The Queer Resource Center and Campus Recreation partnered for Splash Mob: Pride Edition to share campus resources with students, such as gender-neutral changing rooms, last Friday.
The QRC-sponsored Splash Mob: Pride Edition was one of the events for PSU’s Pride in May, a month dedicated to showing support of the LGBTQ community around campus. The QRC Design and Marketing Coordinator, Melanie Altaras, gave some background as to why PSU celebrates Pride in May.
“Traditionally, citywide pride festivals in Portland happen in June, but since we are generally off in the world during that time and not in classes, it’s hard to wrangle students to do any kind of organized event for that. So on campus we celebrate Pride the entire month of May,” Altaras Said.
Altaras said that throughout the month of May the QRC helps to organize events around PSU to show students of all genders, sexualities and otherwise that they are valued and supported across campus, not just at the QRC. Throughout the month, there are generally three events per week run by the QRC and organized by volunteers or other departments around campus. The first-ever PSU Splash Mob was one of those events.
The QRC decided upon the name Splash Mob through the idea of safety in numbers, which is an important matter within the queer community, according to Altaras.
People also have trauma around locker rooms since there usually isn’t much supervision during primary and secondary education, which can leave room for being bullied, according to Altaras.
“Also, if someone identifies out of traditional gender roles, their body and their clothing may not match the locker room that they’re in,” Altaras said. “Luckily, our Campus Rec department has two gender-neutral changing rooms that also have showers and toilets inside.”
For a schedule of QRC’s May events go to their website.
