October, otherwise known as LGBT History Month, is a busy month for the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Queer Questioning and Ally Resource Center. From leadership retreats to drag shows, students, staff and community members are working to educate people around the Colorado State University campus.

National Coming Out Day

Sunday is National Coming Out Day, which aims to highlight the difficulty that people still may face when coming out.

“I really want people to see CSU as an inclusive, supportive and caring community that embraces diversity and inclusiveness,” said Aaric Guerriero, director of the Resource Center. “I just think that the more support and the more visibility we can provide, the better our institution will be.”

Student Leadership Retreat

The biggest event happening this month is the annual GLBTQQA Student Leadership Retreat. The retreat is taking place this weekend and will begin 5 p.m. Friday, continuing through Sunday.

About 45 students will be taken to the CSU Mountain Campus for a weekend full of leadership-building activities, which will help students define what leadership looks like according to their identity, Guerriero said.

Matthew Shepard Movie Night

Following the retreat Monday, the film “Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine” will be shown in the Lory Student Center Theater at 7 p.m. The film will help students to remember the death of Matt Shepard, who passed away Oct. 12, 1998, after he was tortured, beaten and robbed because of his sexuality.

Comedian and Keynote Speaker

Comedian Cameron Esposito will perform at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the LSC Theater, and GLBTQQA history keynote speaker Ryan Sallans will present at 7 p.m. Oct. 22 in the LSC Theater. 

“Ryan is a transman,” Guerriero said. “And, he identifies as he has also struggled with an eating disorder, so he is going to be talking about his story, life and also body image in the transgender community. He really has an amazing story, (it is) very powerful, so we are excited to have him.”

The Annual Drag Show

The Resource Center will host the annual CSU drag show at 7 p.m. Oct. 24 in the LSC Grand Ballroom. This year, the show is called “Bubble, Bubble, Queers and Trouble” and will have a Halloween-like theme, Guerriero said.

Events this month are free and open to the public.

“We try to encourage as much participation as we can get,” Guerriero said. 

However, for the drag show, the center is asking audience members to bring extra pocket change to tip the performers. Proceeds earned will be donated back to the Resource Center to help fund additional programs, events and resources.

Students looking to get involved with the GLBTQQA community may visit the office located in LSC Suite 232. There are several other organizations on campus supporting various student identities, including SOGLBT, COLORS, OSTEM and QUEEN.

“None of us lead single-identity lives,” Guerriero said. “We are all made up of many pieces of our identity, it is important the we begin, as a University, to support students in all of their multiple identities.”

Collegian Reporter Megan Braa can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @megan_braa.