First transgender White House staffer speaks in Otto Budig Theater
Kane Mitten, Arts & Life Editor
October 24, 2019
Raffi Freedman-Gurspan became a part of United States history when President Barack Obama hired her as Outreach and Recruitment Director, making her the first openly transgender White House staffer in history.
New Message
Andrew Evans, Guest Contributor
October 9, 2019
He likes my eyes now that they do not hide I blossomed he says like a flower in springtime And all the wasted years fall away like leaves blushing red upon the ground How could this be wrong? I sealed it up for far too long Nipped the buds with self-inflicted chi...
Pride
Micah Petway, Guest Contributor
October 9, 2019
How can I have pride when being who I am is wrong Being shunned, beaten, abused and disowned Only for having pride in who I am A little voice in my head is telling me being proud is not worth it But the pride in me is much too strong My pride does not come from the...
Refraction
Isabel Sleczkowski, Guest Contributor
October 9, 2019
RED flushed his face and mine when he kissed me, I flinched. My hand grew heavier when he held it. I think his eyes were black but I tried not to look. I kept as much space between us as I could. ORANGE was the knot in my ribcage that tangled when I...
Beyond the binary: What non-binary genders are, how to be an ally
Noël Waltz, Copy Editor
October 9, 2019
Gender is a social construct defined as the complex interrelationship between your body, your identity and your social interactions, according to genderspectrum.org. Human beings’ relationship between their gender and their body goes far beyond reproductive functions. Research has suggested t...
10 September 2019
Elizabeth McClure, Guest Contributor
October 9, 2019
I am like a rosebush. Beautiful from afar. Blooms you want to see and smell forever. But you get hurt if you get too close. I fade quickly and easily; my beauty lasts but for a moment. Many have tried pruning me. Cutting away...
Student activist promotes LGBTQ inclusivity, education
Natalie Hamren, Editor-in-Chief
October 9, 2019
Isabel Sleczkowski is a loud, proud lesbian. Or at least that’s how she describes herself. She’s a friend; she’s a safe place. She occasionally puts too much on her plate but tries to give everything she has to each of those things. She’s always learning and growing. She’s an intersec...
Lavender Society provides a home for queer women, nonbinary students
Bee Klapper, Reporter
October 9, 2019
“All right, we’re running on gay time, so we’re going to start at 5:35 instead of 5:30,” Isabel Sleczkowski, president of Lavender Society, said. Sleczkowski’s voice rang out over the chatter in the Student Union’s multipurpose room, receiving laughter in response. About 20 students h...
Lavender figures: A look into the life of Harvey Milk
Jarett Lopez, Guest Contributor
October 9, 2019
During LGBTQ History Month, it is important to recognize the queer forebears who have paved the way for the rights that we enjoy today. One such figure is Harvey Milk (1930-1978), who was the first openly gay elected official in California and the sixth nationwide. Milk was an imperfect activist, as m...
Student body president advocates for on-campus LGBTQ+ rights
Kane Mitten, Arts & Life Editor
October 9, 2019
For Jarett Lopez, student body president, his interests in politics and civic engagement have always derived from his identity as someone who’s gay. “Once you start looking into queer theory, you see that oppression is interlocking,” Lopez said. “A populace who isn’t civically engaged is more likely...
