Coinciding with National Coming Out Day, the University of Wisconsin’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Campus Center sponsored “Coming Out Week,” which started Monday with a giant closet on Library Mall to urge students to “come out.”
Students did not have to be “coming out” themselves to step through the closet, but could do so as a sign of support for the LGBT community. Students could also sign the closet with the official date they came out.
The week’s events were planned before the recent teen suicides that have captured national attention, and LGBT Campus Center Director Robin Matthies said the focus of the week was still on helping students feel safe about coming out.
The LGBT Campus Center is also collaborating with the Division of Student Life for the “Stop the Silence” campaign, which will include various events throughout the year dealing with bullying and harassment.
“Our ultimate goal is to eliminate bias and bullying on campus because it will benefit new students here every year by showing them that Badgers respect and care about each other and create a community,” Dean of Students Lori Berquam said.
While Coming Out Week is an annual affair, the “Stop the Silence” campaign is a nationally recognized movement in response to the recent tragedies around the country, Berquam said.
As part of “Stop the Silence,” Berquam said a vigil will be held Wednesday on Library Mall to remember the students who committed suicide while also providing a safe space for students to discuss their experiences with bullying.
Other events occurring throughout the week include a collaboration festival with the Multicultural Student Center, a Coming Out Workshop and an event with spoken word poet Alix Olson.
Students at the Coming Out workshop will share stories of how they came out and provide a space for students to learn about the process of coming out, as well as the resources available to help them.
“This week is important because it shows people on campus that there are resources available and others around you who will like you and accept you,” UW sophomore Kasandra Brown said.
Brown, who is the Leadership and Involvement coordinator at the LGBT Campus Center, is participating for the first time in this annual event, but said last year’s Coming Out Week helped her come out.
Before attending the Coming Out Week festivities last year, Brown said the idea of coming out made her nervous. Because of the events, Brown said she felt more comfortable coming out.
In light of the tragedies, the number of people who stepped through the closet door as allies demonstrated they cared about the LGBT community on campus, Brown added.
Gabe Peeples, UW senior and LGBT Campus Center Social Justice event coordinator, participated as a student last year and said the week-long event played a role in his decision to work at the Center this year.
“Visibility is important for our community, but especially in light of recent events, we want to provide a place where people can feel safe and be themselves,” Peeples said.
