B-GLAD rally celebrates gay pride on College Green

About 50 people showed up at the open mic event as part of the annual B-GLAD celebration. A vocal and excited crowd of about 50 people gathered on College Green yesterday afternoon to show support for Penn's gay community. At a rally yesterday for Bisexual Gay Lesbian Transgendered Awareness Days, several students, faculty and staff spoke to an open mic in front of the peace sign encouraging support for gay rights. College and Engineering sophomore Kurt Klinger, co-chairperson of the B-GLAD planning committee, declared that the microphone was open to anyone who wished to speak, calling the rally "an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to share" their experiences. As the crowd gathered at 1:30 p.m., the gray clouds gave way to the sun, prompting Director of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Center Bob Schoenberg to state, "[It's] got to mean something in our favor that it's turned into such a beautiful and sunny day." Pride was one the themes of the afternoon as Kurt Conklin, a staff member at the Office of Health Education, began the rally by declaring to the crowd, "I'm a big queer." Conklin was joined in his declaration by Nursing senior Stephanie Marrs, who said she would like to be able to introduce herself with the words, "I'm queer -- hi." And College freshman Randy Ramirez said "pride should be everything for us." Even with the sun matching the high spirits of the crowd, an ominous atmosphere again ensued as Conklin reminded the crowd that "people are still harassed and killed because of their sexual orientation." Referring to the two recent killings of gay men in the U.S. and the attack on Penn's Sigma Nu advisor Robert Drake in Ireland, Schoenberg said, "I am sad and I am disappointed at? the horrible things that continue to happen." Heterosexual students and members of the University community also turned out to show their support. Beverly Dale, executive director of the Christian Association, said, "We all need to work together to make it a more unified fight and that's what we're here for." Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum added poetry to the afternoon, quoting renowned poet Walt Whitman and adding her own verse. "Let us rejoice, this is the day the community has made, let us rejoice and 'B-GLAD,'" McCoullum said. B-GLAD is an annual celebration of gay pride and awareness at Penn. This year's theme is community, with diverse groups from across campus sponsoring events.