The Rainbow Room opened its doors in the University Center on Friday,

designating a “safe space” for gay, bisexual and transgender students.

     “This room will definitely help foster gay awareness on campus,” Spectrum President Charlie Jensen, ’08, said at the opening ceremony.

     The grand opening was sponsored by the office of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and ally services and programs (LGBTQA) and Spectrum.

     Jensen said Spectrum members hope straight students will want to come to the Rainbow Room as well as gay, bisexual and transgender students.

     “We want all students to be able to come to the Rainbow Room and feel comfortable hanging out and talking to each other,” Jensen said.

     Spectrum Program Coordinator Jeff Antsen, ’08, said the Rainbow Room is important not just as a space for gays, but as a place where a diverse group of students can interact.

     “The main goal of the Spectrum program is to encourage straight allies,” Antsen said. “We want students to know you don’t have to be gay to help improve gay awareness and rights. The Rainbow Room will play a big role in promoting this idea.”

     During the ceremony, Vice Provost of Student Affairs John Smeaton said the Rainbow Room will encourage diversity, which is one objective that President Gregory Farrington outlined in his strategic eight-part plan for Lehigh in 2001.

     “Having a dedicated space is critical in this process and will continue the momentum towards our ultimate goal – making Lehigh welcoming and supportive to all students,” Smeaton said during the opening ceremony.

     Dean of Students Sharon Basso said the establishment of the Rainbow Room is part of building a larger, more diverse Lehigh community. She urged students to think of ways to keep the room active and continue to strengthen the LGBTQA programs.

     Christina Diggs, ’07, Spectrum vice president and an intern with the Outreach and LGBTQA programs, said the opening of the Rainbow Room is only the first step toward integrating the room into the campus.

     “I’m looking forward to the future,” Diggs said. “We’re at the beginning of a new journey.”

     Diggs said the next step is to educate fellow students about what the room is, where it is located and why it was created.

     The opening of the Rainbow Room was a process that began in spring 2005. When it was announced that an office was leaving the UC and new space was made available, Associate Dean of Students Michelle Samuels helped LGBTQA programs and Outreach acquire the space, Diggs said.

     Prior to the move, the LGBTQA headquarters was a cubicle in the multicultural affairs office. Since moving in a few weeks before the start of the academic year, the process of finishing the Rainbow Room has come “piece by piece,” Diggs said, and with a lot of help from staff and faculty.

     Diggs said the group’s task now is to make the Lehigh community more inclusive for students, faculty and staff who are members of the LGBTQA community and are having difficulty expressing themselves. Continuing to connect with other organizations is an important task for LGBTQA to grow as a group, Diggs said.

     After the opening ceremony of the Rainbow Room, many students and faculty attended the play “ICONS: The Gay and Lesbian History of the World, Vol. 1,” which featured a one-man performance by Jade Esteban Estrada. As part of a 70-city tour, Estrada entertained the small group in UC Room 303 with song, dance and comedy as he personified famous male and female gays throughout history. Opening as the Greek muse, Sappho, Estrada also depicted famous historical figures such as Michelangelo and Alexander the Great.

 

©2005 The Brown and White