Zooey Sophia Pook, director for LGBT+ Programs at NMSU, said OUTober is important because it celebrates the diversity that can be found on campus.
“OUTober lets us celebrate cultures that intersect and make up the NMSU community. It is important to include and appreciate every identity and culture at NMSU,” Pook said.
The first event will be held from to 1 to 3 p.m. on Oct. 11 in Corbett Center. A table will be set up with activities, resources and information on the LGBT+ Program. Between 2 and 5 p.m. the Alianza of New Mexico will be providing free and confidential HIV testings in the Otero room located on the first floor of Corbett Center. To wrap up the day of events a coming out day pizza party will be held at 5 p.m. in the Garcia Center followed by their AgGays meeting at 6:30 p.m.
On Oct. 17 a screening of the Chilean film “A Fantastic Woman” will be shown in the CMI theater at 7 p.m. The movie won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film last year and follows the life of a transgender woman who works as a waitress and moonlights as a nightclub singer.
“The Director of CMI and I both felt very strongly about the movie’s value as a cultural piece of art. It is one of the few films that I feel, as a transgender woman, really speaks to the experiences of transgender women. It really moved me,” Pook said. “It is also one of the few films that showcases a transgender person in a role as a transgender character. It will be our first time collaborating with International and Border Programs on an event and we are happy to celebrate our intersectionalities.”
OUTober will conclude with a drag show at 7 p.m. on Oct. 29 in the Corbett Auditorium. The drag show will feature Miss Latin Sun City 2018 Anahi Norell, national talent Dice Santana, Rumor and more.
All events are free. OUTober is sponsored by the International and Border Programs, the Creative Media Institute, Alianza of New Mexico, the Residence Hall Association and the English department.
For more information, call LGBT+ Programs at 575-646-7031 or email lgbt@nmsu.edu.
Information from NMSU