Although most people typically associate LGBTQ+ pride with the month of June, RWU’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) has put on several fun events the last few weeks, with many more to come. Recently, SAGA sponsored an event with the Queer and Trans Resource Advocacy Center (QTRAC), hosting a BBQ in D’Angelo Common. The BBQ was put together by Assistant Director of Queer and Trans Student Initiatives Jamie Wire, as well as student workers for the QTRAC. The BBQ was very well received, and attracted a large number of students. SAGA Vice President Parker Schwartz said they were “blown away” by the amount of people that came over to see what was going on. “I was very excited by how many people came and had a good time at our event.”

SAGA recently concluded “Coming Out Week,” in which they had five events five days in a row, concluding with National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11. “Coming Out Day is very important to the LGBTQ community,” said Schwartz. “It is a day people are able to recognize the progress they’ve made in their own identities…even if people aren’t able to come out or don’t want to come out, it’s still a day that they’re able to look at and see the community.”

Schwartz also said that having a resource like the QTRAC on campus is very important. “It really shows that as a community, we’re willing to have these sorts of conversations to make the community a more accepting and diverse space,” said Schwartz. “It’s just sort of a space for people to be themselves without worrying about the judgment around them.”

SAGA has several events coming up, including “Trans Week of Remembrance” the week of Nov. 14, and, similarly to “Coming Out Week,” will feature events every single day in order to recognize trans individuals who have lost their lives, while at the same time celebrating the lives of trans individuals that are still with us. SAGA meets Wednesdays at 6 p.m. in the QTRAC, and their Instagram is “rwusaga.”