About 100 people gathered Saturday evening to see old friends, drink rainbow martinis, share stories and celebrate progress in the LGBT community at Grazie! Italian Eatery.
Though the age gap stretched from 18 to 80 at the eighth annual IU Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Alumni Association reception, every attendee has been affected by the LGBT cause in one way or another.
“One of my favorite things is getting to hear the different stories,” Alex Van Gorp, a third year law student and student recipient of a GLBTAA academic scholarship, said.
“We all have this thing in common, being members of this community or being allies. Everyone has their own experiences, and particularly with the age differences, they can be really inspiring to hear.”
Van Gorp was bullied throughout high school, but was able to overcome the harassment when he came out as gay during his junior year.
“They couldn’t hold it over my head anymore after I embraced it,” he said. “Living authentically made every aspect of my life so much better.”
Many people, however, are not so lucky.
For some youth, bullying intensifies after they publicly embrace their sexuality. Some lose friends or family, said Doug Bauder, office coordinator for IU’s GLBT Student Support Services.
“As crazy and sad as it seems, there are still parents who disown their child after they make the courageous decision to be openly gay or transgender,” Bauder said.
For this reason, the alumni association created an emergency scholarship specifically for students whose parents cut off financial support after coming out.
In the fund’s 11 years of existence, 13 of the 67 scholarships given out were emergency scholarships.
“IU students don’t have to decide between living their lives openly and honestly and an IU education,” said IU Foundation Director Mike Shumate. “We’re very proud of that.”
The GLBTAA is currently in the midst of a million-dollar campaign for more scholarships, Shumate said.
He said they have raised $810,329 as of Dec. 31, allowing the GLBTAA Board of Directors to double the maximum amount of both the academic and emergency scholarships available for students on all IU campuses.
“Alumni look at their lives and say, ‘I’ve made it. Things have gotten better. And now I want to help students make it, too,’” Bauder said.
Around the room, freshmen chatted with seniors and alumni hugged old friends.
They talked about the LGBT-related legislation making its way through the the Indiana Congress and the films showing at the weekend’s Bloomington PRIDE Film Festival.
It was students who first noted the need for GLBT resources on campus, Bauder said.
It was also students, one gay and one straight, who thought a PRIDE film festival would be a good idea and worked together to make it a reality.
And it was students who dreamt of an alumni association and students who continue to give money, friendship and support to those who come after them, Bauder said.
“My story is encouraging students, finding the resources for them and then watching them take off,” Bauder said “It’s amazing what students can do. I could never have imagined this in 1994.”
