Show your colours: HSG Pride Month strengthens diversity on campus

The origins of Pride Month

LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer and more) Pride Month, as it is celebrated today, has its roots in the Stonewall movement. On the night of 27 June 1969, New York police raided the Stonewall Inn gay bar on Christopher Street, leading to street fights between bar patrons and the police, which developed into massive riots over two nights. This riot is historically regarded as the first gay resistance to police repression in the Western Hemisphere. Since then, 27 June is known as Christopher Street Day and is celebrated around the world, and June is the official international Pride month. At the University of St.Gallen, the first Pride Month took place in 2020. As students are in the middle of their studies in June, Pride at HSG will be celebrated in October, so that new students can join in directly.

Cheers to the Queers

"Promoting inclusion and allyship" is one of the key concerns of this year's organising committee. The stigma that Pride is only for a certain group of people should be broken. "Pride is for everyone" is reflected in the vision as all backgrounds and identities are included and everyone can support others through allyship. Allies are people who are not part of the LGBTQ+ community, but who support the community and show solidarity. The mission of Pride Month is to educate and provide a stage for queer individuals once a year. Visibility is one of the team's main goals, as the HSG is not only made up of white, cis-male, heterosexual people. It is important for everyone to be aware of the dimensions of diversity in order to create inclusive, high-performing teams. Pride aims to ensure that everyone contributes to a culture where, for example, no one is afraid to talk to a same-sex partner over lunch at the weekend. Realising that you have a gender identity or sexual orientation that does not fit into the heteronormative framework, the so-called "coming out", and finally coming out to others can be very stressful. Pride Month @ HSG is also meant to be a strong sign of support for those who are struggling right now.

A colourful programme from drag show to "voguing"

The month kicked off with a queer pub quiz at the Libre Bar on 04.10.2023. On the 05.10.2023, there was an opportunity to learn the dance style of voguing, which originated in the 1960s in the LGBTQ+ community of New York City. The dance style is inspired by catwalk poses, fashion photography and drag queens, and features theatrical movements and postures. The team is also looking forward to building on last year's success: The Drag Show at the Lokremise on 13/10/2023 with the parent and aunt of the House of G: Kween G and Nofretitta Marianela. The following day, all students are invited to get to know each other through speed dating, followed by a screening of the film "Queer Data" by local filmmaker Laura Gargiulo. The academic side of things will not be neglected either. A Queer Book Fair at SQUARE on 12.10.2023 and the unique networking event at the Google office in Zurich are among the many initiatives this year.

Towards the end of the month, more and more political and social issues will be addressed in the form of panel discussions to further the fundamental discourse. "Living Library" and "Let's Talk: First Love - First Relationships" are designed to evoke deep-rooted emotions and will take place on 27/10/2023 and 24/10/2013 respectively. These two events are primarily designed to create an informal space for participants. An informative and light-hearted gender debate at the Main Post Office on 26/10/2023 and a panel discussion with local politicians at St Catherine's Hall on 30/10/2023 will bring Pride Month to a close.

Pride is political, fun and emotional, which is why it is sometimes seen as too controversial. But the organising committee hopes for one thing - "Don't hide your Pride".

More info on Pride Month:
https://www.pridemonth.ch/

Adria Pop is a fifth-semester business administration student at the University of St.Gallen and a co-organiser of this year's Pride Month.