QCVC plans events for Queer History Month

John Palmer Senior Editor

In 1994, a number of lesbian/gay/bisexual/transexual/queer (GLBTQ) organizations around the country formed what’s now known as Queer History Month. October was selected by the various organizations to commemorate the two first gay rights marches in Washington, DC in 1979 (see This Week at Vassar below) and 1987. One year later, the governors of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Oregon declared that month National Lesbian and Gay History Month. October also contains National Coming Out Day, on Oct. 11.

The month is intended to provide the opportunity to raise awareness about LGBTQ ssues, serving a similar purpose as Black History Month (February) and Women’s History Month (March).

To celebrate Queer History Month, the Queer Coalition of Vassar College (QCVC) is hosting a number of events throughout the month to get the year started. The Vassar Student Association (VSA) organization usually acknowledges Coming Out Day by publishing coming out stories submitted by students. This year, the program has expanded to include a Mug night, two faculty panels and a series of film screenings.

QCVC co-chair Laura Kuper ’07 said, “We usually do something for Coming Out Week, but we wanted to extend it to include Queer History Month this year.”

The idea was brought up during the end of last year, when Rahn Kim ’08 suggested the additional events.

Kuper explained that QCVC wanted “to start off the year with some Queer events.”

Queer History Month provides a platform of discussion about queer issues both on campus and in the community, said Kuper. Vassar in particular has been noted as one of the more LGBTQ-friendly campuses in the country.

As former Miscellany News columnist Jon Cruz noted in one past column, “Vassar has graduated an incredible number of gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals who have helped increase the visibility and acceptance of homosexuality through methods as diverse as art, academics, and activism.”

Two Faculty Panels

Panels are planned to discuss queer issues on campus. The first will be held Oct. 10 and will offer a forum about gay marriage. A number of different professors and administrators from different departments will speak, including Blegan House Staff Director John Schoonbeck, Professor of Political Science Mary Shanley, Visiting Associate Professor of Economics Tim Koechlin, and others, according to Kuper.

The second of these panels, planned for Oct. 24 will center on the experience of gay and lesbian parents raising children in a predominantly heterosexual environment. It will feature Associate Dean of the Faculty Jill Schneiderman and is entitled “Queer Families, Straight Schools.”

Both panels will take place in Rockefeller 200 at 5 p.m.

Mug Night, Drag Show

The evening of Oct. 6 featured a drag show competition at the Mug, showcasing student participants. Last year, QCVC hosted a similar show with great success. Many QCVC members and students “enjoyed the drag show [the past two years],” explained Kuper, “so we wanted to do something that involved a drag show.”

Three Film Screenings

A series of film screenings will take place each Wednesday in October. On Oct. 5, two movies, But I’m a Cheerleader and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, will be played back to back. Stonewall, named after Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, recounts events leading up to the gay rights movement of 1969, and will be shown Oct. 26.
Future Events, Community Activism

Possible upcoming events in the works for QCVC include community dinners and a music festival, said Kuper. QCVC also plans to create connections with other VSA organizations and student groups on campus during the year to plan additional events.

“We’re looking to do more activism and getting information out there to the Vassar community,” said Kuper. “We see the panel as a start to open that dialog about what’s going on not only at Vassar, but in the community and nationally.”