Now that introductions are over, I thought I’d get you up to date with what my school’s LGBTQA group, OPEN, has been up to this year. This is going to be a mouthful, so I’ll break it down to the most central events.

It’s important that you get an idea of the campus in which my top secret gay lair—ahem, our office with the giant rainbow sign is located. Clark University is a small liberal arts school in Worcester, Massachusetts, and our undergraduate student body is somewhere around the 2400 mark. We’re exceptionally liberal—to the point where many of these feathers are too ragged to be riled—but there’s still work to be done. We’re situated in, well, not the greatest section of Worcester, but I think that only adds to Clark’s charm. It means there’s more to do, and more people to help out...

So what have I done with OPEN this year? Well, I’ve thrown my two cents in where needed (i.e. spent countless hours making banners and fliers for events, facilitated weekly meeting, organized small to huge events, contacted a multitude of outside organizations, and so on); but I have to hand it to my club members this year. We’ve hosted a highly successful Coming Out Stories, organized a trip to the National Equality March, carpooled up to Maine to canvas for Protect Maine Equality, put together a great Drag Ball, had day-long commemorative activities for Trans Day of Remembrance—and that’s just to name a few. Speakers, movies, vigils and more have been a part of all the hubbub. And we continue to meet once a week—snow, sleet, or shine (who doesn’t love New England weather?). What a dedicated bunch!

The semester is coming to a close, but we still have some planning to get done for World AIDS Day, holiday shindigs, and probably some last-minute activities that I couldn’t possibly anticipate. But next semester is going to be the real biggy. We’ll be fighting for more trans-friendly facilities around campus, including a push for many more gender-neutral bathrooms. We’ll also be holding our Week of Awareness, which I must admit is a pretty big deal. And hopefully we’ll have some time to write a few letters, do some phone banking, and queer up the disappointingly gay-free curriculum. So don’t worry; I’ll keep ya posted!

Here’s just a few highlights from our events this semester:

Clark U queers unite!

I'm super stoked for the March!

The Dynamic Divas worked the crowd at our Drag Ball

Trans Day of Remembrance Vigil

Clark's mascot, Sigmund Freud, helped out with Trans Day of Remembrance too

We posted these signs on all campus restrooms