Despite critics, Pride Weekers say event still important
By Mike Ludwig
Campus Reporter
April 28, 2008
It’s Pride Week at Ohio University, and OU’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community is observing an annual tradition of celebrating who they are. Like past years, Pride Week ’08 features social and educational activities for LGBT peoples and their allies, but some students question why such events are necessary at a university that has achieved so much in the name of diversity and is dominated by a liberal-progressive mindset.
Even the slogan for Pride Week ’08, “Pride… and proud of it!” seems redundant, and some LGBT students aren’t participating. Still, leaders of the LGBT community say that Pride Week is a celebratory tradition and a healthy reminder of the issues that queer-identified peoples continue to struggle with in Athens and elsewhere.
“If we don’t do anything, then we will disappear into the background,” said Logan Waldie, an OU senior and member of the LGBT student advocacy group Open Doors. “There are still issues we face. There is still inequality in Ohio, and if we don’t say anything then these issues aren’t going to be heard… and they’re never going to be fixed.”
Waldie, who is gay, said that Pride Week also creates unity in OU’s LGBT scene. Preparation for Pride Week is a collaborative effort that brings various LGBT student groups together to work on a single project.
“It’s a good way to make more allies,” Waldie said.
Waldie’s views are not shared by everyone. Senior Konrad Stump, an openly gay man, said that he doesn’t participate in Pride Week because he believes such LGBT activism can hurt the causes that so many LGBT advocates are fighting for.
“They’re just segregating themselves in a way,” Stump said. “By being active, it’s like saying ‘oh, look at me, I’m oppressed.’ But by not participating, I’m saying that I’m comfortable and I don’t feel oppressed.”
Stump is graduating this year, and next year his senior class will be replaced by thousands of new freshmen, some of whom will be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer, whether they’re open about it or not.
According the Mickey Hart, who coordinates OU’s LGBT center, the transient nature of the student population is exactly why Pride Week should remain a solid tradition at OU.
“OU is a constantly changing place, so you have to do some things over and over,” Hart said. “It connects us to each other, but also connects us to the past and future.”
Hart said that “coming out” as an openly queer-identified person often takes much of the school year for many freshman, and in his experience Pride Week often provides the inspiration for students to finally be open about themselves after two quarters of adjustment.
“I think it’s good to have tradition,” Hart said.
Pride Week ’08 began last week and will continue through Wednesday. For a list of events and activities, or to get involved in OU’s LGBT community as a queer-identified person or ally, visit www.ohio.edu/lgbt or visit the LGBT student center on the third floor of Baker Center.
Comments
Please log in to post a comment.
