The Pride Alliance is one of the many clubs on Stockton’s campus, meeting on Mondays in L104. Primarily driven towards students who identify as something that falls under the LGBTQA umbrella, the Pride Alliance also accepts those who do not and wish to become more accepting and informed individuals.
The main feature for October 13th’s meeting was a presentation about representation in media and why it matters. It was a very short and succinct presentation, discussing how media mostly represents the straight, white man. After the presentation, there was discussion on people’s thoughts about representation. This lasted for a long time, mainly because each individual got a chance to speak when they were passed the “Pride Pig.”
The second big event that happened during the meeting was the agreement on the club constitution. It was read aloud and those gathered were allowed to voice any concerns they had with it. It was well-written and nobody had any concerns, so the constitution was renewed for the 2014-2015 school year.
While it wasn’t part of the main events of the meeting, new members were introduced to the club. Members got together in groups and discussed what they had in common with each other, as well as shared a unique fact about each other.
News was shared throughout the meeting as well. The Philadelphia Gay News was given to each table, as well as an event board was written on the whiteboard in the room. Events that members knew were happening could be added so that other members could come and help support it.
As someone who is agender as well as asexual, it is extremely comforting to have a pride club on campus. Everyone was welcoming and nice to all members, and I felt a sense of community among others as we talked together and shared stories. Provide a safe space where students can relax and express their gender or sexuality without fear of backlash is probably one of the most important things a student can have on campus. Even people who are not in the LGBTQA umbrella benefit: they learn more about minority groups and become more well-rounded individuals.