The U’s LGBT Resource Center ended this years Pride Week with its annual Gay-la and silent auction.
The Gay-la was held at the Jewish Community Center on Friday Oct. 11, coinciding with National Coming Out Day, a day that celebrates the individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
The silent auction had a variety of items: gift certificates to popular restaurants, a football autographed by the U’s football team and a road bike. Students, professors, administrators, donors and scholarship recipients were all in attendance.
“I am a scholarship recipient for the LGBT Resource Center, so I’m attending on behalf of that. I also have a lot of friends who work for the Resource Center,” said Danny Piper, a graduate student in education culture and society.
Inacio Lopez also received a scholarship.
“I’m so honored and I’m so excited to be here. I’m looking forward to experiencing the fest of human emotions that may go on tonight and seeing some genuine things,” Lopez said.
All the funds raised at the Gay-la and silent auction went to the LGBT Scholarship Fund. The scholarships are available to students who are allies and who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
Lopez, Piper and other recipients gave remarks during the dinner portion of the Gay-la. They shared how the LGBT Resource Center scholarship has impacted their lives.
Other student groups attended to show support of the resource center well. Charles Alires came to the Gay-la to represent the Intertribal Student Association.
“I really support the center, I think they’re doing great things and they provide really great services to students and everyone, Alires said.
Dozens of tables had representatives from the Utah Pride Center, the Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Queer and Ally (LGBTQA) Alumni Association and a variety of academic departments. Tables had purple napkins and decorations.
Kilo Zamora,a professor at the U and commissioner of Human Rights for Salt Lake City, spoke about his experiences from his childhood and focused on the work of Anytown, a human relationship camp supported by the Inclusion Center.
“Anytown is a residential camp for high school kids, it’s dealing with the isms around us, and its been doing so since the 1950s,” said Zamora. “When I went there and knew I had to participate in these kinds of conversations, I was so confused on how to see my past and articulate them to people. I didn’t know what to do; I didn’t know what to say. No one had ever listened to my narrative, so I didn’t know if I had the emotional capacity to hear somebody else’s.”
Zamora also talked about broader social justice issues, such as minimum wage, immigration and unemployment. He also asked attendees to think about how the LGBT Resource Center has impacted their lives.
“Think about where you would be without the LGBT Resource Center, take a moment to think about where we would be. Would you even be here? Think about what they’ve done for our community,” Zamora said.
Wes Smiley, of the Utah Pride Center, said the best part about attending the banquet was actually seeing and hearing about how much the LGBT Resource Center does in the community.
“I think it’s just great to see how much impact the center and the services have on students. You hear about it, but to see these people and personally hear their stories. It’s just incredible,” Smiley said.
Gay-la fundraises, honors students
October 20, 2013
Sandcat • Oct 21, 2013 at 5:18 am
Scholarships for sexual preferences? How about food preferences? I like Italian food, can I qualify for the pizza lovers scholarship?
What an insane joke.
Danielbmc • Oct 21, 2013 at 8:07 am
No one discriminates against you for liking Italian food. What a ridiculous analaogy.
Sandcat • Oct 21, 2013 at 12:39 pm
You have no idea what it’s like. Your comment speaks to your own ignorance and bigotry against Italian food lovers. Do you hate us because we’re slightly overweight due to the large concentration of carbohydrates in our food? We are genetically predisposed to like carb rich foods, who are you to judge?
Stop being a hater. Join with us. It’s all about love, and we love pizza. We should get a scholarship for this. I mean if people get scholarships for cross dressing, why not Italian dressing!?!?!?!
Danielbmc • Oct 21, 2013 at 12:46 pm
I get it. You’re a douche. Good for you making the world a worse place to live in. It’s a stupid analogy which just got dumber. Italian food lovers should rise up and condemn you for the ass you are.
Sandcat • Oct 22, 2013 at 12:05 am
Harsh words coming from a Mormon. It’s a completely acceptable analogy. One preference is the same as another in the post-modern worldview. Simply because you find my preferences silly doesn’t mean they are, it just means you’re a bigot.
You started off by denying discrimination by food choice. There are many instances of people being discriminated against because of their food choices. See Mayor Bloomberg to start. Just because we’re not a cause celebre in today’s mental environment doesn’t mean you can blithely ignore us.
You can make up for your obtuseness by donating to an Italian food lovers scholarship of your choice. Wearing women’s clothes gets a scholarship, I think pizza is a far more noble thing to enjoy and should be supported by open-minded people.
Danielbmc • Oct 22, 2013 at 7:55 am
I’m not a Mormon so I can say you’re a douche without fear of going to Hell.
And I know you think you’re funny–but you’re not. You’re just continuing to show that you’re a privileged heterosexual with a sense of entitlement. Your comment abour “wearing women’s clothes” just drives the point home even more. You don’t know what you’re talking about. And it’s not that I find your preferences silly that makes you a bigot. The fact that you’ve judged a group of people based on your own ignorance and lack of interest in finding out the truth makes you a bigot.
You continute to show yourself as a person who mocks what he doesn’t understand and instead of learning you just burrow down into your ignorance.
There’s no point in continuing this with you because you’re happy with your bigotry. You’re wrapped in your lack of knowledge and you don’t want to open yourself to actually learning something or appreciating what other people have to go through.
That said, I’ve had enough of you. Goodbye.
Sandcat • Oct 22, 2013 at 11:40 am
Transgendered people don’t cross-dress? News to them.
Thought you were Mormom because your Discuss profile is linked to a facebook page of a guy named Daniel who is LDS.
I’m not trying to be funny. I’m pointing out the ludicrous nature of scholarships for personal preferences in a post-modern world. If all values are equal, who are you to condemn me for mine? It’s structurally bigoted for you to claim I’m a bigot for my preferences.
I’ve not judged anyone, I’ve only stated facts (men wearing women’s clothes = transgender, and surprise! that is exactly what they do). I mock foolishness. Absolutely. Because fools don’t like being mocked for being fools, they claim others don’t understand why they wear women’s clothes. Hint: because they’re fools.
For a guy condemning judgement of others, you sure go on a big ol judgemental riff.
Enjoy your pasta, you closet Italian food lover.
Danielbmc • Oct 23, 2013 at 8:20 am
No, transgendered people don’t “cross dress”. They dress as the sex they identify. No that you’ve shown you’re completely ignorant about transgendered issues I will judge you even further as the idiot you are.
Sandcat • Oct 23, 2013 at 10:42 am
So…a man dresses as a woman, and vice versa.
This, my friend, is cross-dressing. They are biologically males or females. They may have a mental disease, but those have zero impact on their sex organs.
Don’t be judgemental. Simply because you don’t value my positions doesn’t mean they should be discriminated against. Small minded bigots like yourself should move back into the 1950’s.
Danielbmc • Oct 23, 2013 at 10:57 am
Wow, so transgendered people have a mental disease? And you say I should move back to the 50s?
I will pass judgment on you and be happy to do so. You’re a bigot. And I will be proud to judge you as one.
I’m also now going to end the discussion with you because you’re stuck in your bigotry and there’s no point in continuing this. Just eat your Italian food–no one cares. But, in Salt Lake, walk down the street holding hands with someone of the same sex and just watch the freak outs. You’re a liar and a bigot and there’s no reason to continue with your idiocy.
Sandcat • Oct 23, 2013 at 11:42 am
Depression is a mental disease. The whole field is exploding with researchers finding mental diseases (which, btw, shouldn’t be judged like you are doing, they are real and have huge impacts). Since the research is new, and gaining support every day, yeah, move back to the 50’s when reactionaries like you thrived.
You shouldn’t pass judgement on anyone without morally objective reasons to do so. I’ll wait here for you to provide them.
You’ve claimed 3 or 4 times to be finished, but keep on coming back. Bloomberg took away my softdrinks, he took away my transfats, who knows what he’ll discriminate next. People like you without empathy for others are bigots who then judge us for our preferences.
I’m a liar? What am I lying about? You’ve lost the argument when you resort to ad homs. You’re bigoted against worldviews that don’t align with your own. No tolerance at all. So bigoted.
Sandcat • Oct 21, 2013 at 5:18 am
Scholarships for sexual preferences? How about food preferences? I like Italian food, can I qualify for the pizza lovers scholarship?
What an insane joke.
Danielbmc • Oct 21, 2013 at 8:07 am
No one discriminates against you for liking Italian food. What a ridiculous analaogy.
Sandcat • Oct 21, 2013 at 12:39 pm
You have no idea what it’s like. Your comment speaks to your own ignorance and bigotry against Italian food lovers. Do you hate us because we’re slightly overweight due to the large concentration of carbohydrates in our food? We are genetically predisposed to like carb rich foods, who are you to judge?
Stop being a hater. Join with us. It’s all about love, and we love pizza. We should get a scholarship for this. I mean if people get scholarships for cross dressing, why not Italian dressing!?!?!?!
Danielbmc • Oct 21, 2013 at 12:46 pm
I get it. You’re a douche. Good for you making the world a worse place to live in. It’s a stupid analogy which just got dumber. Italian food lovers should rise up and condemn you for the ass you are.
Sandcat • Oct 22, 2013 at 12:05 am
Harsh words coming from a Mormon. It’s a completely acceptable analogy. One preference is the same as another in the post-modern worldview. Simply because you find my preferences silly doesn’t mean they are, it just means you’re a bigot.
You started off by denying discrimination by food choice. There are many instances of people being discriminated against because of their food choices. See Mayor Bloomberg to start. Just because we’re not a cause celebre in today’s mental environment doesn’t mean you can blithely ignore us.
You can make up for your obtuseness by donating to an Italian food lovers scholarship of your choice. Wearing women’s clothes gets a scholarship, I think pizza is a far more noble thing to enjoy and should be supported by open-minded people.
Danielbmc • Oct 22, 2013 at 7:55 am
I’m not a Mormon so I can say you’re a douche without fear of going to Hell.
And I know you think you’re funny–but you’re not. You’re just continuing to show that you’re a privileged heterosexual with a sense of entitlement. Your comment abour “wearing women’s clothes” just drives the point home even more. You don’t know what you’re talking about. And it’s not that I find your preferences silly that makes you a bigot. The fact that you’ve judged a group of people based on your own ignorance and lack of interest in finding out the truth makes you a bigot.
You continute to show yourself as a person who mocks what he doesn’t understand and instead of learning you just burrow down into your ignorance.
There’s no point in continuing this with you because you’re happy with your bigotry. You’re wrapped in your lack of knowledge and you don’t want to open yourself to actually learning something or appreciating what other people have to go through.
That said, I’ve had enough of you. Goodbye.
Sandcat • Oct 22, 2013 at 11:40 am
Transgendered people don’t cross-dress? News to them.
Thought you were Mormom because your Discuss profile is linked to a facebook page of a guy named Daniel who is LDS.
I’m not trying to be funny. I’m pointing out the ludicrous nature of scholarships for personal preferences in a post-modern world. If all values are equal, who are you to condemn me for mine? It’s structurally bigoted for you to claim I’m a bigot for my preferences.
I’ve not judged anyone, I’ve only stated facts (men wearing women’s clothes = transgender, and surprise! that is exactly what they do). I mock foolishness. Absolutely. Because fools don’t like being mocked for being fools, they claim others don’t understand why they wear women’s clothes. Hint: because they’re fools.
For a guy condemning judgement of others, you sure go on a big ol judgemental riff.
Enjoy your pasta, you closet Italian food lover.
Danielbmc • Oct 23, 2013 at 8:20 am
No, transgendered people don’t “cross dress”. They dress as the sex they identify. No that you’ve shown you’re completely ignorant about transgendered issues I will judge you even further as the idiot you are.
Sandcat • Oct 23, 2013 at 10:42 am
So…a man dresses as a woman, and vice versa.
This, my friend, is cross-dressing. They are biologically males or females. They may have a mental disease, but those have zero impact on their sex organs.
Don’t be judgemental. Simply because you don’t value my positions doesn’t mean they should be discriminated against. Small minded bigots like yourself should move back into the 1950’s.
Danielbmc • Oct 23, 2013 at 10:57 am
Wow, so transgendered people have a mental disease? And you say I should move back to the 50s?
I will pass judgment on you and be happy to do so. You’re a bigot. And I will be proud to judge you as one.
I’m also now going to end the discussion with you because you’re stuck in your bigotry and there’s no point in continuing this. Just eat your Italian food–no one cares. But, in Salt Lake, walk down the street holding hands with someone of the same sex and just watch the freak outs. You’re a liar and a bigot and there’s no reason to continue with your idiocy.
Sandcat • Oct 23, 2013 at 11:42 am
Depression is a mental disease. The whole field is exploding with researchers finding mental diseases (which, btw, shouldn’t be judged like you are doing, they are real and have huge impacts). Since the research is new, and gaining support every day, yeah, move back to the 50’s when reactionaries like you thrived.
You shouldn’t pass judgement on anyone without morally objective reasons to do so. I’ll wait here for you to provide them.
You’ve claimed 3 or 4 times to be finished, but keep on coming back. Bloomberg took away my softdrinks, he took away my transfats, who knows what he’ll discriminate next. People like you without empathy for others are bigots who then judge us for our preferences.
I’m a liar? What am I lying about? You’ve lost the argument when you resort to ad homs. You’re bigoted against worldviews that don’t align with your own. No tolerance at all. So bigoted.