MBLGTACC 2016: Intersections at the Crossroads
For the third year in a row, the Queer-Straight Alliance took a group of students to the Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Ally College Conference. This incredible event brings together LGBTQIA+ people and allies from all across the midwest, provide opportunities to learn, connect, and grow through a series of workshops, keynotes, and events.
The theme for this year’s conference was “Introspection at the Crossroads,” and was hosted by Purdue University. Some of the workshops that students attended included “Two Spirits: Sacred Intersections of Gender Roles,” “Being a Queer Ally in Conversations Centered Around Race,” “Who Owns Fleek?: The Crossroads of Intersectionality and Cultural Appropriation,” “Queer Consumerism,” “Bi the Bi: Unpacking Nonmonosexual Identities,” and “Fat and Queer: Loving Your Body and Exploring Your Identity.” Students gained a deeper understanding of their own and other’s identities, and were able to appreciate how intersecting identities contribute to the LGBTQIA+ community.
One of the trip’s highlights was the keynote by Judy Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard. The murder of Matthew Shepard was one of the driving forces behind the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Judy Shepard spoke on the victories the LGBTQIA+ community has achieved since Matthew’s death, such as marriage equality, the overturning of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and hate crime legislation. However, she stressed that we still have a long way to go, particularly emphasizing employment, housing, and adoption discrimination. She urged students to get involved with voting at every level, using the voice and power they have as a force for good.
Students who attended the conference have committed to bringing the knowledge they gained back to the Ripon campus. Each attendee will prepare either a resource or event to educate the campus and share what they have learned. Check back soon to see what they come up with!
