Gay Pride Week at the University of Rochester begins on Monday, April 5, and features events and concerts on the River Campus to show support and spirit for those in the gay community.
On Monday, April 5, a free movie night featuring lesbian shorts and the independent film I Think I Do will kick off the week at 8 p.m. in Hoyt Hall. I Think I Do is a Thirties-style comedy about love, passion, marriage, and the star-crossed fate of lovers. Director Brian Sloan uses a gay romance to question all of the characters' assumptions about commitment and the true nature of love.
A panel discussion about being a gay or lesbian professor on a college campus and stereotyping will be held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 6. "Don't Judge Me By What I Teach" will also explore the question of teaching gay-themed courses by gay and heterosexual professors.
A National Day of Silence will be marked on Wednesday, April 7. Instead of speaking, participants will wear stickers and pass out cards to protest and call for an end to the discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people An information table will be set up in Wilson Commons from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Day of Silence has grown from a single campus in 1996 into an international effort today.
On Thursday, April 8, there will be a Spring Solstice dance party at Liquid, 40 St. Paul St. Admission is free when students bring two canned food items and their college ID before midnight. After midnight, admission will be $2 with college ID.
On Friday, April 9, the members of See Jane Run, one of San Francisco's finest up-and-coming bands, and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Friends Association of the University will join AIDS Rochester on the Aids Outreach Project.
The celebration wraps up Saturday, April 10, with the first-ever band fest held during Gay Pride Week. "It's About the Music" features three bands, See Jane Run, Rainer Maria, and The Butchies, performing in Douglass Dining Center. Doors open at 9 p.m.; the concert starts at 10 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, and local groups will be providing educational and support materials.