Out, Proud and Queer ALLies hopes to expand messages of acceptance
Gettysburg College’s ALLIES host numerous events this semester. (Photo courtesy of ALLies)
By Adrienne Ellis, Contributing Writer
After a wonderfully enriching (and I suppose, a little fun) semester in Australia, I am extremely excited to be back on campus as the president of ALLies. I would like to personally welcome everyone back. I was blown away at what was accomplished last semester by the ALLies club: our first Drag Show, a ten-day ALLies Week, a Trans-Awareness Week, movie nights, Post Secret and the hiring of Erin Duran, Gettysburg’s first LGBTQA advisor.
ALLies meetings will be held this semester on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. in the ALLies house common room (239 Carlisle Street).
There are a variety of ALLies events and collaborations to look forward to this spring. Some of the events that ALLies is planning include: ALLies Week, the annual Lady Gaga dance, more movie nights and social events, collaborations with the library, and a Trans Inclusion discussion with military and Trans issues experts on March 20.
With the legalization of same sex marriage in Maine and Maryland in the 2012 election, increased LGBTQA visibility on the news and in entertainment, as well as a conscious effort on our own campus to increase diversity, I believe that this semester will be one of more positive change and increased open-minded attitudes.
I’ve been a member of ALLies since the first meeting in the fall of my first year at Gettysburg. Since then, I’ve seen membership at least quadruple in size, an ALLies week occur every semester, the introduction of the Lady Gaga Ball, and many more co-sponsored events and partnerships with departments like Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Psychology, Sociology, the IRC, Hillel, Greek Life, the Gettysburgian, Eisenhower Institute, Pi House, Farmhouse, Knitting Ninjas, ROTC and Residence Life. I hope to continue these relationships.
You don’t necessarily have to come to ALLies to be an ALLy. Let’s continue to expand the campus’ message of acceptance, diversity, and integrity. Get ready for another strong semester. Peace, Love and Rainbows.
