By Emily Mosier
Every June, millions across the United States celebrate Pride Month, encouraging diversity, visibility, and activism. Spectrum, Troy University’s LGBTQ+ support and advocacy club, strives to bring these values to campus all year long.
Spectrum president-elect, and Tropolitan Trojan Living Editor, Kris Harrell, said that both Pride Month and Spectrum’s presence on campus are only possible because of years of activism.
“The first pride actually was in honor of the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which was a five-day protest of the mistreatment and brutality against the queer community in New York,” said Harrell, a junior multimedia journalism major from Arlington, Georgia. “LGBTQ+ people have been fighting for rights even before then, and, to me, pride is now seen as a celebration of how far we’ve come, and a recognition how far we have to go.”
During the academic year, Spectrum meets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Patterson Hall, room 207. The topics vary from history to favorite queer TV characters to learning about flags and pronouns.
“Being a part of Spectrum has been one of the best things I could have done during college,” said Spectrum president Emma Thomason, a senior theater major from Hoover, Alabama. “Being a part of a group like this has made me way more comfortable and open about my identity and even helped give me the courage to come out to some people in my family.”
Thomason said that anyone is welcome to join Spectrum and encourages everyone, even those who are not a part of the LGBTQ+ community, to celebrate.
“One of the big ways to be supportive during Pride month, and all year round, is to be accepting,” Thomason said. “Listen to your friends or family members who are a part of the community and make sure they know they have a safe space with you, and stand up if you hear someone saying something homophobic or transphobic.”
Ezraan Jaet, a junior interdisciplinary major from Mobile, Alabama, helped run a table for Spectrum at the IMPACT browse sections, a portion of freshman orientation that allows clubs to interact with incoming students.
“What I want to do is help the new students feel safe and accepted,” Jaet said. “I want them to know that even though this is a small town, there’s still people who are accepting.
“Spectrum has showed me that there’s a lot more people here that are more accepting than I.”
Spectrum holds two major events each year. The first is a showing of the movie “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” in which participants dress up like the characters and act out the famous movie. In the spring, there is the Second Chance Prom, which gives students a chance to have a do-over from high school as their authentic selves.
“Spectrum honestly has helped me become the best version of myself,” Harrell said. “I’ve grown more confident, more outgoing, and I could have never done it without the support of the folks at Spectrum.”
To stay-up-to-date with Spectrum, follow the club on Instagram @troyu.spectrumalliance.
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