Eastern Michigan University students, LGBT and otherwise, flocked to Big Bob’s Lakehouse Tuesday afternoon for the LGBT Resource Center’s fourth-annual welcome back BBQueer.
The barbeque gave EMU students, staff and faculty a chance to meet others they can relate to, while fostering a supportive and gay-friendly campus community.
“I really liked being around people like me,” said freshman Kelsey Keating. “It was good to just chill and hang out.”
From first-timers to returners, all in attendance were in high spirits to return to EMU’s campus and celebrate their community with friendships, new and old.
“It was great meeting so many new people and seeing old friends,” said sophomore Devin Cushing. “It was also really cool to see so many allies in attendance.”
Through campus programs and events like the BBQueer, the LGBTRC and QUEST gives students who are LGBT-identified and their allies a chance to unify and socialize.
“It was my first time attending the BBQueer,” said Cushing. “It was awesome, very exciting and fun.”
Besides the draw of free food, students were free to dance and enter a raffle for coveted prizes. Featured raffle prizes ranged from gay-themed books to gift certificates for Beezy’s and Café Marie to a giant rainbow-colored
umbrella.
But the items that really drew attention from the crowd were six EMU LGBTRC ‘Superpeople’ T-shirts, featuring the LGBTRC logo — a rainbow triangle next to the ‘Eastern E’ — inside the traditional Superman logo.
“The raffle prizes were my favorite part even though I didn’t win anything,” said sophomore Allyson Daraban. “I really wanted to win one of those T-shirts.”
Fortunately for those who walked away without such shirts, they’ll have more opportunities to win one during LGBTRC and QUEST events in the coming months.
“I really wanted to win a T-shirt in the raffle,” said Cushing. “But I’ll try to attend every OUTober event hoping to win one.”
With all the hungry people who came in search for some free barbeque, they soon ran out of food. While this would cause most event coordinators to panic, LGBTRC Program Coordinator, Mary Larkin, is celebrating.
“The best part about this year’s BBQueer is that we ran out of food,” said Larkin. “It means more people showed up than we expected.”
Larkin wasn’t the only one impressed with attendance. Students were also pleasantly surprised by the turnout.
“We definitely had more folks,” said Larkin. “There were around 200 people this year. Newsweek ranked us as 18th in the country for gay-friendly colleges and events like this show us why. We have people who don’t even identify as LGBT showing up.”
As hinted at earlier, the event also gave the LGBTRC a chance to inform students about all the programs to be hosted as part of EMU’s annual month-long LGBT community celebration, OUTober.
“We have so many events planned for OUTober this year,” Larkin said. “We’re kicking it all off on October 2 with the Rainbow Flag Display at Big Bob’s Lakehouse.”
This year, OUTober will feature 11 events ranging from informative presentations to engaging performances. All of EMU’s LGBT community, including allies, are welcome to attend any and all events.
OUTober will feature numerous co-sponsors from QUEST and Student Alliance for Gay Athletes and Allies. Campus Life will be co-sponsoring the popular story-telling series, Storytellers Lounge: Out and About, at the close of OUTober.
After the BBQueer, QUEST held its first meeting at the University Park Amphitheater. QUEST President Jennifer Rokakis and QUEST Secretary Andre Moses led the meeting.
“There were a lot of new people,” Rokakis said. “It was the most people I’ve seen at one of these events. I’m really proud of the turnout and look forward to what comes next.”
QUEST meets two Tuesdays a month, and the next meeting will be held Sept. 20 from 7-9 p.m. in the EMU Student Center.
