All Wayne State faculty, staff, students and community are invited to attend the university’s first HomeComing Out Celebration, Dance & Drag Show on Friday, Oct. 11, from 7 to 11 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom. The event, which occurs on National Coming Out Day, culminates a week-long series of events in observation of National Coming Out Week. The event is free and open to the public.
The celebration will include drag show performances featuring BeBe Zahara Benet and Eureka O’Hara from RuPaul’s Drag Race, as well as local performers Sabin, Emma Saphire and Thrustin’ Bieber. Learn more online.
The HomeComing Out Celebration, Dance, & Drag Show also coincides with WSU’s university-wide Homecoming festivities.
“We want everyone to feel welcome and at home at Wayne State,” said Brandon Shamoun, coordinator of student engagement in the Dean of Students Office. “We’re proud to host an event that is sure to be as fun as it is inclusive and educational.”
The event is hosted collaboratively by a variety of WSU organizations, including Joining Intersectionality, GENDER, SEXUALITY, and ALLIES at Wayne (JIGSAW), Queer Trans* People of Color (QTPOC), Gender Queer and Transgender Alliance (GQ), the Graduate Queer Alliance (GQAWSU), the Queer Faculty and Staff Organization (QWSU), the Office of Multicultural Student Engagement (OMSE), and the Dean of Students Office (DOSO).
Other Coming Out Week activities include:
- Coming Out Week kickoff, Monday, Oct. 7, from 12 to 3 p.m. on Gullen Mall
- “Opening Doors” Art Exhibition, Monday, Oct. 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Undergraduate Library Atrium
- Coming Out Week poster session, Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Student Center Building
- 1,000 Paper Cranes, Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at OMSE
- Trans Awareness & Activism with Julisa Abad, Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Student Center Building
- Candy & Charms with GQ, Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Student Center Building
- JIGSAW general body meeting, Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Student Center Building
- Supporting LGBTQ Student Success in the Classroom, Thursday, Oct. 10, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Purdy/Kresge Library
- Faculty and Staff QWSU Reception, Thursday, Oct. 10, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Tierney Alumni House
- JIGSAW project showing, Thursday, Oct. 10, from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Student Center Building