Ally Week Gains Steam on Campus

The Gay-Straight Alliance kicked off Allies Week, a four-day event encouraging discussion of GLBTQ and sexual orientation issues, on Oct. 10.

"It's a week devoted to seeing what being an ally is all about," said Pat Hughes, director of design for Allies and A&S '14.

On Monday, cardboard cutouts showing prominent members of the community declaring their support of Allies were placed around the quad. The cutouts will remain there for the duration of the week.

A large amount of space in O'Neill Plaza was reserved Tuesday for students to use chalk to write messages of support for Allies as part of the You Are Loved Campaign. The sections for drawing will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Today there will be a showing of You Should Meet My Son, a comedy about how people can change the GLBTQ community, in Fulton 511, followed by a discussion about issues raised by the film.

"Allies Week is devoted to discussing issues regarding sexual orientation," said David Riemer, Allies president and A&S '14. "We really want to foster a better environment for everyone. Our main goal is [for Allies] not to have to exist in the future."

The group has been in existence since the early 2000s but student involvement was almost nonexistent. "It was barely holding on in years before with only a few people working closely with the [Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Community at BC (LGBC)]," Riemer said.

Since then, the group has managed to separate itself from LGBC and become its own entity. Over the last year, the group has seen a sharp increase in both membership and student involvements at events as gay issues have become more prominent in the media.

"We have to get chairs for meetings because there are so many people that come," Riemer said. Last year, he said that meetings averaged between six to eight people.

This year at the Student Involvement Fair, the group signed many members onto the email list. "I think most people were surprised we even had a Gay-Straight Alliance," said Katlyn Prentice, Allies member and A&S '14.

In addition to spreading the word more effectively, Allies Week is gaining steam coming off the heels of National Coming Out Week, which is run by the LGBC. "I think it's nice to have the conversation continue over two weeks," Riemer said.