GSD Center hosts panel on LGBT topics

Staff Report

The GSD Center and EIU Pride held a “Big Gay” panel on Friday evening via Zoom, offering students and community members the opportunity to ask questions in an educational space.

The GSD Center attempted to find representation for each letter of LGBTQIA+, as well as some identities which fall under the “+”.

The panelists included people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, nonbinary, gender-fluid, genderqueer, asexual, and demisexual.

Each of the panelists introduced themselves and explained what they identify as, and then opened the call to questions about their identities or LGBTQIA+ issues in general.

The panel lasted for about an hour and a half, and the conversation covered a wide variety of topics.

These included: the difference between bisexuality and pansexuality, how to define “transgender” with the most accurate terms and what constitutes transphobia in the realm of dating.

The panelists also offered in-depth explanations of terms like demisexual and gender-fluid; they also attempted to explain what it feels like to experience those identities.

The GSD Center holds a similar panel to this one at least once a year as part of the LGBT History Month events organized on campus.

Their website lists all of the events included in the month of October, as well as the Student Drag Show, which was scheduled in November this year.

 

The News Staff can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].