The Cal Poly Pride Center (the center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and ally students) is sponsoring a same-gender hand-holding day Feb. 9. The event encourages the LGBTQ community and allies to hold hands with someone of the same gender. The march will be led by students, beginning at Mott Lawn and ending at Dexter Lawn.
Erin Echols, the coordinator for the Pride Center, said she expects more than a hundred participants rallying with signs and flags.
“Every year we change the event,” Echols said. “We hope people return every year and get something new out of it.”
This year, the Pride Center is changing the march to stay current and relevant with the same-sex rights debate. To address present issues such as gay marriage, there will be a mock wedding on Dexter Lawn complete with a “civil union” cake and refreshments. The participants will also walk down an aisle where a judge will stand and demand them to go their separate ways.
Last year, the event featured chants such as, “What do we want? Equality! When do we want it? Now!” and “Ho, ho, homophobia’s got to go.”
Participants also held a variety of signs during the march, which included messages such as “Hate is not a Cal Poly value,” “It’s only love” and “No on Prop. 8.”
Physics senior Chris Brown held an “I’m with cupid” sign. This year, he will be a part of a quartet playing music at the mock wedding.
“I think the event reveals a lot about the campus’ support for homosexual rights,” Brown said.
In general, Brown thinks there are more supporters on campus than those who are in opposition to same-sex rights. Still, there are always people on campus against them. Last year, the event got a lot of “rally-rowsers,” he said.
“There are always people shouting at us ‘you make us sick,’” Brown said.
Being visible is also significant for Brown.
“(The event) is important because it shows that we’re here,” he said.
The Pride Center is one of the three cultural centers on campus. Journalism sophomore and Pride Center student assistant Ebony Chetto is the director of this year’s event.
“A lot of people don’t understand how important equality is,” Chetto said. “It’s not just about marriage; it’s about love.”
At Cal Poly, the same-gender hand-holding day has been held annually near Valentine’s Day for eight years. Dave Watkins, a London resident and gay rights activist started a similar day worldwide.
Watkins’ event takes place monthly and asks participants around the globe to e-mail pictures of themselves standing hand-in-hand.
“It’s a great campaign. I mean that it really forces you to question your own attitudes and your attitudes to your loved ones,” Watkins said in an interview on pinknews.com. “It’s OK to say you’re out and proud but can you put that into practice? When people break that barrier, it gets easier. It increases self-esteem and relationships.”
The same-gender hand-holding event begins Tuesday at 11 a.m. on Mott Lawn.