Stonewall Tigers, the University of Memphis gender and sexuality alliance, gathered on the University Center Lawn for a field day obstacle course to celebrate the first day of its annual LGBTQ+ week.
Stonewall Tigers’ vice president Andrew Phifer said the highlight of the week is the Jim Obergefell speech Wednesday. Obergefell, the main plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that legalized same sex marriage in 2015, played a huge role in the history of the LGBTQ+ movement, Phifer said.
“What better person to come speak about LGBT history than someone who arguably had some of the largest impact on LGBT history,” Phifer said. “A lot of people don’t know who he is, they hear the name, and they’re like ‘who is that?’ We really want to focus on people who made a genuine impact on LGBT history.”
Phifer said there are many other activities and events in LGBTQ+ week for students to get involved in.
“On Friday, my favorite event is open mic night,” Phifer said. “It’s our fourth annual open mic night, and everyone is welcome to come perform a song, a dance or whatever the want.”
Phifer said Stonewall Tigers wants to help U of M students understand having a different sexual preference does not make them different from anybody else.
“There’s nothing different about us,” Phifer said. “I can love a man. It doesn’t make me any different from a man who can love a woman. I’m the same person as they are. I just love different than they do.”
Phifer said the organization acts as a safe haven and awareness group for the pride community while also inviting those who are not LGBTQ+ to join as allies.
“We want to make sure the LGBTQ students at the university know that they have a place where they can go, and this campus is just as much theirs as it is people in greek life and multicultural organizations,” Phifer said.
Rochelle London, a 19-year-old sophomore and engineering technology major, said she was excited to become part of a large group that identifies similar to her.
“I went to a really small high school, and we didn’t have a GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance),” London said. “I was one of three gay people at my school. When I came to the university, I wanted to find a group that identified themselves the same way I do.”
Iasia Peoples, Stonewall’s mentorship chairperson, said the organization is like a family for students who have lost their connection to their own family.
“If your family rejects you, this is your chosen family,” Peoples said. “You build a chosen connection instead of a forced connection.”
Among many of the events Stonewall Tigers will host this week, “Love is...,” an event that will allow students to write on a large canvas describing what love is, will be Tuesday at the UC Plaza. “Only Love Campaign,” an activity that will contain a photo booth that will feature the “Love is...” canvas as the backdrop, will be Thursday in the UC Atrium.
Two University of Memphis students slide down the end of the obstacle course at the LGBTQ+ kickoff field day. Stonewall Tigers, organizers of the week's events, aim to show students sexuality does not make someone different from any other person.
University of Memphis students race into the obstacle course at the LGBTQ+ field day. Students can participate in events on campus throughout the week including attending a speech from Jim Obergefell, plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that legalized same sex marriage.
