October is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Month, and Ohio University's Open Doors organization has coordinated a weeklong series of events to bring that theme to Athens.
Today is the first day of the 16th annual OUTweek. Among the events are an ice cream social, a dance party and two high-profile events concerning the 1998 murder of gay student Matthew Shepard.
An Evening With Judy Shepard will be at 8 p.m. Thursday in Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. Shepard's speech on her son's murder and the nature of hateful behavior also coincides with the premiere of The Laramie Project, a play about the Shepard hate crime.
Mickey Hart, coordinator of LGBT programs at OU, said OUTweek brings to light real life problems of the LGBT community, which are often ignored in the media.
In the media
there's more awareness of LGBT people but maybe not the issues people face and the struggles that go on he said. This promotes that.
Stephanie Thompson, co-chair of Open Doors, said OUTweek provides guidance for one of the most difficult steps in LGBT life.
It's to generate awareness about the process of coming out. A lot of people don't realize how hard that can be
she said.
OUTweek has additional help from Ally, a group composed mainly of straight OU students who support the LGBT community. The Ally-sponsored events are part of an effort to encourage students of all backgrounds and orientations to take part in the OUTweek events.
The more allies the community has
the better
Thompson said.
The OUTweek program is centered around National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11. That evening, spoken word artist Alix Olson will perform in the Baker Center Ballroom.
Oct. 12 is Matthew Shepard Memorial Day, which will feature a nighttime candlelight vigil in his and all hate crime victims' honor.
Though OUTweek officially ends next Tuesday, OU's School of Theater will present The Laramie Project Oct. 13 in the Elizabeth Evans Baker Theatre of Kantner Hall and continues through Oct. 30. The play dramatizes the journey of 10 New Yorkers who travel to Shepard's hometown of Laramie, Wyo., to examine the nature of the hate crime and the existence of intolerance, bigotry and homophobia in America.
Maureen Wagner, assistant director of the school of theater, said she believes the play could create a local dialogue on crucial issues of the LGBT community.
My hope is that The Laramie Project will serve as a springboard for important discussions on the issues of tolerance and education about ourselves as human beings here in Athens
she said.
Coordinators of OUTweek said they hope the upcoming events foster that attitude as well.
It's good to be accepting of people who are different from you. It benefits the whole university community
Thompson said.
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