Students “drag” gender stereotypes through the mud

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Haley Johnston

Jamie Judd crosses the finish line long before any of the other "drag race" participants. The race was the first event to take place in this year's Coming Out Week.

Haley Johnston

Dean of Students Robert Dana (center) poses with the participants of Monday's "drag race" (from left to right) Evan McDuff, Jeffrey Stott, Jamie Ford, Sarah Schneider, Jamie Judd and Katie Armstrong.

Haley Johnston

Dean of students Robert Dana looks on as Jamie Judd raises the pride flag on the mall Monday. Judd was given the honor of raising the flag after winning the "drag race."

This year’s Coming Out Week flag raising, with the addition of a “drag race” on the University of Maine mall, was a welcome reminder to celebrate and support the local GLBT community, especially in the shadow of tragic current events.

UMaine has been celebrating Coming Out Day or Coming Out Week since the event was founded by the Human Rights Campaign in 1987. Coming Out Week is organized by the Wilde Stein Alliance for Sexual Diversity, which was founded in 1972, making it one of the oldest UMaine student organizations to celebrate diversity.

Coming Out Week has a long history at UMaine, but according to Wilde Stein representatives, this year’s events have found new importance and inspiration in the recent high profile suicides of a number of gay high school and college students, many of whom found themselves the targets of bullying by their peers.

“We’ve been trying to do a lot to boost morale. Mental health of the GLBT community has been going down because of the situations as a whole and the reactions of officials,” said Meghan Genovese, a fourth-year zoology student and president of Wilde Stein. “We need to show we support each other and aren’t afraid to stand up for ourselves.”

Genovese emphasized that although the struggles of the GLBT community have been widely publicized this fall, Coming Out Week is important every year.

“It seems that every year there is something that makes Coming Out Week really important,” she said. “We find motivation every year to make it better.”

The calendar for UMaine’s Coming Out Week shows several additions Genovese attributes to the creativity of new members and officers in Wilde Stein. The changes include Monday’s “drag race,” which featured students in drag doing a lap around the library end of the mall to the flag pole, prior to the flag raising.

“It definitely adds some spice to the week and makes this a real kickoff,” said Evan McDuff, a second-year botany student, treasurer for Wilde Stein and the mind behind the idea of the race.

“It showed everyone coming together, having fun and fooling around, while still representing a community and promoting diversity,” Genovese said.

Genovese said a sense of community is more important now than ever.

“We thought it would be a nice twist and something on the happier, lighter side,” she said. “In past weeks we’ve been giving attention to suicide and to the situation at Rutgers [University].”

Genovese was referring to the death of 18-year-old Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi who, according to an Oct. 25 Associated Press article, committed suicide after his roommate posted video on the internet of him having intimate relations with another man in his dorm room.

Victims of bullying and hate crimes, such as Clementi, will be honored at a 6 p.m. candlelight vigil this evening on the mall.

Valerie Taylor, a third-year civil engineering student and public relations officer for Wilde Stein, said this year’s Coming Out Week has benefited from the support of a number of sponsors. They include, but are not limited to, the Division of Student Affairs, the UMaine Career Center, GLBT and Allies Council, Eastern Maine Aids Network, Greek Life, Campus Activities and Student Engagement, GLBT Services, Residents on Campus and UMaine Student Government Inc.

“I’m just really impressed and thankful that so many people are involved this year,” Taylor said.

Genovese said that Dean of Students Robert Dana and Director of Alcohol and Drug Education Programs Lauri Sidelko, along with other members of the UMaine staff and administration, have been helpful in anything that Wilde Stein has needed for Coming Out Week.

Dana was present for the flag raising and expressed his hopes for Coming Out Week.

“I think that the flag going up is a symbol that this is a welcome and caring community,” he said. “There are a lot of individuals struggling with coming out and this is a way to tell them they are a valued member of this community.”

Sidelko delivered a speech before the flag raising that emphasized the importance of maintaining support for the GLBT community on campus through good times and bad.

“I have been lucky enough to stand with the GLBT students, staff and allies through times of celebration when we finally won protection from discrimination in this state and times of sorrow when the marriage law was repealed,” she said.

In light of recent events surrounding gay marriage, suicide and the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, Sidelko predicted “more celebration and more tears in our future.”

Sidelko said she is proud to be a Maine resident and member of the UMaine community where people stand together for equal rights.

“It’s the Maine mentality; you live and let live,” she said. “This campus and surrounding area is a reflection of that.”

Associate Dean of Students Kenda Scheele agreed with Sidelko and called the flag raising “an incredibly important symbol that the University of Maine is supportive of its students and has always been supportive of its students.”

Though members of the UMaine staff and administration affirmed the importance of Coming Out Week, Taylor said she is often questioned about the meaning of the events.

“Some people ask, ‘What is it? What’s the point of it?’” she said. “We’re not forcing people to come out. We’re celebrating and telling the community we’re here.”

Genovese said visibility and awareness is one of the primary goals of Coming Out Week.

“This Coming Out Week we’re trying to go above and beyond, to improve and change as the community changes,” she said. “This year we’re focusing on boosting morale, having fun and showing we’re not afraid.”

A complete calendar of Coming Out Week events is available on Wilde Stein’s website, umaine.edu/wildestein, and Genovese is especially optimistic for the Halloween Dance at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Memorial Union. She said this is the best opportunity for GLBT students, allies and students unfamiliar with Coming Out Week to come together and celebrate.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 28th, 2010, 12:39 am. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.