” Pfost said. “It’s a lot of experiential knowledge. … It’s difficult to blanket hate people when you have more personal, meaningful (and) very normal interaction with people of the group you have negative feelings about.”
Amara Vear, president of Spectrum, said the events
also have the potential to impact positively LBGT community members.
“A lot of students still don’t feel that MSU is safe — they don’t feel comfortable coming out,” Vear said. “I hope (these events) show people that there’s a presence of LBGT
individuals. … There are safe places for them, and it shows that there are a lot of others out there at MSU.”
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A full listing of events can be found online at lbgtc.msu.edu _
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