April is no longer known just for its showers; in recent years, college campuses across the nation have dedicated the month to the celebration of LGBTQIA+ awareness.
Gaypril allows people inside and outside of the LGBTQIA+ community to examine issues that are often inadequately addressed and offers a space for those who want to explore gender and sexuality.
“Gaypril gets people really excited about queer life and activism,” said sophomore Jacob Jones, co-chair of the Queer Community Coalition. “It gives us the feeling of community and support we all strive for.”
“Most students on campus already believe in the cornerstones of the gay movement, like gay rights and gay marriage,” said senior Anna Naden, also co-chair of the Queer Community Coalition. “The real goal of Gaypril at CC is to raise visibility and get more of the campus involved.”
Much of the Gaypril agenda for Colorado College has been in the works since summertime. QCC collaborated with several groups on campus, including EQUAL and the Butler Center, to create a month full of diverse events, ranging from social to political to playful.
“There are a lot of different experiences and identities offered throughout the month,” said sophomore Spencer Spotts, who has helped organize and publicize many Gaypril events. “Even something as small as screening Transparent—a show about a trans woman—is exciting for people to engage in. It really strays from hegemonic media.”
Bells Roar, an alternative electronic musician as well as a transgender woman, reached out to QCC about performing at Colorado College during the month.
“It’s wonderful to have a trans performer physically present to engage people,” said Jones. “There are so many trans issues that people don’t know about, and it’s hard to find places to get that information.”
The drag show has remained a staple of Gaypril at CC. Despite its rag as a conservative city, Colorado Springs has a “really cool drag culture,” said Spotts.
Several drag queens from Club Q in Colorado Springs come to campus to give students a crash course in drag, from walking in recently purchased Arc heels to stage movement to make-up application. Student performers rehearse to get their pieces—which often include dancing and lip-synching—looking as smooth and as professional as possible.
“[The drag show] is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever done,” said Jones. “It’s a time you can really let your alter ego shine.” Gaypril lets people explore queer culture in a safe, fun environment. “It’s not every day, after all, that you get to put a dollar bill in the bra of a man wearing a wig,” as Jones pointed out.
Gaypril is a relatively new event on CC’s campus, and its organizers recognize the potential for great growth.
“In the future, it would be great to collaborate with more campus groups because identity is far more complicated than just sexuality,” said Naden.
“We’re a small group, but a small and passionate group,” added Spotts. “We’d love to share our experiences and have that exchange, but it’s hard without other communities engaging with you.”
Students, no matter how they identify, generally show respect and appreciation for Gaypril at CC. “Gaypril is a spotlight for our identity,” said Spotts. “We never really get that space, and to have that space respected is all we can hope for.”
“There are times when conversations would get heated during movie discussions,” said Jones, “but it’s great to get conflict so we can talk it through.”
While Gaypril is an important event nationally, it’s particularly significant on Colorado College’s campus, where the LGBTQIA+ community is relatively small.
“It’s a whole month of exploring our identities, sharing our experiences with other people, and reinforcing who we are,” explained Spotts. “Gaypril affirms why it’s okay to be this way.”