Penn State’s Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity will host a series of events throughout October to celebrate LGBTQ History Month.

Events will be held both virtually and in-person, following the university’s masking and social distancing guidelines. They will celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history, and the larger queer rights movement through a series of workshops, webinars, art competitions, and others.

Listed below are each campus’s events, and a continuously updated version can be found on this link. For more, information call 814-863-1248 or e-mail [email protected]. 

University Park

October 5 @ 7 p.m. —  Collaborate Consulting will present “Beyond Stonewall: A History of Queer Activism,” facilitated by Samy Nour Figaredo.
Link: https://psu.zoom.us/j/95102752467, passcode: 203413

October 12 @ TBD —   Annual History Month rally celebrating pride within Penn State community. Virtual.

October 12 @ 6:30 p.m. —  Ryan Jamaal Swain, known FX’s Golden Globe-nominated series, “Pose,” will share his story of coming out and the meaning LGBTQ history month to him.
Link: https://www.watch.psu.edu/ryan-jamaal-swain/

October 14 @ 5 p.m. —  Blair Imani, writer of “Modern HERstory: Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History” and “Making Our Way Home: The Great Migration and The Black American Dream,” will present “Intersecting Movements.” Virtual. Link coming soon.

October 21 @ 3 p.m —  Raquel Saraswati will present “Strength and Power: Healing for POC Communities.” Virtual. Link coming soon.

Other events:

October 6 @ 9 a.m. — Safer People Safer Places Foundations Workshop.
Link: https://pennstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bDUx2cHyzKLjDsV

October 7 @ 5 p.m. — Late Night in the Center: Scavenger Hunt. HUB-Robeson Center

October 21 @ 5 p.m.  — Late Night in the Center: Pronouns Matter. LL011 HUB

October 28 @ 5 p.m. — Late Night in the Center: Child’s Play at the Arboretum. The Arboretum at Penn State.

Penn State Altoona

October 30 @ 9 p.m. — Dusty Ray Bottoms from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will host a Zombie Makeup Tutorial.
Link: https://connect.altoona.psu.edu/CAB/rsvp_boot?id=787163

Penn State Beaver

October 9 @ 12:15–1:15 p.m.  — National Coming Out Day celebration. Location TBD.

Penn State Berks

Submissions due October 11 @ 11:59 p.m. — Student Art Competition. Students can submit original artwork inspired by an LGBTQ+ cultural or historical figure, followed by a short paragraph about the piece. For more information, contact Colleen Tillger, [email protected]

Dickinson Law

October 15 @ 4–5 p.m. — Co-sponsored by OutLaw and Public Interest Law Fund, Liz Glazer, a comedian, writer, actor, and former law professor. Virtual. For more information, contact Julie Cullings at [email protected].

Penn State Dubois

October 12 @ 12:15 p.m. — Student Ally Training. Virtual. For more information contact Rebecca Pennington at [email protected].

October 12 @ 12:15 p.m. — National Coming Out Day Tabling. For information before the event contact Brittany Martin at [email protected] and for information on the day of the event, contact Marcie Brubaker at [email protected].

October 13 @ 12:15 p.m. — Hayden Kristal, a comedian and public speaker, will discuss diversity and intersectionality. For more information contact Brittany Martin at [email protected].

October 14 @ 12:15 p.m. — LGBTQ+ Discussion Group. For more information contact Rebecca Pennington at [email protected].

Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus

October 9 and 12 — Presented by Pride Alliance Working for Students (PAWS), tabling to bring awareness to the LGBTQ+ community and National Coming Out Day. For more information contact Brandon Demchak, PAWS president, [email protected]; or Amanda Collins, PAWS adviser, [email protected]. Williams Building, lower level, in front of the Student Center.

October 12 through October 16 —  LGBTQ+ Social Media Education Week. Follow @pawsfe on Instagram to learn about terms, history, facts, and others. Presented by members of PAWS, faculty, and staff. For more information contact Brandon Demchak at [email protected]; or Amanda Collins at [email protected].

October 26 @ 5 p.m. — Pride Alliance Working for Students (PAWS) will host a movie screening of “Love, Simon.” For more information contact Brandon Demchak at [email protected]; or Amanda Collins at [email protected]. Swimmer Hall, Williams Building

October 15 @ 12:15 p.m. — Mikah Meyer will present how his identities played a vital role in his success in “Spirit and Sexuality”. For more information contact [email protected].

Penn State New Kensington

October 12 @ 11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m. — Coming Out Day Table. Penn State Pride materials. For more information contact Evan Ditty at [email protected].  Student Life table in the Junction Lobby.

October 22 @ 12 p.m. –1 p.m. — Student Ally Training. Register by contacting Evan Ditty at [email protected]. 

Penn State Scranton 

October 9 @ 6 p.m. — National Coming Out Day celebration.
Link: https://scranton.psu.edu/diversity-and-inclusion/multicultural-student-programs/dei-events

Penn State Wilkes-Barre

October 12 @ 7 p.m. —  Show by spoken word artist Katie Wirsing. For more information, contact Jackie W-Piatt at [email protected].
Link: https://psu.zoom.us/j/5706759284

Penn State College of Technology

October 12 @ 11 a.m.–2 p.m.— National Coming Out Day Pride Table. Lobby, Hager Lifelong Education Center.

October 20 @ 7 p.m. — Playlist Bingo themed to the LGBTQ+ community. Details to be announced.