In celebration of National Coming out day, on Friday the 11th of October, Diversi-T.E.A.M., Culver-Stockton College’s LGBTQIA+ student organization, hosted an event every day from the 8th to the 11th, following midterm break. Through the week, the group fielded a smattering of events, embracing Pride, history, the arts, and athletics all under the scope of a week of celebration.

On Tuesday, Diversi-T.E.A.M. handed out Pride flags and bracelets outside the cafeteria during lunchtime. The event brought significant visibility for LGBT+ support to The Hill, with students seen to be carrying the flags and bracelets through the day. The many groups represented highlighted the diversity present on campus.

On Wednesday, the group hosted Sip N’ Paint from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Herrick Foundation Center, room 104. The painters were set out with the theme “Show Your Pride”, which encompassed both LGBT+ identity, and a broader reach of what it is in life that makes you proud. The event was attended by a rather sizable group of students and faculty, with a fair overturn that saw attendees trickling in and out throughout the event. Armed with watercolors and pink lemonade, the painters produced vibrant works, and reported surprisingly few instances of dipping their brushes in the lemonade cup instead of the water cup.

On Thursday- Dr. Burger hosted a LGBTQIA+ History ACE Event at 6:30 p.m. in the Lab Café in collaboration with Diversi-T.E.A.M. and Delta Phi Epsilon. The event centered around a ten question Kahoot quiz that helped to build knowledge on dates and events central to the ongoing struggle for LGBT+ people’s civil rights, with each question serving as a launching point for a further dive into the history of the community.

On Friday- There was face and hand painting outside the cafeteria at lunchtime, with expressions of creativity ranging from skulls and roses to Sailor Moon. Using paints, stencils, and stamps, Diversi-T.E.A.M. continued to bring a festive air to The Hill.

To wrap up the week, the Diversi-T.E.A.M. had planned to host games on the quad, but the coldest day so far this fall, with temperatures failing to push above the forties, and a chilly wind following rain that made for mushy ground lead to the event being pushed inside to the Mabee Center. With spikeball, cornhole, a spirited game of volleyball, and a variety of recreation, attendees made the best of a gloomy day.

National Coming Out Day (NCOD) is celebrated to raise awareness for the LGBTQIA+ community, and the push for civil rights. For those curious about the history and background of NCOD, more information can be found here. This celebration came in a week that saw the start of the Supreme Court’s analysis of a number of cases related to dismissal of employees on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity. The review is slated to determine whether Title 7 protections are extended to gender identity and sexual orientation, as was the case under the Obama administration, whereas the Trump administration has argued that such individuals are not protected under current law.