WUD and LGBT Campus Center Celebrate Out and About Month
Brooklyn-based and openly gay rapper Le1f is taking the Sett stage by storm as part of WUD Music’s OUTFEST.
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Campus Center (LGBT CC) of UW-Madison celebrates Out and About Month this April, and the Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) has joined in the festivities.
“Like with all of our community-based events, our goal is to bring people together to celebrate the awesome spectrum of LGBTQ identities and to show that there are multitudes of lives and experiences within LGBTQ communities,” said Director of the LGBT CC Gabe Javier, who is excited to partner with WUD. “It’s important that LGBTQ people and their allies come together to celebrate identity, not just talk about the hard things happening in the community.”
Celebrating the identities and experiences of LGBTQ students and community members through programming and events, Out and About Month will feature WUD programming, starting with WUD Film’s Reel Love LGBT Film Festival.
“We’re Madison’s only LGBT film festival,” said WUD Film Director Hari Jost. “It’s an awesome opportunity because it opens up great conversation about these identities and films that aren’t often seen on a daily basis.”
Starting April 23, 14 films will be shown in the Union South Marquee Theater free of charge, with the goal of educating viewers new to LGBT lifestyles but also identifying with viewers looking for film content familiar to them.
“WUD Film is hoping to make a community of sorts with LGBT folks through promoting and celebrating this form of cinema,” Hari said. “We wanted something all-encompassing and appealing to the LGBT community.”
WUD Film’s Reel Love LGBT FIlm Festival is just one example of how the Union is getting involved in Out and About Month. Photo courtesy of WUD Film.
WUD Film is hoping to make the festival bigger and better every year, but also wants to raise awareness that an LGBT film festival exists and is available to students. Along with movies, music is another outlet WUD is planning to use to celebrate Out and About Month, specifically through WUD Music’s OUTFEST, a new addition to the Out and About Month lineup this year.
“We’ve worked with the LGBT CC every step of the way to make sure we successfully create an environment that is both welcoming to and welcomed by the community,” said WUD Music Director Tori Dexter. “We also tried to set up these shows so that people could leave movies in the Marquee and come straight downstairs to the Sett–we want to capitalize on the energy that WUD Film always creates and keep the party going!”
WUD Music will showcase openly gay rapper Le1f in Union South April 24 along with Drag Queen Bingo, hosted by local Queen Cass Marie Domino, April 25.
“We’d like to join our friends at WUD Film in supporting and celebrating the vibrant LGBT community on this campus, and to show our support to the causes they’re raising awareness for,” Tori said. “And of course, we want to make sure everyone has a great time in an environment that is welcoming and safe.”
Want to join in on the fun? Check out all the films showing at Reel Love here and learn more about OUTFEST here.
