Dressed in colors of the rainbow Friday afternoon, about 50 students gathered at the rock on Farm Lane holding signs with phrases such as “Don’t Legislate Hate” and “Homophobia is Gay.”
The group participated in the Pride March, organized by lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender students at MSU to demonstrate support and promote visibility of their community. Other events celebrated throughout Pride Week included ally training, a drag show and a National Day of Silence.
Tamar Jourian, a member of the Alliance for Lesbian-Bi-Gay-Transgendered and Straight Ally Students, said Pride Week helped promote unity. “It brought together all the caucuses and created a network,” the general management senior said. “It was beneficial for the LBGT community and it brought us together.”
The marchers repeated several chants and cheers, including “Liberation - queer invasion” and “I’m not a he, I’m not a she, what I am is up to me,” as they headed down Auditorium Road to Physics Road to Dormitory Road and out to Bogue Street.
On Bogue Street, they stopped in front of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and began to sing, “Two, four, six, eight, gay is just as good as straight.”
The fraternity was temporarily suspended Wednesday after members wore pink, sleeveless T-shirts to the Mason and Abbot halls cafeterias with phrases such as “Fag Hairstylist” and “I like little boys.” The MSU chapter’s national fraternity is investigating possible violations of its national anti-hazing and anti-discrimination policies.
Jacob Hoffman, a general management senior and president of BRIGHT, Brody Residents in Great Harmony Together, said the week allowed LBGT students to express themselves on campus.
“We are people’s roommates, classmates, mentors and executive board members of student organizations,” he said. “We are a lot of the movers and shakers on campus.”
The group then marched to Grand River Avenue before heading to the Administration Building, in front of which they held a Kiss-In. A game of spin the bottle was played as people of all sexual orientations displayed affection.
