The Queer Straight Alliance’s “Gay? Fine by me” week kicked off Oct. 11 with National Coming Out Day and hopes to bring together the student body to show support of the LGBTIQ community on campus.

The day traditionally has been used as a day of empowerment and visibility where those in the gay community would reveal their sexuality to family members or co-workers who were unaware of their preference.

“Visability is really important. It familiarizes people with the queer population and lets everyone know we all are human beings. If there is education and understanding we can answer questions that will help us all function better not only as a campus but also a society” said Dani Levin, member of the QSA executive board.

Last evening the QSA met on Race Street to walk to the showing of The Laramie Project Epilogue at the Newman Center. The film was simultaneously shown in over 120 theaters worldwide to revisit the killing of 21 year-old gay man Matthew Shepherd on the 11th anniversary of his death.

QSA will have tables set up today, Wednesday and Thursday on the Driscoll Bridge where they will be handing out purple t-shirts reading, “Gay? Fine by Me.” They encourage the shirts be worn Thursday to show a united support of the queer community.

“DU does an ok job of supporting it’s LGBTIQ students but it’s lacking in it’s sense of community. It is really important for [the QSA) to be recognized as a group on campus. The use of slurs like ‘fag,’ or saying, ‘that’s gay,’ are offensive. It is an important issue to advocate through education,” said Levin.

QSA will close the week with speed dating in the Driscoll Ballroom Thursday at 7 p.m.

 

Events

Today

• QSA t-shirt handout on the Driscoll Bridge, Tuesday through Thursday
• Day of National Action on the Driscoll Green, 5 p.m.

Thursday

• A Taste of Latin America on the Driscoll Bridge, 12:30 to 4 p.m.
• Speed Dating in the Driscoll Ballroom, 7 p.m.