By Kiara Catanzaro
Staff Writer
Violence towards the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community has occurred for decades. However, many groups have formed across the nation to help students in the community. Spectrum, Bonaventure’s gay-straight alliance for the campus’ LGBT students and straight allies, created its own support group for these students.
Spectrum hosted its second annual True Inspiration event at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the Dresser Auditorium of Murphy Professional Building.
Jake Witter, president of Spectrum, explained the objective of True Inspiration and how the event began in 2011.
“True Inspiration gives those who are a part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and ally community to either speak about their coming out experience or other support and experiences with the community,” said Witter, a senior childhood studies major. “The first True Inspirations event was October 27, 2011. Four lesbian and gay Bonaventure students recounted their coming-out experiences. I was one of those who spoke at the event. Spectrum plans to host another True Inspiration event, but this time we will have two allies who will be speaking in support of the community.”
Spectrum hopes that students will better understand the experiences of the LGBT community by discussing their stories.
“Spectrum members and I hope for positive change through a discussion forum that addresses important issues about the struggles of growing up in a prominently heterosexual society and how attending college at a Catholic university has shaped their life,” Witter said.
Witter also hopes the event will create a friendly environment for all students on campus, including members of the LGBT community.
“Spectrum hopes for this event to give the campus the opportunity to start addressing the issues of homophobia and how to create a more acceptable environment for LGBT students,” Witter said. “Also, the aspect of understanding and appreciating differences is what I hope students and faculty members will get out of this event.”
Sabine Wakim, a freshman international studies and philosophy major, opened up the presentation with a speech regarding the violence often directed toward the LGBT community.
“I’m here acting as the voice of my fellow human beings who don’t have a voice based on some arbitrary social constraint that for some reason makes them lesser individuals; less worthy of love, less worthy of protection and less worthy of life,” Wakim said.
Other speakers for the event included Kathryn Kerkman, a senior history major, Aaron Weichey, a junior classics major, Stephanie Kaysa, a senior business management major and Joy Miller, a freshman education major.
Weichey explained the significance of understanding within a community to put a stop to violence and hatred.
“I feel like it’s reinforced, the need for understanding,” Weichey said. “There are some issues that people wouldn’t understand unless you knew their story. This experience has reinforced the importance of communication because when people communicate, there is more understanding and less hatred.”
Kaysa hopes that students and faculty will become more aware of the campus community, including those members who are LGBT.
“I hope that people will be more aware of the LGBT group that is on campus because it’s important that students realize that there are people who are in this community who are affected by hate and violence,” Kaysa said.
