2008 Woodie Awards
DSAGA holds 13th annual Coming Out Day on campus
Issue date: 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.
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.
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