Groups and Events
Queer Student Union (QSU): The QSU is a community of queer and queer-friendly people who wish to provide a supportive and fun environment for the consideration and exploration of queer issues, especially diversity within the queer community at Williams College. The QSU also wishes to promote conversation with the larger Williams community in an effort to make the campus a safer place for queers and those perceived to be queer.
Every year the country celebrates National Coming Out Day on October 11. At Williams, this day of celebration for LGBT people is extended into a week of events culminating in the Fall Queer Bash. During Coming Out Days, the QSU brings speakers and movie screenings to the campus. Also, there is a "rally," and chalkings all over campus.
Queer Bash, which occurs on the last night (Saturday) of the week, is a themed party put on by the QSU every semester. Most participants dress up for themes such as "Filthy/Gorgeous" (Fall '04), Seven Deadly Sins," (Spring '05) and "Bed Times Stories/Fairy Tales" (Fall '05). In the past, a drag queen has been invited to perform and give out awards for best drag queen and king, best kiss, best couples and e.t.c.
Rainbow Graduation occurs every year at the end of the Spring semester. It is an opportunity for the queer faculty and staff of Williams to recognize the queer seniors on campus for being here. The ceremony acknowledges them for choosing to be at Williams, when they could have gone to a school in a larger and more vibrant queer community; their presence on campus helps make the queer community on campus what it is.
Queer Pride days are celebrated during the Spring semester.