Sex, drag queens, dinner in a Garden and a trip to Washington, D.C. all come together this week during "Proud to be Out" week sponsored by the Queer Student Union.
Last night featured Justin Lee addressing "Christians, Gays and God: finding truth in a biased world." The Queer Christian Fellowship and the Serpentine Society cosponsored the event.
Sex columnist Eric Garrison is speaking about "The G-Spot" at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Newcomb Ballroom, cosponsored by the Health Unity Council, a group comprised of 11 different health organizations on Grounds as a part of Health and Wellness Week.
The speaker will be followed at 8:30 by Drag Bingo.
Fourth-year College student and outgoing QSU webmaster Brian Dunkel said Drag Bingo is usually very successful.
It is the major fundraiser of each semester, and there is usually over 100 participants, Dunkel said.
Last semester, Dunkel said he was one of nine students dressed in drag for the event.
"We just try to entertain students as well as possible," he said. "It's a lot of fun. It's an interesting experience -- it's fun in the way that Halloween can be fun."
Wednesday is the National Day of Silence from 9 a.m until 5 p.m.
Incoming QSU co-president Kevin Wu, a first-year College student, said the event is intended "to protest the silence imposed on those who remain closeted."
The event was started by a member of the University's Gay Student Union in 1996, said outgoing QSU president Mike Maszaros, afourth-year College student.
The event has spread to 1,900 other universities in the country, Maszaros said.
Wu said students who wish to participate can pick up a packet on the Lawn containing cards explaining the purpose of their silence.
Also on Wednesday, Hector Vargas's program, "Speak Out," has attracted the support of ASU, LGBTRC, UPC, NOW, The Women's Center, LSU and OYFA in addition to the QSU in conjunction with Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. Vargas is an extremely famous civil rights activist who is both Asian American and homosexual, Maszaros said.
Thursday will feature Queer Jeopardy at the Wesley Foundation. Topics will include trivia about queer pop culture and a gift certificate to Banana Republic given to the winning team, Wu said.
Jeopardy will be followed later that night by college night at Club 216.
The 30th Anniversary Celebration will take place Friday at Lawn V at 5 p.m.
Maszaros said the officers have invited all alumni, staff, faculty, graduate students, law students, business students and undergraduates who have been involved in the QSU or its predecessors over the past 30 years.
The week will conclude with Youth Pride Day in Washington, D.C. Saturday.
Wu said the QSU's participation is similar to tabling on the Lawn. The purpose is to attract gay and lesbian high school students to the University.
"We try to reach out to high school students and get them to look at Virginia schools because they usually don't look at them as queer friendly," he said.
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