MU allies participate in pride march

The march wound through campus in support of the LGBTQ community.

By Sangeeta Shastry

Published April 23, 2009

Over the past few days, Ally Week focused on the issues faced by the LGBTQ community on campus and how the rest of the community reacts to those issues.

On Thursday, students participated in the Pride March organized by Allies in Action. The march united students in support of MU's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning community. It began on Francis Quadrangle and traveled through Greektown, past residence halls and next to Stankowski Field, University Bookstore and Memorial Union.

"Sometimes our community is invisible," senior Lance Pierce said before the march.

Pierce is the president of Allies in Action, an MU group that works to develop allies of the LGBTQ community.

"Be really loud today about whatever you're proud of," Pierce told marchers.

Rainbow-printed flags and signs bearing ethnicities, religions and the word "pride" blew in the wind as over fifty students marched and elicited a wide range of responses to their screams and chants. From cars honking and yells of support to stares and whispers, the parade of students alternated among a series of chants, including, "We're gay, we're loud and we're being out loud!"

Junior Lauren Carter explained her views on the event.

"The march is about visibility and solidarity," she said as the parade passed through Greektown.

As a former member of a sorority, Carter said she found it symbolic the parade took the route that it did. Carter said she found that the Greek community was not accepting of the LGBTQ community.

Sophomore Michelle Hagopian, a former member of the Maneater staff, said she has a personal investment in the march, as did many of the participants there.

"I have a lot of friends in the LGBTQ community," she said. "There's no reason to deny them rights."

As the march came to a close, freshman Ben Vigil described his involvement in the Triangle Coalition and Allies in Action on the steps of Jesse Hall. He said friends and dedication to the cause were among the reasons that he has participated in events such as the Pride March.

"One of my friends who was bisexual committed suicide, so part of this is out of remembrance," he said.

Vigil also said he is seeing gradual change with respect to LGBTQ issues at MU and credited the Missouri Students Association and the Residence Halls Association.

"I feel like as a campus we are progressing, especially with the MSA and RHA referendums," he said. "Greek Life is beginning to understand, and more LGBTQ students are becoming involved."

Pierce also said he felt Ally Week has achieved success, and that the MU community is progressing in terms of LGBTQ issues. He spoke specifically about a student referendum that showed overwhelming support for adding gender identity and expression to MSA's non-discrimination policy.

"It's about the visibility of the community and the diversity within the community," he said. "We're doing really well -- the gender identity inclusion bill passed with more than an 80 percent approval. We're a campus of progressive, open-minded people."

Pierce said he feels the role of such groups as Allies in Action is to develop a student body that supports the LGBTQ community.

"We need to be educated so that we can be effective and supportive as allies," he said.