2008 Woodie Awards
Organization builds pride
Nick Wagner
Issue date: 10/17/07 Section: Campus Life
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The Pridebuilders, the first-year gay-straight alliance organization on campus, has taken the role of educating students and faculty about homosexuality. "Our main goal is to educate everyone here because there are a lot of people who have been wrongly exposed and/or have a wrong perspective on homosexuality," said Angie Combs co-president of Pridebuilders.
Mary Requena, co-president of Pridebuilders, said, "The purpose of Pridebuilders is to create a place where everyone will know they are accepted. Not everyone in Pridebuilders is gay, and I think people assume you have to be gay in order to be a part of the organization."
Oct. 11 was "National Coming Out Day." "It's a day mainly for people to educate others" said Requena. On that day the Pridebuilders sponsored a forum to answer questions for those who wanted information.
Combs said, "I was surprised with the outcome. It was more then expected. There were about 24 students and faculty in all."
The forum isn't the only thing the Pridebuilders have been up to. At 4 p.m. Friday the Pridebuilders will have a reception with alumni to discuss their organization. They will be in the Homecoming parade on Saturday. Once Homecoming is finished, the Pridebuilders will be hosting more forums. The next forum to be held will have the theme, religion and acceptance, and will be open to everyone.
A support group will also meet next week. "It's going to be an informal meeting with no real agenda to it, just for people to come in and talk about whatever they feel on their mind" said Combs.
Requena said, "We are never going to mask who we are. We don't want to deny our sexuality and make ourselves uncomfortable just to make someone else comfortable. We are not a threat. We are human."
Nick Wagner is a sophomore with an undecided major. You may e-mail him at nick.wagner@sckans.edu.
Mary Requena, co-president of Pridebuilders, said, "The purpose of Pridebuilders is to create a place where everyone will know they are accepted. Not everyone in Pridebuilders is gay, and I think people assume you have to be gay in order to be a part of the organization."
Oct. 11 was "National Coming Out Day." "It's a day mainly for people to educate others" said Requena. On that day the Pridebuilders sponsored a forum to answer questions for those who wanted information.
Combs said, "I was surprised with the outcome. It was more then expected. There were about 24 students and faculty in all."
The forum isn't the only thing the Pridebuilders have been up to. At 4 p.m. Friday the Pridebuilders will have a reception with alumni to discuss their organization. They will be in the Homecoming parade on Saturday. Once Homecoming is finished, the Pridebuilders will be hosting more forums. The next forum to be held will have the theme, religion and acceptance, and will be open to everyone.
A support group will also meet next week. "It's going to be an informal meeting with no real agenda to it, just for people to come in and talk about whatever they feel on their mind" said Combs.
Requena said, "We are never going to mask who we are. We don't want to deny our sexuality and make ourselves uncomfortable just to make someone else comfortable. We are not a threat. We are human."
Nick Wagner is a sophomore with an undecided major. You may e-mail him at nick.wagner@sckans.edu.
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