Miami University's Timeline Towards
Equality
The timeline below indicates significant events in the
history of Miami University where gays, lesbians,
bisexuals, and transgendered students, staff, and faculty
experienced some form of recognition by the university,
validating the presence of the GLBT community at Miami.
Hopefully the events listed here will help the
administration realize, accept, and allow Miami's GLBT
community to share equally in all aspects of university
life.
Many Thanks to: Paul Anderson, Roy Bowen Ward, and Ted
Peters for helping to supply important dates in this
timeline.
Do you have an event in history that you want to see listed
in the Timeline Towards Equality? If so, send an e-mail
message to Dan Meyers, indicate the historical
event in detail, and attach any materials if you
happen to have them documenting the event.
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THE TIMELINE TOWARDS EQUALITY
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Early 1970s: Gay People of Oxford was
formed. Janet Martin as the first President, This was an
Oxford community group that had numerous student
participants. At times Miami students ran the organization.
They were a close-knit open minded and informal queer
community, mostly from the theater department.
August 1979: The first attempt to begin a
gay and lesbian organization at Miami University was called
the "Advocates for Gay Liberation." The Miami University
Board of Trustees denied a $64 funding request and the
group dissolved later in the academic year.
August 1984: The University Bulletin and
other official publications begin to include statements
that Miami does not discriminate on the basis of sexual
orientation and that Miami adheres to Ohio Governor's
Executive Order 83-64, which prohibits discrimination in
state employment based on sexual orientation.
August 1984: The Gay and Lesbian Alliance
was started for the first time, but dissolved within nine
months.
September 1984: A second group called the
Gay/Lesbian Alliance tried to organize. The Student Affairs
Council approved this group unanimously. The GLA sponsored
two lectures, visited residence halls, and held panels in
Human Sexuality classes. However, harassment and abuse
proved debilitating, leading to what one member described
as "cynicism and defeatist behavior." The group dissolved
by the end of the year.
September 1985: Chameleon, Miami's gay and
lesbian support group, is created by Jim La Pâté and Chris
Rebera. One had to call a "secret" number, ask for a
particular person, and then one was routed to the correct
contact.
October 1985: Linda Singer and Roy Bowen
Ward submit a cross-listed course in the Honors Program
dealing with gay and lesbian issues. Although the student
members of the Honors Committee voted against it (reason:
no student would want that course on their transcript), the
faculty outvoted them, and the course was approved for the
1986-1987 academic year.
August 1986: Linda Singer and Roy
Bowen Ward teach the first course directly and explicitly
about gay and lesbian issues on the Miami campus. The
course, entitled "Homosexual and Lesbian Experience," is
still taught every fall.
September 1986: The Gay and Lesbian
Alliance re-forms on the Miami University campus and is
recognized as a student group on September 30, 1986. Roy
Bowen Ward, professor of Religion, affiliate in Women's
studies, and History, serves as the first faculty advisor
to the newly formed group. Jeff Young served as the first
president, Terri Lotz as vice-president, Brenda Price as
secretary, and Suzanne Gray as treasurer. The group formed
out of Chameleon. The first president was Jeff Young,
Vice-President was Terri Lots, Secretary was Brenda Price,
Treasurer was Sue Gray, and the Faculty Advisor was Roy
Bowen Ward.
October 1986: The Miami Student runs a
full, front-page article with the headline "Gay alliance
organizes with new goals." The newsletter for Minority
Affairs Council focuses on homosexuality, the GLA, and
related issues. The Minority Affairs council also asked Roy
Ward to lecture on homophobia. The Miami Student runs
another article focusing on Ward's lecture in the October
17th issue.
December 1986: Members of the Gay and
Lesbian Alliance received many anonymous and insulting
telephone calls and letters from both students and faculty
of Miami. The panels, which went to educate the student
body in sociology and anthropology classes, were often
exposed to insulting, rude, and embarrassing comments and
questions. However, by the end of the year, the GLA had 40
members.
January 1987: The Gay and Lesbian Alliance
requests funding from the Board of Trustees in the amount
of $400. They received $230. When it was time to approve
the budget at the June Board of Trustees meeting, one board
member moved for the removal of GLA funding, followed by a
second motion affirming the move. Ward was there as a
representative of the university senate and witnessed the
vice-president for student affairs stand up and remind the
two men that such an act was against the law, referring to
Governor Celeste's executive order. The motion failed.
June 1987: The Board of Trustees adds
"sexual preference" to the list of grounds for a
discrimination complaint (Section 3.7 of the Miami
University Policy and Information Manual).
Autumn 1987: 1st GLBA OFFICE. GLBA
was given an office in the basement of King Library. This
was ironic for several reasons. First, there was always
huge cruising going on in the basement restrooms of King
Library. Second, the first office was a sub-office of the
Miami University Office for Students with Disabilities!!!!
The GLBA was desperate for office space, so we took it.
This was after previous denials for an office space. The
office later was moved to Shriver Center.
Autumn 1987: Miami Financial Report
reaches $1000 mark for MUGLBA. The GLBA felt this amount
was a milestone in continuing support from the Miami.
Student Finance Committee, that the committee recognized
Miami MUGLBA, and that an incredible number of panels were
sited as their reason for stronger backing.
Autumn 1987: The first student recognized
by Miami as being HIV+; Miami tries to force student to
live in a single room for "health" reasons; the student was
bisexual and this fact was brought to Miami students'
attention at Safe Sex forum attended by several hundred
students, causing quite an uproar and demands for
identification of student (he had slept with both male and
female students on campus without disclosure); Gay staff
member with Miami Student Counseling Center attempts to
mediate situation between all parties involved.
Autumn 1987: Students for Safe Sex was
temporarily formed in attempts to get condoms readily
available in residence halls; Condoms handed out at Student
Center; local and regional newspaper and TV coverage.
April 1988: On April 6th, 1988 the first
"Jeans Day" was observed. This designated day is when
people who support gay/ lesbian/ bisexual/ transgendered
issues wear jeans to show their support. Students have
criticized this as "sneaky," accusing GLBA of tricking
people into showing support when they did not know what day
it was.
April 1988: The "First Annual Sexual
Deviant's Ball" was held within a week of Jeans Day. Since
the two happened so closely together, "Awareness Week"
evolved and became host to a variety of panels, speakers,
and activities.
January 1989: The Gay and Lesbian Alliance
change their name to the GLBA (Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual
Alliance). This is the first time the bisexual students and
faculty were officially recognized on campus.
Spring 1989: GLBA sends out first mailing
to all freshman students at beginning of school year
inviting them to get involved with GLBA. List provided to
GLBA by Miami (after approving letter). After receiving
more than 100 harassing phone calls from flyer, Security
office puts a tap on our phone. Calls are identified back.
Miami would not prosecute callers since they cannot prove
who actually made the phone calls from student's room.
Spring 1989: Living in Thompson Hall, the
GLBA president and vice-president had various Miami MUGLBA
fliers on our door. This was the same year that 14 gay and
bisexual men lived on the 2nd floor of Thompson Hall. The
straight men on the 2nd floor were furious at the dominance
of gay and bisexual men on the floor. Situation escalated
to where they set a door on fire in residence hall.
Students who committed act are not thrown out by Miami, but
have to write paper on their acts.
Spring 1989: At graduation, a gay student
wore a huge pink triangle (Silence = Death) on his cap. He
was first stopped at ceremony by Miami officials but then
allowed to march with the pink triangle on his cap. This
was probably the first time any gay symbol was worn at a
graduation ceremony.
Spring 1989: Miami University changes its
wording in policies from sexual "preference" to
"orientation."
August 1990: GLA changes its name to Miami
University Gay Lesbian Bisexual Alliance (MUGLBA). This is
the first time bisexuality is fully recognized for the
group. MUGLBA moves its official offices to Shriver Center,
placing it in the Student Activities Suite along with ASG,
BSAA, AWS, CAC and Greek Affairs.
June 1990: The Board of Trustees adopts
the University's "Policy Asserting Respect for Human
Diversity," which proclaims, among other principles,
Miami's commitment to establishing respect for all
individuals regardless of sexual orientation.
October 1991: The Domestic Partner
Benefits Task Force formed at the request of the Faculty
Welfare Committee. Original members were Paul Anderson
(Chair), Ann Fuehrer, and Bob Phillips. Others who later
worked on the Task Force have been Jim Creech and Kate
McCullough.
November 1992: The Domestic Partner
Benefits Task Force completes its report, recommending that
Miami provide the same benefits to employees with domestic
partners that it provides to employees who are married.
February 1993: Miami's Human Relations
Commission endorses the principles of the Domestic Partner
Benefits Task Force.
August 1993: The dedication of the Robert
Phillips memorial garden and outdoor meeting area behind
Irvin Hall. Bob Phillips was an openly gay faculty member
who was an original member of the Domestic Partner Benefits
Task Force and chair of the Department of Spanish and
Portuguese. Speakers at the dedication included President
Paul Risser and also Bob's partner.
October 1993: The Faculty Welfare
Committee endorses the Domestic Partner Benefits Task Force
report.
March 1994: The Lesbian Avengers,
another group that formed on campus, staged the first
"kiss-in," a public display of women kissing women and men
kissing men on campus.
April 1994: MUGLBA dace held at Bachelor
Hall Courtyard gets egged.
April 1994: University Senate passes a
resolution in support of domestic partner benefits.
May 1994: Chameleon folds because a few
hateful students who infiltrated the group and ruins its
confidentially.
September 1994: The University Faculty
Assembly concurs with the Senate resolution in support of
domestic partner benefits.
October 1994: University President Paul
Riser writes a letter to the Board of Trustees in which he
reports on the action by Senate and Faculty Assembly but
says he will not propose a change in policy to the Board.
Since this decision, the Domestic Partner Benefits Task
Force has met from time to time with Miami Presidents and
other University administrators to discuss full or partial
implementation of partner benefits, but it has not had been
able to make any substantial progress.
September 1995: Anti-gay activities
escalate on campus. "Gerbil Fest" poster and "H82BGAY"
license plate campaigns become a new Miami tradition with
campus conservatives.
April 1995: the First Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual pub-crawl happens uptown during Awareness Week.
September 1996: Monifa Porter and Lief
Mitchell form the 1809 Lambda, the Alumni group.
October 1996: Upon their May 1996
graduation, Monifa Porter and Leif Mitchell endeavored to
build an alumni organization for the Miami University gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) community. Their
efforts came to fruition by Homecoming Weekend 1996, which
marked the first meeting of 1809 Lambda Alumni.
December 1997: First year Miami students
organize the first National Day of Silence on campus.
January 1997: GLBA collaborates with a
wide-array of multicultural organizations to take over
Warfield Hall and place demands for diversity initiatives
and change on campus.
September 1998: The Miami University
phonebook publishes the names of faculty and their
partners. The phonebook also begins to cross-references
names by partner.
September 1998: An Ally/Safe Space program
and training begins for all resident assistants and hall
directors
February 1998: Miami hosts a Matthew
Shepherd Vigil and several participants of that vigil were
targeted and harassed.
January 1999: Miami University allows gay
and lesbian faculty and staff to form a web page and be
listed under university organizations. A listserv is also
established to provide better communication among Miami's
GLBT community.
February 2000: The Miami Student placed
the picture and story of students Matthew Eagan’s and
Levi Grooms' marriage on the front page of the February
15th, 2000 newspaper: "Saturday, Feb. 12, marked a
momentous occasion among Miami students. In a symbol of
love and attention for their cause, sophomores Levi Grooms
and Matthew Agan married each other at Holy Trinity
Episcopal Church. With the funds of MUGLBA, Students for
Peace and AWS, the marriage demonstrated commitment and
follow-through with conviction to lifestyle. The fortitude
and well-rounded support for the unity comes at a time of
national acceptance and tolerance. The marriage of Grooms
and Agan should be a beacon toward furthering state
acceptance and equality in marriage rights and practices."
June 2000: The first known civil union
announcement for a Miami couple was printed in the Miamian,
the alumni newsletter, in the Spring-Summer edition (Vol.
18, No. 3, Page 41): "David Greenbaum and Michael Silverman
were joined in a B'rit Ahavah ceremony at Temple Israel in
Omaha June 6, 1999. Both are in the computer industry and
live in Lawrence, Kansas."
August 2000: The Provost and Executive
Vice President for Academic Affairs, Ronald Crutcher, and
the Vice President for Finance and Business Services and
Treasurer, Richard Norman, issue a memo to faculty and
staff on August 29, 2000 directing that faculty and staff
listings will no longer include spouse names. "We have
determined that listing and maintaining this information in
a business directory is not essential or appropriate." The
changes are reflected in the 2000-01 university directory.
September 2000: Daniel Meyers and Stephen
Sauer II enter into a Vermont Civil Union and become the
first known Oxford couple to do so. Dan, an employee at
Miami, applies for domestic partner benefits in the
Personnel Office. His request is denied.
May 2001: Lavender Graduation begins on
campus. 1809 Lambda Alumni Board members organize that the
graduate had three graduates. The event was held on Western
campus at the Freedom Summer memorial Amphitheater. Each
grad received a lavender graduation cord and a rainbow
tassel.
October 2002: On Saturday, October 19,
2002, twelve people who listed themselves as out in the
National Coming Out Day ad received a hate letter via
e-mail. In response to this action, Spectrum and GLEAM
members took time to educate people about what happened and
what's going on, including administrators, members of the
press, students, and faculty. Simultaneously, other people
and groups on campus had been dealing with a cross burning
in a staff member's yard that also happened during this
weekend. This was a racially motivated event regarding
their biracial child. Spectrum, along with MU Solidarity,
and other groups of minority students on campus joined
together on Tuesday, October 22nd, 2002, at 5:00 pm behind
Shriver at the reflecting pool for a No-Hate rally and
protest against these actions. The rally led to a march
though the streets of Oxford, ending up at the Martin
Luther King Jr. Park in uptown Oxford. President Garland
and Lt. Andrew Powers, from the Miami University police,
issue statements condemning the hate crimes.
September 2003: The Princeton Review ranks
Miami the 5th worst school in America at which to be GLBT.
The Miami Student covers the story and writes an editorial
urging support for our community.
September 2003: The Office of GLBT
services opens in MacMillan Hall with Alan Glass, M.D. as
the first director.
February 2004: President James Garland
sends a letter to Gov. Taft opposing Ohio's pending
"Super-DOMA" bill, which would deny civil rights to all
GLBT people and would forbid state entities from issuing
domestic partner benefits to GLBT employees. Gov. Taft
signs the bill anyway.
February 2004: Members of Spectrum
organize a student rally against the so-called "Defense of
Marriage Act" at the Ohio Statehouse. Representatives from
Ohioans for Growth and Equality, Stonewall Columbus, State
Senator Eric Fingerhut, and student leaders from throughout
Ohio address a respectable crowd.
April 2004: The Miami ASG Student Senate
endorses domestic partner benefits for partners of Miami
employees by a vote of 33-2 with four abstentions.
June 25, 2004: Miami University will offer
health and dental insurance and other benefits to same-sex
domestic partners of faculty and staff starting July 1,
Miami President Jim Garland announced today (June 25) at
the meeting of the university's board of trustees.
“It is clear to me that domestic partner benefits
have important practical implications for the university
and, specifically, for our ability to recruit and retain
talented employees. I have no doubt that this modest change
in our benefits package will be a tangible factor as we
recruit new people to the campus in the coming
years,” noted Garland. While a change in insurance
benefits did not require trustee action, members of the
board unanimously endorsed the change by resolution.
“Having given this issue much thought and
deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that in the
current hiring environment, extending domestic partner
benefits is necessary to recruit the very best faculty and
staff possible. I support President Garland’s
decision, and I would like the trustees to have an
opportunity to show their support, as well,” said
Chairman Fred Wall. Garland noted also that domestic
partner benefits today are offered by more than 150
universities, including 75 percent of the top-ranked
national universities, nearly 40 percent of Fortune 500
companies and nearly 60 percent of Fortune 100 companies.
Today Ohio University trustees also endorsed a new
domestic-partner benefit policy for Ohio U. employees.
“The numbers are growing each year,” Garland
said. “The concept has clearly moved into the
mainstream, and to remain competitive I believe it is time
the university responded to that reality. For many
businesses and universities, and quite apart from personal
convictions, health insurance for domestic partners is a
business decision.” To receive the benefits for their
partners, eligible faculty and staff members will be
required to file an “affidavit of domestic
partnership,” which certifies that the employee is in
a long-term, committed relationship with his or her
domestic partner and shares financial obligations and a
residence with that person. Research shows that typically
fewer than 0.5 percent of faculty and staff members use
same-sex partner benefits if available, which would mean
about 18 employees are likely to enroll for the new
benefits, Garland said. Costs are predicted to be no more
than $50,000-$100,000 a year. The university currently pays
$22 million in insurance benefits to employees.
2005: 1809 Lambda changes its name to 1809
LBGT Alumni. 1809 LGBT alumni names the annual $1000
scholarship after Roy Bowen Ward. GLBT Office becomes a
part of the Office of Diversity Affairs.
November 23, 2005: GOP Lawmaker Tom
Brinkman Sues Miami University To Block Gay Partner
Benefits. From a news brief filed by Lori Kurtzman,
Enquirer staff writer,
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051123/NEWS01/511230375/1056.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report): State
Rep. Tom Brinkman Jr. filed suit against Miami University
on Tuesday, claiming its same-sex partnership policy
violates an Ohio constitutional ban on civil unions that
went into effect a year ago. Brinkman's lawsuit, filed in
the Butler County Common Pleas Court, says Miami 'has
created and recognized a legal status for relationships of
unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the
design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage.' Two
of Brinkman's children attend Miami. The suit notes that
Brinkman, a Cincinnati Republican, 'desires that his tax
dollars and tuition payments be utilized lawfully, and not
applied by the University to finance the constitutional
violation challenged herein.' Miami began offering
benefits, including health and dental insurance, ticket
discounts and tuition remission, to same-sex domestic
partners of faculty and staff members in July 2004. In
November 2004, Ohio voters passed the state Marriage
Amendment, which says 'only a union between one man and one
woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this
state and its political subdivisions.' 'Miami in particular
has gone out of its way to kind of thumb its nose at the
Constitution with the enactment of its domestic partner
policy,' which applies only to same-sex partners, said
Brinkman's attorney, David Langdon, a conservative activist
who wrote language for the Marriage Amendment. 'They've set
up a structure that's virtually identical to marriage.'
Langdon said he believes this is the first suit against a
university's domestic partnership policy since the
amendment took effect. Ohio State, Cleveland State,
Youngstown State and Ohio universities also offer domestic
partner benefits but are not named in the suit. Miami
spokesman Richard Little said Tuesday that school officials
have regular contact with Brinkman but were surprised to
hear about the lawsuit. Little said he has never discussed
the issue with Brinkman, adding that Miami has no plans to
rescind its policy. About 30 people have taken advantage of
some of the benefits, Little said. Last year, school
officials estimated that the cost of benefits for gay and
lesbian employees would amount to less than $100,000. Miami
now pays about $50 million in annual benefits for its
faculty and staff members. Brinkman, also represented in
the suit by the Arizona-based Christian legal group
Alliance Defense Fund, seeks a declaratory judgment and
injunction against the university's domestic partnership
policy, plus legal fees.
November 21, 2006: Miami U keeps
partner benefits. From a news brief filed by Janice
Morse, Cincinnati Enquirer staff writer,
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061121/NEWS01/611210407/1077/COL02.
A yearlong court battle over benefits for the same-sex
'domestic partners' of Miami University employees has ended
in a victory for gay- and lesbian-rights advocates. Butler
County Common Pleas Court on Monday dismissed a taxpayer's
lawsuit brought by an Ohio lawmaker who opposed dental and
health coverage for Miami workers' live-in partners. State
Rep. Tom Brinkman Jr., R-Cincinnati, whose two children
were attending Miami, filed suit against Miami University
last year. It claimed its same-sex partnership policy
violates an Ohio constitutional ban on civil unions that
went into effect in 2004. Other colleges and universities
had said they were closely watching the case because it
could have implications for them. Brinkman's suit,
supported by the Arizona-based Christian legal group
Alliance Defense Fund, said he wanted his tax dollars and
tuition payments "to be utilized lawfully, and not applied
by the university to finance the constitutional violation
challenged herein." But in Monday's decision, "the court
has affirmed that Mr. Brinkman's daily life is unaffected
when the domestic partners of lesbian and gay university
employees have health insurance and he therefore has no
standing to bring a lawsuit," said James P. Madigan, staff
attorney in Chicago for Lambda Legal, a national advocacy
group that intervened in the suit. Lambda Legal argued
Brinkman had no standing to sue, because the university
pays for its domestic partner benefits with private
donations, not with tax dollars or tuition. The group also
argued Brinkman had not shown that he suffered any direct
impact that would be corrected if Miami University took
away health and dental insurance it offers to the domestic
partners of university employees. Miami began offering
benefits, including health and dental insurance, ticket
discounts and tuition remission, to same-sex domestic
partners of faculty and staff members in July 2004. Ohio
voters passed in November 2004 the state Marriage
Amendment, which says "only a union between one man and one
woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this
state and its political subdivisions." Lambda Legal
maintained that Ohio's constitutional amendment does not
apply to the university because it concerns only marriage
and does not address the legality of domestic partnership
benefits. As of last year about 30 people had taken
advantage of some of the benefits, school officials said.
Last year, school officials estimated that the cost of
benefits for gay and lesbian employees would amount to less
than $100,000 - a fraction of the $50 million in annual
benefits for faculty and staff members.
August 28, 2007: Same-sex benefits
challenge tossed. From a news brief filed by Dan Horn,
Cincinnati Enquirer staff writer,
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070828/NEWS01/308280051.
Miami University’s practice of offering benefits to
same-sex “domestic partners” of its employees
survived another court challenge Tuesday. The Ohio 12th
District Court of Appeals ruled that State Rep. Tom
Brinkman Jr., a Cincinnati Republican, did not have legal
standing to sue the university over its benefits policy.
Brinkman had argued the same-sex partnership policy
violates an Ohio constitutional ban on civil unions that
went into effect in 2004. As a taxpayer and the parent of
two Miami students, Brinkman said he had a legal right to
sue. The appeals court, however, upheld a lower court
decision last year that dismissed Brinkman’s lawsuit.
Both courts concluded Brinkman did not have standing as a
taxpayer because the school uses private donations to
reimburse the state for tax dollars spent on its domestic
partner benefits. Brinkman cannot demonstrate any injury
… based upon his status as a taxpayer,” wrote
Judge James A. Brogan, who was joined in the 3-0 decision
by judges James E. Walsh and H.J. Bressler. The court also
found that Brinkman did not have standing to sue as the
tuition-paying parent of Miami students because it’s
his choice to send his children to the school. Brinkman,
who declined to comment Tuesday, could appeal the decision
to the Ohio Supreme Court. Brinkman’s suit was
supported by the Alliance Defense Fund, an Arizona-based
Christian legal organization. Another advocacy group,
Lambda Legal in Chicago, intervened in support of
Miami’s policy. Al Gerhardstein, one of
Lambda’s lawyers, said the rulings establish that
providing insurance does not constitute recognition of gay
marriage, as Brinkman claimed. “If he really wants to
change this, he should go through the legislature,”
Gerhardstein said. “I would hope he’d have a
hard time there.” Miami began offering benefits to
domestic partners of employees in July 2004. School
officials have said about 30 people have the benefits at a
total cost of less than $100,000.
March 31, 2009: Miami to host gay pride
parade. By Katherine Kohls, The Miami Student.
http://media.www.miamistudent.net/media/storage/paper776/news/2009/03/31/Campus/Miami.To.Host.Gay.Pride.Parade-3689214.shtml.
Spectrum's Awareness Week will have an addition to the
usual activities this year: a gay pride parade. The parade
will be the first for the Miami University community at
4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 7. Parade coordinator Brian
McQueen said the idea originated during a workshop in early
February. He said what he thought to be a farfetched idea
for Miami's campus quickly gained support and began to
develop. "In my mind it was something Miami would never go
for," McQueen said. "I still expect some controversy."
According to McQueen, spectators and participants alike can
look forward to a parade of celebration. McQueen said there
will be music, posters, balloons and plenty of people
chanting and cheering. "From pets, parents, students,
faculty, gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual, drag queens,
drag kings, everyone is welcome to come out and promote
self-acceptance," McQueen said. Awareness Week Chair Tommy
Marzella said he wants the parade to be a visual
representation of those on campus who are members of the
gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) and straight
alliances. "It's a great way to spread awareness and human
rights to everyone," Marzella said. Marzella said his
primary expectation is to branch out to the rest of Miami's
campus and gain support. "We want the parade to be
peaceful, happy and colorful," McQueen said. According to
McQueen, participants will begin to assemble at 4 p.m. at
the Phi Delta Theta gates on the corner of High Street and
Campus Avenue. The Parade will continue down Slant Walk,
cross Spring Street and end at MacMillan Hall. McQueen said
Oxford Police Department will escort the parade to prevent
traffic problems as they cross Spring Street. McQueen said
he got approval from the Student Activities Board to lead
the parade across campus. "This is not to throw (gay pride)
in people's faces, it's about openly celebrating who we
are," McQueen said. According to Marzella, the Alliance
Picnic will take place at 5:30 p.m. April 7 in 212
MacMillan after the parade. "The Alliance Picnic is a way
for allies to show their support," Marzella said. According
to Marzella, Mother Paula Jackson of Cincinnati's Church of
Our Savior will speak at the picnic. Marzella said her
church supports those that are supportive of the GLBT
community. "I expect the parade to be a big success,"
McQueen said. "I think people are eager to make it an
annual event." Marzella said there will be poster-making
parties throughout the week leading up to the parade. The
first took place Monday, while the second will take place
from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday in 27 MacMillan Hall.