Published: Tuesday, 29 October 2024
Written by Jordan Johnson, Communications Student Assistant
Wrapping Up OUTober!
October is the month of pumpkin spice lattes, candy and Halloween. But even with all these seasonal treats in mind, there is always room for more, like OUTober! Here at Long Beach State University (LBSU), October is the month we highlight and celebrate our LGBTQIA+ community. Let’s reflect on these past few weeks and take some time to get excited for next year.
Some events that occurred this month included Gender Affirming Haircuts, Boba Mixer with QTFSA and the Queer Pacifika Film Fest. These are just a few of the fun experiences that transpired during OUTober, but what a wide variety of things to do! Many programs across campus participated; here are some of the groups that took part in this celebration and are worth checking out during the rest of the school year:
- Beach Pride Events (BPE)
- Women and Gender Equity Center (WGEC)
- Latine Resource Center
- CAPS
- Graduate Center
- Beach XP
- APID Resource Center
- Black Resource Center
- QTFSA
ASI also celebrated OUTober by raising the LGBTQIA+ flag outside the University Student Union (USU). This was the first time in campus history! A ceremony was held to watch the raising of the flag and commemorate the LGBTQIA+ community at The Beach.
Whether you identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community or not, celebrating fellow students and their progress towards acceptance is important. This is especially crucial as October is the month LGBTQIA+ community members get the chance to commemorate with their school friends.
Isabella Espinoza Palomares, a fourth-year film major and member of the LGBTQIA+ community, emphasizes the importance of OUTober on college campuses.
“OUTober gives students the opportunity to celebrate Pride during the academic year. This month shines light onto a community that normally doesn’t have a lot of space in academia,” Palomares said.
With OUTober coming to a close, it is important to reflect on the strides LBSU has made. With the creation of LGBTQIA+ programs, events and adoption of new traditions, embracing progress is important in continuing inclusivity at The Beach. Even though October and June are the months to celebrate, let’s not end the party there. Pride is year-round and campus-wide!
