College students to ‘Bmore Proud’

LGBT students from region the state celebrated in Baltimore Feb 18.

More than 200 LGBT students representing at least 10 Metropolitan Baltimore colleges and universities, convened at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) on Feb. 18. They gathered for the third annual “Bmore Proud Intersections Conference” in which they participated in breakout sessions covering a wide range of topics, listened to presentations by community leaders, such as Del. Mary Washington who delivered the keynote address, obtained related resource materials, networked with other campus leaders and organizations, and socialized with their peers.

This leadership summit, under the umbrella organization the Bmore Proud Queer College Coalition, promotes awareness and education of queer issues on college campuses. Breakout sessions included workshops on such topics as “The Resume—Your 15 Second Chance to an Interview,” TranArchy—Starting a Gendered Revolution,” “Sexual Assault 101,” “The Trevor Lifeguard Workshop,” “QueerCore—Behind the Music,” “Trans-Action,” “Out Loud and Proud!—Find Your Activist Path,” “Between Women,” and “Why Catholics Support Marriage Equality.

Nick, a sophomore at UMBC told the Blade, “I want to learn a good way to come out to my parents.” A panel from the Baltimore County chapter of PFLAG helped him and others who attended the session with this challenge.