By: Essence Buckman, staff writer

“The goal of Pride month is for engagement,” says Demario Watts, assistant dean of Diversity and leadership development states. “Some students don’t feel comfortable or safe sharing their identities, and we want to give them a voice.”

While Watts says Pride month isn’t the “end all, be all” solution to approaching the experiences that students who identify with the LGBTQIA community face on campus, it helps to show there is the determination to have those students feel more comfortable and included on campus. He believes that the events in place for Pride month will allow learning opportunities for allies who may not be very knowledgeable of the intention of these events.

Nationally, Pride month occurs during the month of June. However, since June is a summer month where not many people will be on campus, it was decided that Pride month events on Wofford’s campus will be implemented in April, also to coincide with Sexual Assault Awareness month.

Intersectionality is promoted in a variety of ways regarding Pride month, such as faculty/staff/students and alumni participating in working on educational events regarding LGBTQIA issues and topics.

Kyle Keith, study abroad coordinator, emphasizes that through Pride month, all those involved are trying to focus on intersectionality and experiences.

One event that will happen during Pride month will be a panel of Wofford Alumni who are members of the LGBTQIA community, who will reflect on their experiences as students and professionals. The panelists also participate in a lot of LGBTQIA advocacy work. The panel is scheduled for Tuesday, April 10 in the Olin Theatre.

Other events that will occur include ally trainings that have been previously offered earlier in the school year.

“Ally training was offered in August during RA training,” Keith says. “Afterward, the resident assistants wanted the training to be offered to more students. The ally trainings were opened to the Wofford community and experienced good attendance and great feedback.”

The training the RAs received was initially called “Safe Zone,” which is taught by Dr. Nancy Williams in the Philosophy department. Now the trainings are identified as ally trainings, as it implies a more active positionality. There will be two ally trainings this month, one for faculty/staff and the other for students.

There will also be community conversations with students and student-led groups focusing on their experiences related to LGBTQIA.

Awareness and programming surrounding LGBTQIA is a part of the mission of the student-led campus organization, Spectrum. Spectrum will be involved with the programming of Pride month and are working on additional events, which are to be determined.

“Wofford hasn’t had many events that have celebrated or were inclusive of the LGBTQIA community,” says Watts.

Keith reflects on his undergraduate experience at Elon University, and how he wasn’t that active in LGBTQIA events but was happy to see that the faculty, staff and students committed themselves to being allies and advocates.

“For so long being LGBT was perceive as something that people should be ashamed of or hide,” says Keith. “In response, Pride month is something to celebrate and affirm the LGBT+ community.”

Keith mentioned that students lean on faculty and staff members they believe can emphasize or relate to them whenever it comes to their intersectional experiences – in this case, identity affirmation. He wants to see aspects of identity affirmation included on this campus through a variety of ways.

Pride month is being put on this campus to serve as a way to empower LGBTQIA students, whether they identify as a part of the community, openly or not.

Watts and Keith both encourage the campus community to attend this inaugural Pride month and the events that will be hosted. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions and engage in conversation.