Programs and Initiatives
Bring- an-Ally Program: The Bring-an-Ally Program is a celebration of the importance and strength of our straight allies. The program will feature designated, campus-wide social hours and meetings in which the experiences of old allies are highlighted and new allies are welcomed. Each GLBT individual is encouraged to bring a new straight ally to all appropriate Bring-an-Ally meetings.
Cultural Series: Established as the Spectrum Film Series during the 2000-2001 academic year, the new and more expansive series attempts to illustrate the overwhelming diversity within the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) community. All events are designed for educative purposes and may range in scope from films and lectures to museum and theatre field trips.
DC AIDS Walk: A national event since 1986, the AIDS Walk is an attempt to raise money to support the thousands of individuals living with HIV/AIDS in the DC/Baltimore Metro Area. Each year, Spectrum sends a team of marchers to participate in the day's activities with the hope that, no matter how limited our resources, we can contribute to curtailing the growing AIDS crisis while raising awareness around the issues of HIV/AIDS infection. [This event is typically held during the first weekend in October]
Denim Day: Loyola's version of National Coming Out Day, Denim Day is an annual fall tradition that calls on all members of the community to wear denim in support of equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) individuals. It concludes with an address by an alum who has been selected to return to Loyola to discuss his or her GLBT experience.
Observances of Denim Day are now the longest-running Spectrum tradition and are perhaps the most popular of this group's campus-wide programs throughout each academic year. [This event is typically held on or about October 11th]
Freshmen Orientation Programs: Programs for GLBT freshmen and their supportive allies have been developed for both the summer and fall freshmen orientations. These programs include a GLBT oriented "Realities of College Life" monologue, an information session at the Summer Activities Fair (Open House), and a group dinner for all new and current members.
GLBTA Resource Center: The resource center is meant to provide the Loyola community with GLBTA educative materials as well as outreach activities. Both written and electronic media will address the following issues relevant to sexual minorities: the etiology of sexual orientation, sexual orientation and its various conceptualizations, popular depictions of sexual orientation in American society and abroad, the GLTBA youth and collegiate experiences, the coming out experience, legal matters surrounding sexual orientation, GLBTA health concerns, and the allied experience. In addition, consultations will be available for students, faculty, or administration with GLBTA educational needs.
Guess My Orientation: Normally played during the social hour, this game serves not only as a successful icebreaker, but also as a clever tool that uses humor in an attempt to shatter the most common held stereotypes regarding GLBT individuals. Participants must guess the sexual orientation of a selected individual through "gaydar" techniques and direct interrogations (e.g. Do you know who Liza Minelli's mother is? / How many pairs of shoes do you own? / Where are you on Thursday nights at 9 pm?). The Kinsey Scale is used as the measure of sexuality, and a brief lecture familiarizing new members with Kinsey's work should precede each game.
Reading Groups: Spectrum reading groups are an attempt to promote education and engaging discussion regarding current events and issues in the GLBTA community. The groups will meet three times a semester, and readings for each group will be distributed to participants via Blackboard and the Listserv a month in advance of every meeting.
Sexual Diversity Awareness Week: Established during the 2001-2002 academic year, Sexual Diversity Awareness Week is an annual spring tradition that aims to expose and discuss issues relevant to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) community both at Loyola and in American society at large. By promoting the issues related to sexual diversity and the lives and experiences of sexual minorities, Spectrum hopes to effect a college environment where homophobia and hatred are replaced by understanding, acceptance, and inclusiveness.
During its first three years, the Week has included such activities as On Being Gay in Non-Gay Places I, II and III, the One-in-Ten t-shirt exercise in diversity, a showing of the movies Philadelphia and If These Walls Could Talk II, the GLBT Coffeehouse, two town hall meetings, and guest lectures by former out Major League Baseball Player, Billy Bean, and the acclaimed bisexual activist, Robyn Ochs. [This event is typically held the second week after Spring Break]
Social Hour: At the very beginning of each semester, the officers and members hold an open social hour for the entire campus in which new and current members can familiarize themselves with each other in a laid-back and informal atmosphere. Food is often served and several icebreaking activities may take place.
Stonewall House: Stonewall House is an all-inclusive special interest housing option founded in the Jesuit tradition of men and women for others. Its mission is to provide an understanding, accepting, and nurturing living environment for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students and their allies (GLBTA). The members of Stonewall House must agree to foster open and honest campus-wide discussions about the diverse issues surrounding sexual orientation and the lives and experiences of sexual minorities.
VoiceOUT!: An annually-updated listing of students, faculty, staff and administration who support understanding, acceptance and inclusiveness for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) persons. The VoiceOUT! list is published in The Greyhound the week of Denim Day. During the first year of this program, 724 individuals signed VoiceOUT!