Celebrating the culture and tradition of the MSU Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender and Ally, or LBGTA community, student organizations are preparing for MSU Pride Week 2011.
Pride Week is a recognition of the wealth of diversity at MSU, said Nick Pfost, a social relations and policy senior and chair of the Alliance of Queer and Ally Students.
“For the MSU community as a whole, Pride Week is an opportunity for us to engage with students outside the LBGTA community,” he said. “(We want to) increase awareness through entertainment such as the drag show, through education and through dialogue.”
The week of events will include discussions, workshops and concerts beginning Sunday with a picnic and games in the Student Services courtyard and ending with the Rainbow Rave on April 16.
Officials hope to foster some education along with the fun of the events, public administration and policy senior Kate Miller said in an email.
“Pride Week provides the MSU community an opportunity to see past stereotypes and understand the MSU’s LBGTA community is academic, social and proud,” she said.
The week is a time for LBGTA people, their friends and supporters to come together and celebrate their lives and history, said Deanna Hurlbert, the assistant director of the LBGT Resource Center.
“Pride Week celebrations in the LBGT community (were) an antidote to the shame that LBGT people experienced,” she said. “It’s a way to let your hair down, be silly and not be ashamed of who you are.”
Planning throughout the spring semester for the celebration, MSU student LBGT groups including Spectrum, RING and West Circle PRIDE tried to incorporate events that interest all people, no matter what their sexual orientation might be, said interdisciplinary humanities junior Justin Drwencke, treasurer of West Circle PRIDE.
“I’d like to see Pride Week strengthen further the already strong bonds within the LBGTA community at MSU,” he said. “Pride Week is important because it’s a great opportunity for students from different residential neighborhoods and LBGTA groups, to come together in a setting with mutual interest.”
Residential College in the Art and Humanities junior Rina Bergman, said she is excited to attend some of the week’s events, especially the Official MSU Drag Show.
“I’ve always wanted to go to one of those,” she said. “Not having the fear of being rejected or being made fun of is really cool.”
Miller said student participation is key.
“My hope for this Pride Week is that we celebrate strong traditions … and look forward toward the future of our community,” she said.
Pride Week events can be found on MSU’s LBGT Resource Center website at lbgtrc.msu.edu.
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