


It took us a while to realise how the worst part of it was how it presented suicide as empowerment.

If I battle looks and questions everyday, what will I receive once I am seen with a LGBTQA+ spoken word poet? The constant fear runs through my head as every Pride event comes together and the word is spread. I fear that I will be marked as an outcast and be ostracized from the student body. I fear that after a huge event like a Drag Show, that I will face micro-aggressions or even hateful comments. Is my Pride shirt too much? Are my shorts too long? Are my clothes too baggy? Is my hair too short? Does my tie look too masculine? Just like any other member of the LGBTQA+ I am very excited for Pride week, but I will admit I am very nervous for the reactions that will come from it. On a Jesuit, catholic campus, I always worry about other’s reactions to just my daily appearance. Even though we have worked tirelessly attempting to make Pride week the best show of queer culture, all of us will admit to being worried about the reaction. Sometimes your day consists of battling stares, questions and public restrooms, so just imagine the reaction of the week of pure Pride and demonstrating the wonderful aspects of gayness. Going to a Jesuit University is not easy for anyone who is a part of the LGBTQA+ community.
