Pride Month: What it means to our students and staff

by WILLOW SYMONDS
Staff Writer

June is officially dedicated to LGBTQ+ history and issues world-wide, and Washtenaw Community College has many LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and allies. Here, ten students and three staff members tell The Voice what they’re planning to do this June, who they look up to, and why Pride Month is important to them.

Are you planning on doing anything for pride month this year? Have you done anything for pride in the past?

“Yes! I usually go to YpsiPride and sometimes A2 Pride. […] I’m still sad that YpsiPride isn’t happening, but we’ll probably go to A2’s.” ~Mary Mullalond, she/her, English faculty/Outspace+ advisor

“I’m planning on decorating my house with pride flags, possibly going to pride celebrations.” ~Joie Karas, they/them, WTMC general studies in math and science

“Yes, I have gone [to] pride festivals and plan to go again! I am super excited.” ~Shelby Vantreese, she/her, general education

“I’ve attended slightly larger Pride gatherings in the past, but with COVID still around and corporate fingers starting to get in all the major pies, the ‘official’ Pride stuff has started going out of what I would want to experience.” ~Eden Rudolph, she/they, journalism

“Yes, since living in Michigan I’ve attended Ypsi Pride. I’ve attended Pride events in other places I’ve lived. […] When I was a college student and a member of the LBGTQIA+ club, although in my day it was LBG, I helped with college pride events. And yes, I will do that again.” ~Janel Baker, she/her, social studies faculty

What is your favorite pride-related memory?

“Last year, Outspace+ [WCC’s LGBTQ+ club] helped out with two different YpsiPride events. I loved getting together with a bunch of our club students to make buttons to give away at pride! So many vendors at pride charged for buttons, so […] the faces of people lit up when they realized they could choose any identity or pride buttons they wanted for free, from the WCC booth!” ~Mary Mullalond, she/her, English faculty/Outspace+ advisor

“I met one of my best friends at a small Pride party with another mutual friend.” ~Eden Rudolph, she/they, journalism

“I handed out rainbow heart stickers to friends and they all put it on their phone cases, water bottles, [etc]. It was really special to see.” ~Katrina Melvin, she/her, health sciences

“Marching in Traverse City. It stands out because I got to meet Chasten Buttigieg.” ~Grant Howe, he/him, nursing

“NYC Pride 2018. I was with my partner and we saw Spongebob the Musical.” ~Ira Smith, he/him, environmental studies

“My [favorite memory is] friends coming out to me because it makes me happy that they trust me enough and I’m always proud of them.” ~Tonantzi Sagustume, she/her, biology pre-med

“My favorite memory is seeing all the flags and finally feeling accepted. This stands out to me because it was [a] turning point in my life where I finally felt like I belonged somewhere in the world.” ~Shelby Vantreese, she/her, general education

What does pride month mean to you? Why do you believe it’s important?

“What pride month means to me is that it’s a great month where people can celebrate who they are and their sexuality. I think it’s important because it shines light on everyone being different and it lets people express themselves.” ~Tonantzi Sagustume, she/her, biology pre-med

“Pride Month is important for the community to remember that being queer can be very difficult, not just in the past, but now too. Thus, Pride Month is the opportunity to support and celebrate each other in this community.” ~Janel Baker, she/her, social studies faculty

“Pride month is an opportunity for the LGBT community to celebrate our own existence in a way that we often don’t get. […] That said, Pride has been seriously dampened by corporate interests […], the presence of organizations like the police at the larger events, and the continuing insistence of [cisgender, heterosexual] people that they deserve some sort of Pride celebration as well. I think the foundational idea of Pride is deeply important, but the current existence it holds has been seriously harmed.” ~Eden Rudolph, she/they, journalism

“Pride month is important to me because I’m part of the community in so many ways and it’s so nice to know that I am not alone in the way I feel. I think it’s so important because it lets people become […] educated on different identities.” ~Julie Ross, all pronouns, general associates

“Pride is a defiant statement that LGBT people have been here all along, and are not going anywhere.” ~Strider Toll, he/they, animation

“Over the past many years, I’ve noticed an increase in general visibility among community members. I take this as a sign of greater acceptance and positive change; I hope it is.” ~Dave Waskin, he/him, English/journalism faculty

Do you look up to any LGBT+ people, whether they’re historical figures, cultural icons, or people you know in real life?

“Yes. Too many to name, but here are three that come to mind: Vito Russo [film historian, author of The Celluloid Closet]. Audre Lorde [author, poet, feminist, LGBT+ and civil rights activist]. Marsha P. Johnson [a transgender woman who threw the first brick at the 1969 Stonewall Riots].” ~Janel Baker, she/her, social studies faculty

“Marsha P. Johnson, my sibling, and all my queer friends.” ~Joie Karas, they/them, WTMC general studies in math and science

“Essentially all of the people involved in the original Stonewall riots, and the many, many people who marched (and died) for AIDS to be recognized and treated within the US.” ~Eden Rudolph, she/they, journalism

“A family friend […] who is gay but still a practicing and devout Christian.” ~Grant Howe, he/him, nursing

“I look up to all the visible queer people in my community. Ypsi is such an affirming and supportive environment to live in as a queer person, because there are so many amazing queer folks here. I love seeing queer people at the park, walking into businesses owned by queer people, [and] seeing other teachers who are queer.” ~Mary Mullalond, she/her, English faculty/Outspace+ advisor

Do you think WCC has a good environment for LGBTQ+ students?

“I haven’t really seen that side of WCC but I’d say yeah, from what I’ve seen. There’s not really a dress code or anything that would prohibit people from expressing themselves.” Coby Grant, he/him, liberal arts transfer

“It is nice that WCC has a system in place for allowing your preferred name to display in all of your school records and whatnot, but that is somewhat tempered by the fact that your school email is still initially registered with your deadname, leading to it being visibly evident that your preferred name is different from your ‘original’ name.” ~Eden Rudolph, she/her/they/them, journalism

“I think it’s a good environment. The Outspace+ discord chat is very supportive, and on campus, no one seems to judge people for who they are.” ~Tonantzi Sagustume, she/her, biology pre-med

“Personally I would say meh. Like they aren’t blatantly homophobic like BYU but they aren’t aggressively welcoming either.” ~Joie Karas, they/them, WTMC general studies in math and science

“My sense is that WCC has a good environment for LGBTQIA+ students, in no small part because it is the home of the Gender & Sexuality Conference. My colleague Mary Mullalond [has] done a wonderful job in her work with Outspace+ and educating faculty as well as students.” ~Dave Waskin, he/him, English/journalism faculty

“I think WCC has a good environment for queer people if they can find specific locations of support. In the past, our Outspace+ club was more visible at tables in the Student Center every week, which was great. […] But I worry about students who don’t see us on campus anymore and don’t know about the Discord. I think there’s definitely room for improvement to be more visible!” ~Mary Mullalond, she/her, English faculty/Outspace+ advisor

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