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Building Bridges - Creating Community
NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY
OCTOBER 11, 2009
Monday October 12 will be the 11 year anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death, the 21 year
old University of Wyoming student who was tortured, beaten and left hanging on a fence to die
because he was gay. This anniversary comes one day after National Coming Out Day. Often, a
national day of recognition is a gesture that people let slip by, considering for a moment, and
then moving on to their daily activities. However, in today’s world, it is important to consider
this day and why it is still a relevant national day.
Many people never have to think about
defending or justifying their sexuality; or worry about rejection from parents, other family or
friends because of who they are attracted to; or worry about harassment from other people
based strictly on sexual preference. The fact that this happened in our own back yard makes
it crucial that we remember the importance of spreading tolerance and
understanding. Please Join the Diversity Awareness Office in recognizing the continued need for
safe spaces for people of different backgrounds and lifestyles to be comfortable being
themselves. Help us recognize the importance of tolerance and understanding.
October 8 - 13, 2009
But I'm a Cheerleader
Procrastinator Theater, Strand Union Building
9 PM - Sponsored by ASMSU Films
Celebrate the kick off to Coming Out Week with this comedic portrayal of a gay re-programming program.
October 13, 2009
Gender Identity, Sexuality and Sexual Fluidity
Sack Lunch Seminar
Strand Union Room 168
12PM-1PM
October 14, 2009
The Laramie Project
FREE Screening
1PM and 7PM
Procrastinator Theater, Strand Union Building
October 15, 2009
Sex And the Media: How Does Media Representation Shape How We View Sexuality?
Strand Union Ballroom A ~ 7PM
Do you remember the first time you saw a movie with a gay person in it? How about the first gay character in your favorite TV show or the first article that you read about an openly gay politician or celebrity? The way that sexuality is represented in the media can have a strong influence on our viewpoints – what we think about our own sexuality and often, the judgments that we make about others.
In honor of Coming Out Week, the Diversity Awareness Office at Montana State University in conjunction with the Queer Straight Alliance at MSU invites the public for an evening of discussion and multimedia presentations on sexuality and media representation. Presentations will include pieces on Queer Cinema, marketing, religious representation and the political implications of media representation. Speakers from the university and the community will contribute, including Representative and Professor, Franke Wilmer, PhD.
FREE and OPEN to the Public.
October 17, 2009
Part of a national campus movement, Safe Zone is being implemented on the MSU campus. Visit our site page to learn how you can be involved in decreasing homophobia and heterosexism by increasing ally awareness of its presence and potential impact on people in our community.
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