Spectrum is out in force to celebrate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBT) History Month this October.

Spectrum is an organization that promotes discussion on LGBTQ issues to raise awareness of these issues. The group has already participated in three different events concerned with LGBTQ issues this month.

National Coming Out Day was celebrated on Tuesday Oct. 11. It provides people who may be coming out with a strong support system to do so. The celebration was also created to spread awareness for the LGBTQ community, while participating in the month’s celebrations.

Colin Tripp ’14 participated in the event. “Having Coming Out Day is a great forum to have for people who need it, however I am not sure how many people use it as an opportunity to come out,” said Tripp. “Coming Out Day is really viewed as more of a celebration of all things LGBTQ.”

Coming Out Day was set up on Britton Plaza with members of Spectrum set up to talk to so that if someone wanted to come out, or discuss LGBTQ issues, he or she could. Tripp emphasized the importance of celebrating Coming Out Day during LGBTQ’s history month, as the events emulated Spectrum’s initiative, and “created a sense of awareness on campus, and that’s one of the main goals of Spectrum.”

Another event aligned with LGBTQ History Month was the second annual Stonewall Vigil on Monday Oct. 3 from 7-8 p.m. The event was intended to take place on Britton Plaza, but was moved to the Stern Great Room because of rain. The vigil was held to commemorate when the patrons of the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City, were raided and resisted arrest. The resistance sparked the movement for LGBTQ rights.

Jaimee Perlmutter ’14 stated that, “People of all sexual orientations should feel safe on this campus and by having a LGBTQ community, there is always a safe place for someone, if they need it.”

Most recently, Andrea Gibson gave a poetry reading on Tuesday Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. According to the Dickinson Compass, “Gibson is the winner of the 2008 Women’s World Poetry Slam and has placed third in world on two International Poetry Slam stages. Gibson’s work illuminates that the personal is political with themes that deconstruct gender norms, sexuality, class, patriarchy and white supremacist capitalist culture.”

Currently in the HUB a white door in the main hallway is meant for anyone who is LGBTQ an ally of LGBTQ. The door is symbolic celebration of the month’s events, but also is there for people to sign to show support for the LGBTQ community.

Melissa O’Sickey ’14 said, “I hope that the festivities surrounding LBGTQ Month help gain support for that community and that one day everyone will just accept people for who they are.”