DSAGA holds 13th annual Coming Out Day on campus

By: Giselle Chang

Posted: 10/9/08

In attempts to bring together students of all sexual orientations on campus, the Diverse Sexuality and Gender Alliance (DSAGA) is holding its 13th annual Coming Out Day today.

The Coming Out Day events will take place today, and a Coming Out Dance will be held at the Glass Pavilion on Friday night.

According to Jessica Popkin, senior and fundraising officer, the group has recently been putting extra efforts into ensuring that students are aware of its presence on campus.

"People are so busy at Hopkins that they don't care enough to be homophobic - or supportive, for that matter. We want people to know that the LBTA community isn't ignored on this campus altogether, which is why this weekend is so important to us," Popkin said.

The majority of today's events will take place on the Breezeway, according to Keshav Khanijow, senior and director of operations.

There will be a mock wooden "closet," likely a door frame, for willing students to walk through in a gesture of "coming out."

The dance on Friday will be hosted in collaboration with DSAGA chapters at Goucher, Loyola, Towson, Morgan State and the University of Maryland, and it is expected to draw an attendance of at least 100 students.

"Last year, we had 170 people come to the dance, which was incredible. We hope there will be more this year, but we're betting on 100," Khanijow said.

According to Connie Calderon, the director of administration, one of the group's current objectives is spreading the word that DSAGA is not just an organization for gay students.

"We're trying to be diverse. We can't represent diverse sexuality if all our members are gay. If you're coming to DSAGA, it doesn't need to mean you're gay; It just means that you support the cause of openness," Calderon said.

"We're trying to go in this new direction, bringing in our straight friends and getting their support."

Popkin echoed these statements and said that awareness and openness are the main goals that DSAGA wants to achieve.

"We call ourselves the Diverse Sexuality and Gender Alliance and not a Gay Straight Alliance because it feels more inclusive. It does include straight people. I am straight. We are here to promote awareness of the LGBT," Popkin said.

According to the DSAGA Web site, on the morning of the first Hopkins Coming Out Day in 1996, all of the promotional posters were removed by Custodial Services at the administration's request.

The following day, Gloria Guzman, then a member of DSAGA, organized a rally. The DSAGA has commemorated this landmark for the past 12 years on Coming Out Day.

Calderon said that the members of DSAGA often share personal stories of discrimination, or, alternatively, encouraging stories of acceptance.

Jin Cha, DSAGA secretary, described how his parents asked him to suppress his sexuality for the sake of his family's reputation.

Cha said that the repression he felt at home was the motivating factor in his decision to join DSAGA.

According to Popkin, although discrimination may still be a problem on campus, the atmosphere has become more accepting in recent years.

"Back when I was a freshman, there were some problems with certain out-of-the-closet individuals on campus because they became like celebrities," Popkin said. "I've found that this is less of an issue now. With awareness, freshmen who come out are less like celebrities and more like anybody else.