By Madison Mings
Springfield— Lincoln Land Community college’s Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) held an event titled speakOUT on April 13.
The GSA have held speakOUT events as an educational event for a few years now. It was held in the R.H Stephens room where they provided subway sandwiches, cookies, water and soda for drinks.
The GSA club members and advisor that were there were advisor Beth Wiedgier, GSA President Terrelle Jackson, Public Relations Officer Samantha Wetter, D’ Andrea Banger Vice President, Sydney McCabe Active Member, and Madison Mings Active Member.
SpeakOUT is an event that is held every year that educates about the LGBT community and our way of informing current events that talks about something with LGBT, President of GSA Terrelle Jackson said.
The speakOUT started out with introducing who was who in the club for the attendees to know.
After that, President Terrelle Jackson took to the podium to give the audience basic terms with a slide show titled Sexuality 101. He gave information on the LGBTQ and what they stand for and also had the help of Beth Wiedgier to speak on the different identities and definitions of the terms.
Next, Sydney McCabe read a poem she wrote called “Freedom”. It’s a perspective on what freedom is while being part of the LGBT community. That freedom is something we (LGBT community) have fought for so long that it has become a who we are. You will be able to hear it at this years Springfield PrideFest.
Samantha Wetter took to the podium next after Sydneys poem and she shared her personal experience with being pansexual. Pansexual is which searched on Google is not limited in sexual choice with regard to biological sex, gender, or gender identity. She spoke on what it means and how people responded to the term.
They had The Phoenix Center guest speaker Jonna Cooley who is based in Illinois come and speak. Cooely shared information based on what goes on at the Phoenix Center. The LGBT youth group has 40 kids of ages 13 – 17 years old for group 1 teens. She said they get kids from city and county areas.
They also have transgender support groups and parents with transgender children support groups. They talk about what is going on and have children as young a 5 years old and 20 years old. Cooley also spoke on Housing for Homeless and they give HIV testing to men and women. She also shared that 47 people from Springfield/ Sangamon go through hormones replacement.
A topic brought up was the birth certificate change law along with transgender bathrooms. Some students that were in the audience shared their thoughts on the topics or shared stories on it.
I asked a few people who attended how they thought GSA speakOUT went.
D’ Andrea Banger Vice President said “It was a successful event, because were are successful people.”
Hanna Milton, LLCC student said “I enjoyed the speakOUT very much and my favorite part was Sydney’s poem “Freedom”. She would also like to attend GSA speakOUT next year as well.
GSA President Terrelle Jackson said “The event was a successful event. It was meant for a series of information and to engage the audience in the event.”
He also said there will be a speakOUT next year since it’s a tradition and it will be more educational and be at an abstract angle and talk more about sexuality. For more information about The Phoenix Center there website is http://www.phoenixcenterspringfield.org hours are Monday – Friday Housing In-Take by appointment, testing hours for HIV and Hepatitis C is Noon- 3:00 p.m. or by appt. ShaRI (Springfield Harm Reduction Initiative) 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. phone number is 217-528-5253 and there building is located at 109 East Lawrence Avenue (near 2nd & Lawrence) Springfield, IL 62704 and email Jonna at jcool.phoenix@comcast.net
Madison Mings can be reached at lamp@llcc.edu
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