Lauren RabainoThe Cal Poly Pride Center celebrated Same Gender Handholding Day Tuesday by sponsoring the seventh-annual March for Equality, along with various speakers and informational club tables in the University Union.
More than 100 students and faculty members met on Dexter Lawn at 11 a.m. and marched through campus to the UU while holding hands with someone of the same gender.
Associated Students Inc. President Angela Kramer, who has been involved with the event for the last four years, led the march. For Kramer, the event was especially important this year in the aftermath of last year’s passage of Proposition 8.
“This march… is very important because one, it brings the community together – gay, straight, and everything in between – but two, it also brings an awareness of how decisions like that really affect people and how it affects our lives,” Kramer said. “You can kind of tell that regardless of how often we’re put down and treated as second-class citizens, we are still fully capable of coming together for a common good and a greater purpose.”
Participants held a variety of signs during the march that included messages such as “Hate is not a Cal Poly value,” “It’s only love” and “No on Prop. 8” signs.
As they marched they chanted, “What do we want? Equality! When do we want it? Now!”
Business junior Megan O’Sullivan thinks the march is a way to spread awareness of the gay community on campus and offers an easy way for allies to show support.
“It’s a mark of visibility,” she said. “For the gay community, it’s really important to have visibility within the campus community because sometimes you’re hidden. I think it’s a good event that allies can come out and show support.”