You’ve heard of Pride Month in June—but did you know that October is another significant month for the LGBTQ+ community?
Forty-five years ago on Oct. 14, an estimated 100,000 people took part in the March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, urging lawmakers to pass civil rights legislation that would protect gay, transgender and other queer community members from discrimination. And since 1988, LGBTQ+ people and their allies have celebrated National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, sharing their personal coming-out stories and raising awareness of the rich, diverse LGTBQ+ population.
That’s why, in October, NAU celebrates its own LGBTQ+ family with OUTober—a series of celebrations and conversations that shine a spotlight on the resilience and vibrancy of gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans and other queer members of the Lumberjack community.
For Souksavanh Keovorabouth, an assistant professor of women and gender studies and applied Indigenous studies, OUTtober isn’t just a time for recognition—it’s also a time for reclamation. Keovorabouth is Diné, second-generation Laotian, queer, trans and Two-Spirit, a distinctive way of being that has existed in North American Indigenous life for many generations. Dedicating time to celebrate all LGBTQ+ people, they said, gives Two-Spirit people like them a chance to highlight that they have always been here and will persist.
“What stands out about NAU’s LGBTQIA2S+ community is its incredible resiliency, determination and ability to occupy spaces that were never originally meant for us,” Keovorabouth said. “It is vital for NAU to celebrate and recognize its LGBTQIA2S+ community because we represent a diverse array of experiences and identities that enrich the university culture. Celebration at an institutional level promotes visibility, fosters inclusion and ensures that future generations of students, faculty and staff feel empowered to bring their full selves to their academic and professional lives.”
On tap this month is a panel discussion with NAU employees and alumni who are out and proud in the workplace, a Vogue-themed glow rave to recognize National Coming Out Day, a lunch-and-learn event for students interested in gender-inclusive housing and more. Browse the full list of events on the Office of Inclusion website.
Jill Kimball | NAU Communications
(928) 523-2282 | jill.kimball@nau.edu