Pictured Dan Savage and some of the participants at Pride Fest. Photos by Terri Klinsky
Queer college students and their allies from Milwaukee to Chicago gathered April 17 for the third annual Chicago College Pride Fest, focused on the theme 'Let's talk about sex.'
Between 500 and 600 students, joined by a few faculty members and community activists, spent the afternoon and evening at the University of Illinois-Chicago student center discussing everything from vibrators to political advocacy.
'We all talk about sex, whether it be among race, gender, gender identity or class lines,' said Patrick Finnessy, program director and the head of the office of GLBT concerns at UIC.
And as Dan Savage put it in his discussion with conference participants, gay people simply have to talk about sex more. 'When you jump into bed with a man and a woman, the expectation is vaginal intercourse, but when you've got two penises in bed, it isn't as obvious.'
The conference, put together by a coalition of five area colleges, featured queer activist Staceyann Chin, a spoken-word artist, a discussion with Savage, break-out sessions on club drugs, sex toys, and legal issues, and the crowning of the Pride Fest Idol.
John D'Emilio, director of the Gender & Women's Studies Program at UIC, and one of the historians whose work was quoted by the U.S. Supreme Court in Lawrence v. Texas also spoke with students.
'I've been looking forward to this since last year,' said Stephanie Roman, 25, a student at Salk Valley Community College. 'I can come here and meet other student activists and learn so much.'
Finnessy said part of the goal of the conference is to increase networking among queer students and inspire them to leave with a renewed activist spirit.
'It's really important that we put out the word and learn to advocate for our right to live our lives,' said Christina Pinson, 21, a junior at UIC. She said Pride Fest offered the opportunity to serve as a rallying cry for queer student activists in the Chicago area.
In the exhibitor's hall for the conference, students were able to talk with advocacy groups, representatives from LGBT health groups, and hear about job opportunities at Motorola and Disney.
Also on hand was a representative from PFLAG, who said the conference offered the chance to provide advice to students who may just be at the beginning stages of coming out to their parents.
And an activity put together by the Illinois Gender Advocates that had a grid mapping out gender identity based on a short quiz kept students buzzing during downtime between activities.
Many students said they came for the opportunity to meet other queer youth and allies from across the city. Philip Engleking, 22, a student at Salk Community College, said that he was hoping to leave the conference 'informed, inspired, and ready to work with other gay students.'
The chance to hear from academics like D'Emilio drew some students interested in the intellectual history of gay and lesbian rights. 'This guy [D'Emilio] has written stacks on LGBT issues. He's just really, really famous and I was just hoping to have the chance to ask him some questions,' said Brad Hoot, 22, a graduate student at UIC.
The big draw for many was the chance for a question-and-answer session with author Dan Savage, a Chicago native. Taking a mix of live and pre-written questions, he spoke candidly about everything from stereotypes about sex-obsessed gay men to lesbian U-haul relationships.
He answered both personal and political questions, and when asked if there was a single 'intelligent' argument against gay marriage, replied, 'Nope. They're all pretty stupid.'
Savage talked about the myth of the 'gay community' and the need for parents of GLBT teens and young adults to do a better job of supporting and supervising them.
'We don't tell a 15-year-old girl that a 40-year-old guy who wants to date her that he's her brother,' Savage said. 'But we expect a 40-year-old gay guy to take care of a 15-year-old guy he also wants to [do]. That's ridiculous.'
He also spoke about the need for Black churches to begin to address homophobia as a way to fight AIDS in the African-American community. Savage urged a word of caution, however, for comparisons to between the gay movement and the civil-rights movement: 'It's like a low simmer verses a high boil.'
Hemant Mehta, 21, a straight ally and senior at UIC, said Savage's speech drew him to Pride Fest. 'I am a total supporter and everything, but the opportunity to hear Dan Savage speak was something I just couldn't miss.'
The conference became less focused on hard discussions and became more of a queer social and entertainment opportunity. Pride Idol, hosted by duo Amy Armstrong and Freddy Allen, and judged by Chin, Savage and Patricia Roberts aka Patrick Russo, creator of Who's That Girl, served as a coronation of sorts for winners of local college contests.
Kimberly Hilton, 18, and Jacob Tuma, 20, both students at Columbia College Chicago, said they had been nervous for most of the conference in anticipation of their performance as Pride Idol hopefuls.
For students, the chance for college students all over the area to come together on a variety of fronts—academically, politically, and socially, represented the best of what a cohesive queer community could offer.
'It's just a big, gay event that's tons of fun,' said Jennifer Kunkel, 22, a senior at UIC.
