During April, spring into GAYpril

Author: Sara Black

"That graffiti does not represent some isolated incident that one can respond to by scolding whoever committed the crime," Middlebury Open Queer Alliance (MOQA) co-President Nick Ballen '08 wrote in an e-mail, regarding the recent indecent slurs tattooed on the walls of Ross two weeks ago. "Rather, it demonstrates, along with the daily instances of homophobia on this campus that mostly go unnoticed, an underlying bigotry and conflict between the ever-rising presence of diversity in general and the more traditional and normative elements at Middlebury."

In light of this recent hate crime in Ross, GAYpril, a celebratory month of events and presentations sponsored by MOQA meant to increase awareness of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer (GLBTQ) issues, carries extra importance this year with an aim to educate the student body and eliminate ignorant actions.

Ushered in with the distribution of pink triangle cookies and rainbow ribbons in the dining halls, GAYpril will commence tomorrow with an impressive lineup. At 4:30 p.m. in Pearsons Lounge MOQA will host an Ally Workshop entitled, "Are There Allies at Middlebury?" which will address the role allies, or straight supporters of gay rights, play on campus and how to deal with homophobia.

Other events have been designed to showcase the MOQA campaign, make their presence on campus as visible as possible and involve the entire student body. GAYpril serves its purpose as a vehicle to connect community members and provide information, but it also focuses on having fun.

"I've found it's really crucial to maintain a positive attitude," Ballen said, "and just have a good time!"

Color Week, which will run from Apr. 23-28, will encourage each students to wear a different color everyday, in an effort for students to support their peers grappling with GLBQT issues. For those who need advance notice in planning their wardrobes: Monday is red, Tuesday is orange, Wednesday is yellow, Thursday is green, Friday is blue and Saturday is purple.

"Color week is also a favorite of mine. It's great to walk into the dining halls and see everyone wearing the same color," Ballen said. "Plus, events like this and the Day of Silence provide everyone with an easy way to show their support without taking too much time out of their busy schedules at this point in the year."

Today, the National Day of Silence, is another way in which students can honor those among them who have been forced to remain silent by our society's discriminatory attitude towards homosexuals. The students who opt to participate are encouraged to wear black.

"GAYpril is just a month of celebrating queerness" MOQA webmistress Baylie Roth '09 said. "It's just about recognizing and being proud of those who are any type of queer."

This year MOQA has teamed up with the African American Alliance (AAA) to jointly host the annual Drag Ball and fashion show, which will be held this Apr. 21 in the McCullough Social Space from 8-9:30 p.m. A segment of the fashion show will be sponsored by MOQA and attendees are encouraged to dress in drag. The greatly anticipated Drag Ball will follow the fashion show.

"We hope the events we hold foster confidence in the queer community on campus," Ballen said, "and also cause people who may not have considered matters pertinent to the queer community to consider such issues."