Some student protests this week will be more affectionate than others.
MSU’s lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender community will end Pride Week with a march and kiss-in.
Tamar Jourian, a general management senior and member of the Alliance of Lesbian-Bi-Gay-Transgender and Straight Ally Students, said she thinks the week’s events promote unity for all students.
The week’s candlelight vigil was cancelled Sunday.
“I see it as bringing together all people of all sexual orientations and gender identities to celebrate and have pride,” she said.
Jourian said different colleges celebrate the week with various events during the spring or summer.
“With these events, we have tried to have serious educational material with ally training and the vigil, but at the same time have fun events with the drag show.”
Brody Residents in Great Harmony Together, or BRIGHT, is sponsoring the march and kiss-in.
“The kiss-in is meant to be a peaceful demonstration,” said Jacob Hoffman, a general management senior and BRIGHT president. “What everybody takes for granted with public displays of affection - we don’t have the opportunity. We just want to say, ‘Hey, look, we are regular people as well, and we want to take a stand. There is a lot more to being LBGT than what’s in the bedroom. There’s more to the relationship than that. It’s based on friendship and trust.”
Brent Bilodeau, MSU’s assistant for LBGT concerns, said he thinks the week’s events allow all students to learn more about issues affecting the LBGT community.
“I think that for allies, there is an opportunity to become educated,” he said. “There is an opportunity to take action and there is an opportunity to honor. In the state of Michigan, there has been a concentrated effort at the high school and university level to observe the day of silence as a state.”
Bilodeau said the week’s name differs depending on the university observing it.
“Pride Week is certainly what MSU has chosen to call its spring semester celebration of LBGT and ally people,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to look to the future and examine and explore what do we do next.”
