Eastern Michigan University's LGBT Resource Center is hosting the I AM: The LGBTG Project Debrief as part of OUTober Tuesday evening, in room 352 of the Student Center.
I AM started with a display in the Student Center. Students could sign their name, take a picture, state their gender identity and sexual orientation and why they chose to participate. The pictures were then put on a wall in the Student Center between the Bookstore and Food Court.
"The wall was a way for us to show how many different identities there are on campus [and] give a face to those identities,” Dominique Canning, a senior majoring in linguistics said. “And, to let those who aren't able to take their picture or have their picture up, know that there are people like them.”
There is a spectrum of identities beyond lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. Some people are asexual, who don't feel attracted to anyone. Some are heteroflexible, which means that they are heterosexual most of the time, but not always. Then, there is gender identity, which is completely different from sexual identity.
The discussion gave students the opportunity to talk about their identities and find out more about others. The wall was covered with students from all walks of life, sexualities and gender identities.
"I think the biggest thing is not to invalidate anyone's identity for whatever they choose to identify as," Connor Rivera, a senior double majoring in psychology and women and gender studies, said. "It's not for us to decide what a person feels themself."
This is not the first year the I AM Project took place. Mary Larkin, director of the LGBT Resource Center, says that they got about 190 pledges this year, up from the 150 last year. The wall will stay up till the end of the week.
