A week long birthday party ended with a bang on Friday night as the University’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community rang in National Coming Out Week, turning 17 this year on the Oregon campus with a triumphant celebration of individuality and more importantly, family.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Queer Alliance member and University junior Alex Sylvester wraps himself up in the rainbow balloon arch which flew over the Memorial Quad on Tuesday to celebrate National Coming Out Day. University students and community members alike gathered in the quad to hand out support group information, tye-dye t-shirts, and rejoice in individuality. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
University freshman Anna Bergstrom tie-dyed a donated t-shirt at the National Coming Out Day celebration on October 11, 2011. Bergstrom came out when she arrived at Oregon and still hasn’t fully explored the diverse array of LGBTQ support groups on campus, but was happy to be part of the celebration. “I like the fact that we get to express who we are,” Bergstrom said.
University LGBTQ Director Chicora Martin was one of several people to celebrate the occasion by making a tie-dye t-shirt for her daughter, Eliana, 9. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
University LGBTQ Director Chicora Martin takes a polaroid junior Melissa Fulkerson coming out of the closet placed on the Memorial Quad lawn during National Coming Out Day. Throughout the day, students, faculty and community members were encouraged to pick up information on the vast LGBTQ support network around campus, tye-dye t-shirts, and come out of the closet as allies. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Not being able to find a suitable way to dispose of the balloon arch at the end of the National Coming Out Day activities, Alex Sylvester ties the rainbow span to the Pioneer Father statue on campus to let the message last all day. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Flying for less than 45 minutes, the rainbow arrangement was quickly removed from the Pioneer Father statue on National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, 2011. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
University freshman Anna Bergstrom, senior exchange student Kristophe Poulin-Thibault and sophomore Heather Grassel lace up their rental skates on Thursday Oct. 13, 2011 for the start of Queer Skate, put on by the University LGBTQA. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
University freshman Marina Morrison shows off her outfit to fellow freshmen Hudson Tyler, and Wiliam Trevarraw at the beginning of Queer Skate. Costumes were encouraged as part of a costume contest to take place later in the night, but remained optional. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
University freshman Anna Bergstrom takes a few practice laps to get her skating legs while dressed in her jungle bird costume for Queer Skate on Oct. 11, 2011. A group vote at a previous University LGBTQA meeting had decided the event’s theme: neon jungle animal. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Marina Morrison (left) and Anna Bergstrom (right) were congratulated by friends after the costume contest was decided. Bergstrom beat out Morrison for first place with her jungle bird costume which she took her six hours, feathers and a hot glue gun. to make. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
University freshmen Rudy Mclean and Suzy Doss take a break from the festivities at Queer Skate on October 17, 2011. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
University senior Kristophe Poulin-Thibault wore fake glow-in-the-dark eyelashed as part of his jungle bird costume, but had to eventually remove them. “They got heavy,” Poulin Thibault laughed. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Pumpkin Mestaz, 2, is surprised to see University junior Alex Sylvester dressed as his drag persona, Scarlett Ecstasy, while playing with his aunt Krista Nichols while on the shoulders of aunt, and Nichols longtime partner, Dex Mestaz. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Dante Douglas and Marina Morrison skate together during Queer Skate on Oct. 13, 2011. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Drag queen Scarlett Ecstasy (left) unlaces her skate as fellow drag queen Renatta Flambee (right) struggles to remove hers at the skate return. “Get me some high heels. I can do that,” said Flambee. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Students, tired from a night of costumed skating, piled into vans provided by the LGBTQA to shuttle students between campus and the skating rink. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Alex Sylvester puts on a bit of eye make-up in the mirror before the start of “Queer Dance,” the final event of the University’s 17th annual National Coming Out Week on Friday, Oct. 14, 2011. Sylvester, who sometimes dresses as his drag persona, Scarlett Ecstasy but chose not to for the dance, learned how to apply his own make-up with, “a whole lot of practice and YouTube.” (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
University freshman Melissa Walker dances across the floor during “Queer Dance” put on as the capstone to the University’s 17th annual National Coming Out Week celebration. The event, held in the LLC Performance Hall, transformed the classroom setting into a dancefloor by making use of strobes, blacklights, and the room’s three projector screens. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Conga lines and dance circles formed throughout the night at “Queer Dance” on Friday, Oct. 14, 2011. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
As an colorful end to National Coming Out Week on campus, the dance is meant to celebrate those who’ve joined the effort to eliminate sexual and gender intolerance and praise difference according to LGBTQA Events Coordinator Ryan Riddick. “This whole week is about finding who your are and how you identify,” Riddick said. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
University freshman Chris Johnson takes a text break from the dance circle in the LLC Performance Hall on Oct. 14, 2011. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
University freshman Marina Morrison shows off her moves in the middle of a dance circle while being lit by one of the strobe lights at “Queer Dance” in the LLC Performance Hall. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Marina Morrison catches her breath outside while she takes a break from people and dancing on Oct. 11, 2011. “It’s been kind of an emotional day. Dancing helps,” Morrison said, before heading back inside. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Alex Sylvester holds University sophomore Casey Drobnick during an improvised swing dance during the final event of National Coming Out Week on Oregon’s campus on Oct. 14, 2011. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
The events of National Coming Out Week, along with the community of support built by the University’s LGBTQA and numerous other LGBT groups around campus, are just a few of the things that saw Oregon named as the nation’s most, “gay-friendly campus,” in 2010 according to the Campus Pride Climate Index. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
University sophomore Alexandra Badura and friend Cory Brown hold each other close on the dancefloor after both exchanged sentiments of love and support for each other on Friday, Oct. 14, 2011 at “Queer Dance.” (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Marina Morrison arches backwards on the dancefloor at “Queer Dance” in the LLC Performance Hall on Friday Oct. 14, 2011. The dance served as a final coming together for members and allies of the LGBTQ community during National Coming Out Week on Oregon’s campus. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
University sophomore Casey Drobnick lays on the lawn outside the LLC Performance Hall as she talks on the phone with her girlfriend. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Oregon alum Joe Branson and University senior Johnmichael Lahtinen lean in for a kiss while dancing together at “Queer Dance,” put on by the University’s LGBTQA. The dance served as the finale to the National Coming Out Week events on campus celebrating individuality, togetherness, and all that it means to be queer. (Aaron Marineau/Oregon Daily Emerald)