By Annette Cinelli

The Worcester State College Pride Alliance has existed for several years under various names including GSA and Delta, but it wasn’t until spring of 2008 that it became what it is today. The group was just days away from losing its charter when Dr. Lori Dawson, the head of the psychology department, asked two students in her human sexuality class if they would be interested in saving the group. Aaron Musgrove-Lecours and Felicia Misale agreed, and, in what Aaron describes as a “midnight hour kind of thing,” they filled out the necessary paperwork. After a coin toss, Aaron became President and Felica Vice-President of the newly named Worcester State College Pride Alliance.

The purpose of the alliance is to “eliminate the differential treatment of sexually diverse people at Worcester State College. This mission will be realized through acknowledgement and awareness-raising methods within the boundaries of the Organizational/Group policies of the College Student handbook. The methods include but are not limited to support meetings, speakers, and off campus group activities.”

At the end of the spring semester last year, there were only about 20 members in the group; as Aaron puts it, they had “more faculty support than students.” Today there are 98 students on the mailing list. Those who confidentially identify themselves as members of the GLBTQ community are pretty much split 50/50 between males and females, but according to Aaron, there seem to be more females who are “out” about their involvement in the alliance.

Although in its current incarnation the group is fairly new, they have already had several activities. One of the most popular and well-attended events was an open mic night where students could share their coming out stories. A variety of people talked about how old they were when the came out and how they did it. One of the things Aaron found most interesting was how “Everybody had different coming out stories for different people in their families. Every person who told a story had a free way of telling it. No matter how awful it was, everyone was able to turn it into a funny and moving story.” As the night progressed, people who hadn’t even signed up shared their stories with the group. It was a great bonding experience.

Another event held this past spring ~ and planned again for this coming April ~ was the National Day of Silence. The Day is in remembrance of “violence committed against the LGBTQ community.” Students and faculty who participate do not speak for an entire day to remind people that “hate crimes are still very real and present in our society.” Students have cards that they hand out to explain their silence and what the day represents. Last year they even put tape over their mouth to make their statement more visible. The group didn’t have the money for advertising, so they had to rely on word of mouth; even so, they attracted the attention of a local newspaper and the event was a great success.

This year the Alliance has a very ambitious agenda which tentatively includes an LGBTQ prom, possibly with other colleges in the consortium. Many of Worcester’s colleges have pride alliances that are usually “not the largest organizations on campus” and everyone could benefit from a combined prom. One of the schools in the consortium doesn’t even allow same sex dates to its regular dances. People have asked Aaron, “Can we come even if we’re not gay?” His response is a resounding “Of course,” and he adds that “You don’t need to advertise your sexuality, we’re happy you want to support spreading tolerance.”

Also for 2009, Aaron and the WSC Pride Alliance are planning Safe Zone training for faculty and staff. A Safe Zone is an area of campus where a student who is LGBTQ can feel comfortable talking and being him/herself with the knowledge that the faculty or staff in charge of that space is an ally. It also means that if something derogatory is said or if violence occurs, someone will be there to intervene on the “victim” student’s behalf. These areas are marked with stickers, but the concept is only effective if faculty, staff, and students know what the stickers mean.

In addition, the Alliance hopes to have educational and informative workshops throughout the semester along with a variety of social events. Their goal is to have a thriving LGBTQ network on Worcester State College’s campus. Luckily, the staff and other student-run organizations are very supportive, which makes their mission a little easier. Happily, there does not seem to be a lot of outward intolerance on campus or in the community. In fact, there are some people who ask if pride organizations are even necessary in today’s open and tolerant society, especially when you live in a state as liberal as Massachusetts, one of the few states that allows same-sex marriage. The truth is that there are still kids out there who are being assaulted for assumed or known sexual identity, still people who use “gay” to mean “stupid or lame,” and a military that still has the “Don’t ask, don’t tell policy.” So in a word, yes, pride organizations are absolutely still necessary.

For more information on WSC’s Pride Alliance, check out the group’s MySpace page at myspace.com/wscpridealliance and their facebook page at www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9837581901.