Cross-dressing to spread awareness

By Suyaishar Sebastian

The Genders and Sexualities Alliance (GSA) Club of Waldorf University hosted a cross-dress photoshoot and hangout event in collaboration with Photography Club on Friday, March 26.

Even though a lot of people do not feel comfortable cross-dressing, GSA organized this event in hopes of spreading awareness and exposing Waldorf students to more diversity, especially within the LGBTQ+ community.

“It is really important to organize events like this because it helps spread awareness and we are kind of at a point in our country where we need a little reminder about the LGBTQ+ community,” said Kaylee Schuermann, president of GSA. “I think in the middle of the pandemic too, people need stuff to do and so I think this was a good way to promote our club and for people to have fun.”

Barbara Romero, freshman business major, believes it is important students and staff support events like these which promote diversity.

“I feel that the students who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community will feel more comfortable to be themselves in a safe environment during such events,” Romero said.

Senior communications major, Ying Tzarm, shares similar thoughts.

“I think for a small community like Waldorf, it is important that we share and accept our differences,” Tzarm said. “This kind of event provides the space for people with different sexual orientations. There should be more spaces or events for LGBTQ+ people on campus, where their difficulties could be shared, and their successes celebrated.”

GSA has been working towards making a change on campus by finding a location which would act as a safe space for all students on campus.

“We want to have our own room where the entire campus is welcome, and it is meant to be a respectful place where you are comfortable with your own sexuality and the people you are around,” Schuermann said. “However, we haven’t been able to find an empty place on campus to create our own and that is the biggest change I would like to see.”