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The University of Maine celebrated its annual Gay Thanksgiving in the Estabrooke Hall ballroom on Nov. 17.
The event, sponsored by Wilde Stein and GLBT Services, welcomed everyone regardless of sexual orientation.
“[The] main purpose was for students who were … outcast from their families,” said Rebecca Hickman, coordinator of GLBT Services.
“We’d always do it a week before Thanksgiving so that they would have a welcoming place to come,” said James Scott, a recent UMaine graduate who now works at a veterinary clinic in Brewer and continues to participate in GLBT community activities.
Hickman said approximately 150 people attended last year, and more were expected this year.
Anderson added that Gay Thanskgiving is one of the biggest events the group hosts, along with Coming Out Week in the fall and Pride Week in the spring.
Nathan Green, a fourth-year student, heard about Gay Thanksgiving from a Facebook invitation and decided to go because a lot of his friends were attending.
Though Green is not officially a part of Wilde Stein, he “considers [himself] an ally.”
GLBT member, Jamie Ford, a second-year psychology student, brought along two friends from dance class, sophomores Ellie Bate and Jordan Stolt, who are not currently part of Wilde Stein
“We’re here supporting our best friend Jamie,” Stolt said. “We love him to death and, of course, we wanted to support him.”
This was Bate and Stolt’s first Gay Thanksgiving.
While the event was free for anyone to attend, GLBT Services requested that people bring a dish to the potluck dinner.
There was a wide variety of food available, ranging from the big turkey in the center to mashed potatoes, vegetables and, of course, dessert. Even vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options were in abundance for those with dietary restrictions.
The tables were covered with orange tablecloths and decorated with paper turkeys and leaves. Rainbow balloons also decorated some of the tables.
Wilde Stein meets every Thursday at 7 p.m. in the FFA room in the Memorial Union and invites anyone interested in planning future events to attend a meeting.
