Along with rising stress levels as finals approach, this week brings with it a series of opportunities for expanding Ball State University students' horizons.
Spectrum, the university's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender group, kicks off its Spring Week of events Monday with a performance by a lesbian Latina rapper and wraps up Saturday with a drag show.
These events will not only provide students with the chance to partake in some fun activities they've never done before, but they also serve as a reminder of the importance of tolerance.
The mere fact that Ball State has such an active GLBT group that celebrates openly for a week is a testament to the level of tolerance and acceptance at the university.
Colleges are traditionally more accepting of a diverse array of lifestyles than the populations of many cities, especially in the Midwest.
The recent legalization of gay marriage in Iowa and Vermont, though, is a testament to the growing support for gay rights.
Students at Ball State might be used to a standard of tolerance that is higher than they will find in many communities in the U.S., however. Shockingly intolerant backlash about the Iowa and Vermont laws is evidence of that.
While Spectrum celebrates, anti-gay rights groups and radical religious leaders scream about the corruption of marriage on the steps of state houses across the country.
So while we have the chance to explore and enjoy GLBT events freely and openly at Ball State, we ought to take advantage of them.
If you don't know much about these issues, check out some of Spectrum's events, which will be both educational and entertaining. If you have long supported GLBT rights, then keep up the support this week and have a raucous time doing it.
Most importantly, though, take that spirit of tolerance with you when you leave campus. Ball State can always use more acceptance, but broader communities truly need this message to be spread.
Take what you learn this week and pay it forward to the "outside world" - to the people who never got the chance to experience what you can thanks to Spectrum.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
