October 13, 2011

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Minnesota State University, Mankato

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FRIDAY

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Coming out of the closet MSU LGBT Center celebrates National Coming Out Day

megan kadlec • msu reporter

MEGAN KADLEC

news editor

More than half a million members of the LGBT community came together on Oct. 11, 1987 for the March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. National Coming Out Day commemorates the protest, but also celebrates the individuals who publicly identify as being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Dedicated to civil aware-

ness, National Coming Out Day was founded in 1988 by New Mexico psychologist Robert Eichberg and Jean O’Leary, an openly gay political leader from Los Angeles. “The event has grown in numbers. I know in the first year only a few states participated in National Coming Out Week, or Day,” said LGBT Program Advisor Kerry Diekmann. “But I know now that it is celebrated in all 50 states and various countries as well.

megan kadlec • msu reporter LGBT Center Director Jessica Flatequal preaches to the MSSA office.

inside: Voices.............................................4 Sports.............................................7 Arts & Entertainment...................9 Classifieds...................................11

It’s a really big thing now.” The Minnesota State University, Mankato LGBT Center has stretched the day typically celebrated on Oct. 11, to an entire week of activities related to bringing awareness to the issues the LGBT community must face. “Coming out is one of the hardest things LGBT people experience, and for many of us, it’s a big struggle. And of course, when you’re here at college there’s quite a possibility that you’re out to your friends or maybe out to your mom, but perhaps you’re not out to your extended family,” Flatequal said. “The week is kind of a challenge to see if you can come out to one more person, to take one more step out of the closet.” In addition to helping students come to terms with their sexuality, the LGBT Center hopes to make a difference across campus. “Our main goals for this week were to raise awareness, educate, get students involved and show our presence on campus,” Diekmann said. Also in honor of LGBT

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History Month, the center hopes to make the invisible visible and recognize those individuals who have made a difference in the LGBT community. “It’s a way to promote all of the wonderful people who have contributed to our society who happen to be G, B, L or T. It cements the idea of National Coming Out Week. You know, people have come out before us, that a lot of the steps we’ve made have been from their work.” The LGBT Center partnered with Peer Educators Acting for Change and Equality, a campus theatre troupe, to act out scenes containing commonly misused phrases and educate students as to how to confront this language. “They performed some scenes about homophobic language, anti-LGBT language and about bystander intervention,” said LGBT Center Program Advisor Julia Keleher. “So, putting a stop to that and speaking up when people are being bullied for their sexual orientation but also their perceived sexual orientation and

gender identity.” On Tuesday and Wednesday, students were encouraged to literally “come out of the closet” on MavAve in the Centennial Student Union. Students could hold a sign and come out as whatever word was displayed on the sign, or as themselves without a sign. “However you wanted to come out, you could come out,” Diekmann said. On Tuesday, the LGBT Center attempted to chalk the campus, spreading positive messages to the students. “It was beautiful for about four hours,” Keleher said. “Not only did we spread love and positive messages around the campus, but it was a great way for our students to show their creativity and leadership.” “It’s important with all of the recent suicides to get the message out there that not only is being LGBT great, but that it does get better later in life,” Keleher said. A Safe Zone Training Session will be held Oct. 19 from noon until 2 p.m. The training is intended to help attendees

Coming Out / page 3


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