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March 5-12, 2006: Volume I, Issue 21

The Rest of This Week

Thursday, March 2

• First Midwest Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Ally College Conference 2008 Planning Meeting
  5:00 pm, LGBT Concerns Office, 323 Illini Union
  The MBLGTACC (Midwest Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Ally College Conference) will be hosted here at UIUC in February of 2008. Whether or not you will be here in 2008, you have an excellent opportunity to help in organizing this conference. There's a LOT of work to be done in prep for the conference, so two years might be just enough time. I'm sure that all three co-coordinators want nothing more than a true representation of our community -- this means you ladies, people of color, bisexuals, and trans folk! We can't do this conference without everyone. At our first meeting, we will establish subcommittees to deal with specific portions of conference organization. Each subcommittee will need a chairperson or co-chairs, so please come out and seek a leadership position. Everything from fund raising to publicity to organizing and developing workshops to working to ensure diversity in our conference to entertainment and hospitality (among others) -- we have at least ten subcommittees that will need leaders! At this meeting, if you think we're overlooking an important part of organizing this conference -- great, tell us! We'll organize a new subcommittee! Remember -- this conference is completely student-run, student-organized, and student-planned. We are starting from the very base up, and building a conference that will have thousands visiting our campus for three days in February 2008. Please consider getting involved -- make this conference what you think it should be... a success!
• Filmmaker Quentin Lee Screens his 2005 Movie, "Ethan Mao"
  6:30 pm, Main Lounge Allen Hall
  Free and open to the public. Filmmaker Quentin Lee, with impressive films such as "Shopping for Fangs" and "Drift," will be on campus March 2, 2006, to screen and talk about his latest film, "Ethan Mao" (2005, Un-rated, 86 minutes, Margin Films). Cohosted by the new Asian American Minors Club and the Office for LGBT Concerns, Lee will screen his film March 2 at 6:30 pm in the Main Lounge of Allen Hall. "Ethan Mao" is Lee's third feature film. Reviewer Scott Cranin says of the film, "Enter the sexy and thought-provoking world of Quentin Lee's (Drift) Ethan Mao, a film about love and family that's told at gunpoint! Thrown out of his house when his parents discovered a gay porn magazine in his room, Ethan Mao survives on the street as a hustler. He's discovered he's the perfect "type" for older guys who want some Asian chicken. He meets handsome fellow hustler and drug dealer Remigio who takes him in and teaches him some basics and how to use drugs, always handy. After being tipped off by his younger brother Noel that the family will be away on Thanksgiving, Ethan asks his buddy for a ride so he can get some of his stuff from the house. As the two boys gather the few things they need, cash and jewelry, Ethan's dad arrives home to retrieve a forgotten item and violence ensues. Filmmaker Lee takes us off into a suspenseful day as the family is held hostage over a necklace. In the following increasingly desperate hours, Ethan, his family and Remigio are forced to confront their unresolved conflicts between each other. As the tension between Ethan and his family escalates, their inner demons and family secrets unravel in this suspenseful and touching drama. With low-keyed suspense, attractive leads, romance and a surprise conclusion, Ethan Mao is one drama you won't want to miss this year."
• Coming Out Support Group
  7:00 pm, LGBT Concerns Office, 323 Illini Union
  COSG is a safe place to listen, talk and learn about sexual identity and coming out issues. For more information, e-mail comingout@uiuc.edu.
• First Day of Silence Planning Meeting
  8:00 pm, LGBT Concerns Office, 323 Illini Union
  It's time to start planning for the Day of Silence! At the first planning meeting we will see who is interested in (co-?)chairing the DOS committee, discuss what has been done in the past for DOS, set some preliminary plans for this year's events, and set a standing meeting time. **Please forward this message to your organizations -- we want as many interested students as possible to help make this event a huge success! If neither you nor someone from your organization can attend the Thursday meeting, but you are still interested in being on the committee or cosponsoring DOS, please email Kevin Otten or Colin Bishop and let us know.

Friday, March 3

• Lunch and Learn with Quentin Lee (see above)
  11:00 am - Noon, Office for LGBT Concerns, 323 Illini Union
  Pizza and informal conversation about filmmaking, being Asian American and LGBT, or whatever other topics the group is interested in. No reservation necessary.

News and Announcements

• Illinois GLBTQSA College Conference
  Last year several GLBT student groups formed the ILGLBTQSACC (Illinois Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Straight Allied Collegiate Council -- kudos to you if you already knew that. The purpose of this organization is to facilitate communication between GLBT student groups at Illinois colleges. Thus far, without this communication, many of us have created successful programs but haven't been able to share them with other schools. Similarly, when GLBT students are dealing with tough issues on their campus it is hard to get help from other schools who have already been through the same situation. We are all fighting the battle for equality, but we could be more effective if we were fighting together. The ILGLBTQSACC was created to help all of us do that.
  
  The organization held its first conference in December, and a very productive dialogue took place. We are inviting GLBTQ and Allied students from all Illinois colleges to attend the second conference, which will be on Saturday, April 1 at the University of Illinois in Champaign. The focus of the conference will be on issues facing GLBT student groups. This includes: building/maintaining strong organizations on campus, useful programs for raising awareness of GLBT issues, and effective ways to deal with adverse situations on campus. If you have had a successful program on your campus, or if you have experience with fundraising/political organizing, I encourage you to think about conducting a workshop. Right now we are also considering keynote speakers -- if you know of a good speaker who has something to say about being GLBT in Illinois or being GLBT in general, please send a suggestion!
  
  The conference will be on Saturday, April 1, from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. It is absolutely free for you to attend, but please register so we'll know how many people to expect. You can get more information and register on the website. The new address is www.ilconference.org. It is already online with most service providers, and it will be working for everyone by this evening. If you're having trouble you can go to www.ilglbtqsacc.org. We will be updating later this week, and the site will be updated more often as April 1st gets closer. In addition to checking the website, please feel free to email wblancha@uiuc.edu. I'm eager to answer questions and take suggestions/concerns. Philip, who is working hard enough to make the rest of us look lazy, would love to help you present a workshop or consider ideas for a keynote speaker. Email him at reames@uiuc.edu.
  
  I would also like to directly ask for everyone's help in making this conference a success. Please help us spread the word. The ILGLBTQSACC is a relatively new group, and it was formed by a small handful of Illinois colleges. Please forward this message to GLBT people you know at other colleges. It is hard to get in touch with student groups, especially on smaller campuses. Unfortunately, many of these small universities and community colleges are the places that could benefit the most from a conference like this.
  
  In the next few weeks, we'll send out emails with more information and asking for your participation. Feel free to send a few back and let us know what you think! And please feel free to forward these emails all across Illinois. We would like students from across the state to be involved in any way they want to be, but even the simple act of forwarding this email can be extremely helpful. Remember, the hope of the ILGLBTQSACC is that we can all start talking to each other. Even if you don't think you have anything specific to learn from the conference, feel free to get in touch with us and to come meet GLBT students from across the state. Once we establish friendships and share our knowledge and experience, the real fight for equality can begin.
  -- William Blanchard
• Student Trustee Candidate Forum on LGBTQA Issues
  DI coverage of PRIDE's first Student Trustee Candidate Forum on LGBTQA issues held Tuesday night.
• The Career Center is hiring OUTREACH TEAM members!
  Applications due Friday, March 3, by 4:00 pm. Need a job for the 06-07 school year? Work 5-8 hours per week as a Team Member or 10-12 hours as a Team Leader. Very flexible and student-friendly schedule. Learn how to critique resumes and present career development workshops. Develop leadership and public speaking abilities. Strengthen your resume and work experience. We are hiring a diverse group of students from all across campus for 10-15 positions. We welcome students from all majors and class standings to apply, from freshmen to seniors. Pick up an application at The Career Center, or download one online. *Eligible applicants must be enrolled undergraduates for the full 06-07 school year. Email kevin.otten@gmail.com with questions.

Upcoming Events

If your campus group has an event you would like featured in "Upcoming Events," please e-mail Khristian.

Tuesday, March 7

• Rainbow Coffee House
  6:30 pm, the Etc., Wesley Foundation (corner of Green and Goodwin)
  Offers a welcoming, nonreligious, open environment to LGBT and ALLY communities to socialize. Open every Tuesday. If you or your organization is interested in hosting, contact Sara Clemons for more information. Sponsored by the Office of LGBT Concerns. This week Sue Rankin, who is the researcher who did our LGBT Campus Climate Survey last spring, will be at the Rainbow Coffeehouse to talk to students about her findings. A copy of the DRAFT Executive Summary of the Survey Results DRAFT is included in this newsletter.

Group Meetings

If your LGBT-related group or organization would like to be featured in "Group Meetings," please e-mail Khristian.

Sunday, March 5

• Ladies Loving Ladies (L³)
  7:00 - 9:00 pm, LGBT Concerns Office, 323 Illini Union
  THE NEW SEASON OF THE L-WORD IS HERE! Join L³, a social/support network for queer women, to watch the new episodes. After the show, we do a variety of activities, including playing games, watching films or having heated debates. All women are invited to come; bring your friends and ideas! For more information, contact Emily.

Monday, March 6

• Colors of PRIDE
  8:00 - 9:30 pm, LGBT Concerns Office, 322 Illini Union
  Provides a safe space and friendly environment for all LGBT students of color to share, listen, discuss and express themselves. All LGBT students of color and allies are welcome! For more information, contact Victor or Paul.
• Q of Allen Hall
  9:00 pm, Allen Hall Conference Room
  Q, a group for LGBTQIA residence hall students, meets every Monday to explore issues of concern and provide support to students. To find out the new meeting time, contact Kim or Patrick.

Tuesday, March 7

• Among Women
  5:45 - 7:15 pm, Room 249A Student Services Building
  Among Women is an informal discussion group made up of lesbian and bisexual women students. It provides a place to meet other women who share your concerns and to form or broaden your social support network; an opportunity to decrease the alienation and isolation of being a lesbian or bisexual woman in a majority heterosexual environment; a great chance to exchange ideas, experiences, and opinions. Contact Anita for more information.

Wednesday, March 8

• PRIDE
  8:00 pm, 388 Lincoln Hall
  PRIDE provides educational, social, recreational and support programs to enhance the campus climate for LGBT students. Check the PRIDE website for information on events and activities.

Thursday, March 9

• Coming Out Support Group (COSG)
  7:00 pm, LGBT Concerns Office, 323 Illini Union
  COSG is a safe place to listen, talk and learn about sexual identity and coming out issues. For more information, e-mail comingout@uiuc.edu.

Sunday, March 12

• Ladies Loving Ladies (L³)
  7:00 - 9:00 pm, LGBT Concerns Office, 323 Illini Union
  THE NEW SEASON OF THE L-WORD IS HERE! Join L³, a social/support network for queer women, to watch the new episodes. After the show, we do a variety of activities, including playing games, watching films or having heated debates. All women are invited to come; bring your friends and ideas! For more information, contact Emily.

Around Campus

If you know of an event sponsored by another organization or program that you would like featured in "Around Campus," please e-mail Khristian.

March 1-14

• Boxes and Walls
  5:00 - 9:00 pm, McKinley Foundation basement, 809 S. Fifth St., Champaign
  An interactive, emotional tour that takes you through rooms, each focusing on a different historically oppressed group. For more information, e-mail boxesandwalls.uiuc.edu@gmail.com.

Saturday, March 4

• 20th Annual Fashion Show: "True Illusion"
  7:00 pm, Foellinger Auditorium
  Sponsored by the Asian American Association.

Saturday, March 11

• Asian American Idol
  7:30 pm, Illini Union Rooms A,B,C
  Cost: $2 with student ID, $3 for others. Sponsored by the Korean American Student Association and the IUB.

Out and About

If you know of an off-campus community event that you would like featured in "Out and About," please e-mail Khristian.

Remember, tomorrow's Unofficial St. Patrick's Day is not a UIUC sponsored event in any way. It is an attempt by Campustown bar owners to make money. There will be increased police presence in Campustown, both in the bars and on the streets, and on campus during the day and night tomorrow. State Police will provide extra patrols on the Interstates coming into Champaign because many participants in Unofficial are not part of our community. If you see someone who has drunk too much, don't hesitate to call a hospital or 9-911 to have the person treated. If you drink, drink responsibly and safely. I don't want any of you to become a hospital or police statistic.
-- Curt

Article(s) of Interest

Articles of interest are collected from a variety of online and electronic sources. They are intended to spark thought or general discussion about issues important to the LGBT community.

Several Dozen Protest Ladies Basketball Coach at Penn State Game

By Associated Press
March 1, 2006, 9:00

Penn State Women's Basketball Coach Rene Portland has been accused of longstanding overt homophobia against student players. She has faced protests at away games all year; now the protests have come to her home court.

Read more ...

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