While October is known by most for Halloween and the beginnings of autumn, the LGBTQ+ community at Eastern Michigan University considers it OUTober.
OUTober, a clever play on this month’s name, encourages people of all different sexualities and gender identities to be comfortable and happy with whom they are. It’s a designated time of positivity where LGBTQ+ members are prompted to come out and be themselves.
Last year, a pride flag comprised of numerous smaller, multi-colored flags filled the hill beside Pray-Harold in celebration of OUTober. Anyone could see it on the way to the building or any other in the area with its size. This highly visible symbol, however, was vandalized one early morning with many of the small multi-colored flags yanked from the ground.
While the damage was repaired and the flags restored, the act left an impact. B. Preston Johnson, a member of QUEST and the LGBTQ+ community explained how it was more then just vandalism.
“[The flag] goes beyond pride,” Johnson said. “It’s an affirmation of our existence and our right to occupy space on campus.”
Preston was present last year when the flag was damaged. They recalled overwhelming emotion amongst other members of their community. With no cameras pointed toward where the flag was displayed, it was impossible for campus police to identify who did the damage. The anonymity of the perpetrator added to the tension.
Lindsay Clark, a member of the LGBTQ+ mentoring program, said acts like that only perpetuated a sense of fear. “This safe space that we set up for ourselves was made unsafe,” Clark said. “It’s a lingering feeling.”
The overall message of the vandalism translated to ‘we don’t want you here’ in the eyes of anyone identifying as a LGBTQ+ member. In wake of the recent racist graffiti that was sprayed across King Hall just a few weeks ago, there’s a sense of familiarity amongst the two incidents, though the later was met with much more immediate backlash.
Preston urges students to be ‘brave and courageous’ if they see or hear hate. “My intention is to put [last year’s] incident into prominence and encourage people to be active bystanders.”
OUTober activities don’t plan on calling back to the vandalism, but rather intend to keep an air of positivity and love amongst the community. The rainbow flag, a strong symbol of pride, will be placed in the same location as last year on Friday, Oct. 7 at 3 p.m. While the vandalism left its mark, the flag’s visibility is a pointed expression of ‘we belong here’.
