Posted on April 19, 2007
In light of the shootings that occurred at Virginia Tech, LGBT and Ally program decided to postpone their “Gay? Fine by Me” t-shirt campaign, which was scheduled for Tuesday, April 17, 2007.
While the event, sponsored by the LGBT and Ally Education Program, has yet to be rescheduled, the campaign has been a successful part of the GayMU week in the past. This year, the group hopes to pull in a thousand participants, said Sarah Wilson, a graduate assistant with the program.
“Our main goal with GayMU is to achieve a presence at JMU so people know there is a space for them where they don’t have to hide their identity,” Wilson said.
In an effort to do this, the sponsoring organizations, in a GayMU first, have set up a full line up of events, said Wilson.
Monday night Madison Equality brought in Julie Schurr, who performed acoustic songs recounting her life experiences.
“I’m a giant lesbian and I write from the lesbian perspective,” she said during a break between songs.
Freshman Carl Taylor, a member of Madison Equality, was one of many who came out to the event.
“I really like acoustic music and I’ve been meaning to see some of the singers that come to TDU,” he said. “Plus you hardly see an LGBT artist, so supporting them is good.
Tuesday night Dr. Bruce Joffee, author of “A Hint of Homosexuality? ‘Gay and Homoerotic Imagery in American Print Advertising” presented in Taylor Hall.
“It’s a way for people to honor those who have been silence by hate in their community and to show the impact silence has,” Wilson said.
Yesterday was the day of silence and there was a silent lunch-in today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the commons. S. Bear Bergman, a gay writer, artist and educator, presented “Monday Night in Westerbork” at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Hall Auditorium.
Today there will be an open house from noon to 5 p.m. in Huffman Hall’s Rainbow Room. A closing ceremony will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Festival Conference room 6 tomorrow.
While the week is half over, many are eager for the upcoming events.
“I’m excited that we have so many events that people can go to and participate,” freshman Laura Smith, a practicum student with LGBT and Ally, said.
Freshman Carl Taylor, a member of Madison Equality, agreed.
“The purpose of GayMU is to show that community that differences exist,” he said. “Hopefully this leads to more diversity in thought as well as understanding, if not just recognition of the differences.”
