Make Sure to Check Out the QuAM Calendar!

Remember to check out the online Queer Awareness Month Calendar to find out what’s going on all around campus for Queer Awareness Month!

QuAM Opening Day Balloon Arch

Photo by Arnold Park

Congratulations to QuAM for a wonderful Opening Day! The tabling was successful, the chalk art was lots of fun, and the Rainbow Balloon Arch was, as always, fabulous. WAS. That is, until it was cut loose around 5pm by two vandals.

The full story can be found on BWOG – Somewhere Under the Rainbow.

When I found out what had happened shortly after 5, my immediate thought was that Aretha said it best: “All I’m asking is for a little respect.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

It’s important to keep in mind a number of facts about this situation:

1. The vandals’ actions specifically targeted the LGBTQ and allied community.
2. The vandals’ actions demonstrated unwarranted disrespect for the LGBTQ and allied community.
3. The vandals’ actions contributed to an environment that devalues and delegitimizes LGBTQ identities, which is especially alarming in the midst of an event with the express purpose of validating and affirming those identities.

The culprits have not, at the time of posting, been identified by Public Safety.

However the QuAM Committee decides to proceed with regards to this incident, they can be sure that CQA will stand with them in solidarity as we remain committed to eradicating bias-related incidents in the University community, whether they’re based on biological sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or another identity altogether.