Below the symbolic rainbow of balloons standing tall on the West Mall Monday, messages of acceptance, support and pride filled the Mall area during the Pride Rally Monday. The rally was the first event of 2002 Pride Week, hosted by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Allies Affairs Agency in Student Government.
The featured speaker at the rally, Dean of Students Teresa Graham Brett, dedicated her speech to her infant son, who she said should have the freedom to love whomever he chooses without discrimination or violence. She said Pride Week serves the gay community and the community-at-large by providing support and education.
"I think it can provide overall support for the community by having visible activities like this during Pride Week and National Coming Out Day to let students who are not out to know there are people around them who will support them and who are connected to them," Brett said.
Representatives from gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender organizations provided information, distributed buttons and stickers and sold T-shirts on the West Mall. Events throughout the week include coming-out workshops, a resource fair, a pride party, a pride picnic and several other events. The Web site, www.queerut.org, contains a complete listing of events and further information.
Kory McDonald, an Asian languages and cultures senior and president of Safe Space, said Pride Week provided the opportunity to highlight GLBT issues, such as a non-discrimination bill in the upcoming legislative session. Safe Space is an alliance of gay and straight students that works to promote awareness and understanding about sexual orientation.
"GLBT issues transcend politics, race, religion and culture. It doesn't matter what religion you are, what culture you come from, what race you belong to or ethnic identification," McDonald said.
Bobby Apperson, co-director of GLBTAAA and a music senior, said the organization's efforts to create a Gender and Sexuality Center by 2005 are going well, though he said the program has room for improvement.
"UT's actually really behind. The resource center is underfunded. Even Texas A&M has a [center]," Apperson said.
HangOut, one of the newest GLBT organizations, displayed a strong presence. HangOut started last April with 14 members and has grown to almost 200 members to date. HangOut president and co-founder Julio Olvera, an undeclared natural sciences sophomore, said he created the organization to meet the needs of GLBT undergraduate and graduate students.
"Our events don't focus around being gay. It's keeping everybody in an environment where they feel comfortable and having fun at the same time," Olvera said. "We're going to do the best we can to make you feel part of our family."
Reception to the event was generally positive.
"It's really worth it to me to know that there are others here to support us," said Suylihn Nguyen, an undeclared sophomore and Pride Rally attendee.
Not all were happy to see gay pride on the UT campus. A man with a Bible and an American flag tie demonstrated on the West Mall. He shouted that "homos will not see the kingdom of God" and condemned the celebration of "homos, fornicators and whores."
Chan Nguyen, a biochemistry freshman and member of HangOut, said the man was upsetting, but Nguyen protested by handing out pride stickers to passers-by near the shouting man.
Josh Howton, a journalism sophomore, was part of a crowd that gathered later in the day to debate with the protester.
"He's a hatemonger. He's a self-appointed saint who has come to tell me I can't go to his heaven, his white-supremacist, male heaven because I'm a homosexual," he said. "He's making Christians look bad. I'm here to defend what I believe in."
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