More than 200 people attended the Lesbian, Bi, Gay, Transgender and Straight Ally Students student welcome reception and Solidarity Slam Wednesday to support and acknowledge LBGT identity and concerns.
The event included a reception, statewide resource fair, welcome address and a variety of performances.
The gathering hosted more than 45 campus and statewide alliance-affirming organizations, including MSU College Democrats, Multi-Racial Unity Living Experience, People Respecting the Individuality of Students at MSU, Spartan Vote, National Organization for Women and Edgewood United Church of Christ.
"We put all the groups on campus in conversation with each other, that's how really great ideas are made," said Jon Hoadley, chairman of the alliance. "I hope students are picking up the message that a lot of people did a lot of work to help make sure they're doing the best in college."
Solidarity Slam was complete with a drag show, numerous open mic performers and performances from the Greater Lansing Gay Men's Chorus, and Sistrum, a Lansing women's chorus.
The reception included introductions of new campus leaders and showcased new campus initiatives.
Some of the new initiatives include a scholarship for students of color in the alliance, an initiative to expand alliance discussion panels in every hall, and more support for bisexual identities, said Brent Bilodeau, assistant for the Office of LBGT Concerns.
Bilodeau also said the MSU LBGT community would like to pay special attention to students with multiple identities.
Edtrineise Page, secretary of Same Gender Loving Students of Color, Internationals and Allies, elaborated on the isolation she feels within the black community.
"It's like being outcast from the whole society," said Page, a social work and psychology junior.
T.J. Jourian, graduate assistant to the Office of LBGT Concerns, and others are starting an online peer connection program to help students who are not yet out feel a sense of community.
"There's a significant segment of the population that we can't access with student organizations," he said. "It's that segment of the population that are in the closet, are questioning, or just aren't comfortable being out in public for whatever reason."
Hoadley said the new online program is on the cutting edge of what's being done for students to be comfortable at MSU.
Supporting transgender issues is and has been on the agenda for the LBGT community. This year, a new campus transgender support group has been formed called Phi Tau Mu, which is the letters FTM in English, representing female to male.
The LBGT community is also facing the ballot initiative to ban gay marriage.
"The ballot proposal and the way it's being touted is very misleading. It's just really hateful," computer engineering sophomore and president of Respecting Individuals on Neutral Ground Jason Bryans said. "MSU currently has domestic partnership benefits for all employees, but the constitutional amendment would make those null and void."
