Outside the Box: Transcending Labels, Prejudices, and Stereotypes of Gender and Sexuality

People assign so many labels – man, woman, straight, gay, white, black – that we get focused on seeing differences in one another and forget how alike we all are. When we accept the identities people define themselves by, we discover being human is more than one word can capture. PRISM, People for the Rights of Individuals of Sexual Minorities, promotes discussion and learning about sexual orientation and gender identity. Our acronym – GLBTTQQIAAP: gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, questioning, intersex, ally, asexual, and pansexual – is just one way for us to define our identities. The James Farmer Multicultural Center and PRISM strive to teach tolerance and acceptance of each member of the community. Through this celebration, we seek to educate the UMW and Fredericksburg-area communities on the spectrum of gender identities, how sexuality and gender are distinguishable, and how we can embrace a world where people think outside the simple notions of “male” or “female.”

– James Farmer Multicultural Center & People for
the Rights of Individuals of Sexual Minorities

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Oct. 18
GLBTTQQIAAP Kickoff Celebration

5-7 p.m., Ball Circle

Everyone’s invited to enjoy music, games, and refreshments
at PRISM’s second annual GLBTTQQIAAP Cultural Celebration!
Read “PostSecret” style coming-out stories and be inspired by
the experiences of your peers. Email umwprism@gmail.com.

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Oct. 19
GLBTTQQIAAP 101

5-7 p.m., Seacobeck Hall, Dome Room
Dinner costs one meal card swipe, $8.85 Flex, or $9.90 for
EagleOne, cash, or credit cards.

Stop by after dinner for dessert of cake and sherbet, and learn
more about the GLBTTQQIAAP community. Co-sponsored by
Dining Services. Email umwprism@gmail.com.

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Oct. 20
Queer Film Festival
Red Without Blue and XXY

6-10 p.m., Lee Hall, Room 411
(Parental discretion advised)

PRISM’s sixth annual film fest, co-sponsored by Orpheum,
features two films, followed by a discussion. Email
umwprism@gmail.com.
Red Without Blue: Using candid interviews, this
documentary follows a pair of identical twins for three years
as one transitions from male to female. What appeared to be a
happy childhood is revealed to have been tragic. Memories of
it are interwoven with the twins’ present desire to reunite and
reconcile their differences with their parents, each other, and
their inner selves.
XXY: Alex, an intersex teenager, was raised as a girl, but
faces the emotional and hormonal turmoil of uncertain gender.
As puberty forces hard decisions, this Spanish film shows Alex
exploring her sexual identity, her difficult relationship with her
family, and her ultimate self-discovery.

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Oct. 21
Sex and the Founding Fathers: George Washington,
Manhood without Issue, from Weems to Wikipedia

7 p.m., Lee Hall, Room 411

Dr. Thomas Foster, director of DePaul University GLBTQ
Studies, discusses the public memory of George Washington’s
personal life, which reveals 18th-century connections between
sex and masculinity and traces them through the modern
era. Foster will also explore the interconnected discourses
of sex and manliness as linked to the national project of
remembering George Washington as a model man in his public
and private life. Foster’s op-ed columns have appeared in the
San Francisco Chronicle and the Chicago Sun-Times.
He is author of the upcoming New Men: Manliness in
Early America. Co-sponsored by the Dept. of History and
American Studies and the Women’s and Gender Studies
Program.

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Oct. 25
Panel Discussion
Study Abroad: Exploring Gender and Sexuality
Around the World

6 p.m., Lee Hall, Room 411

Embark on a cultural journey without having to pack your
bags! Join UMW PRISM members, faculty, staff, and students
to discuss gender and sexuality in various cultures. Email
umwprism@gmail.com. Co-sponsored by Gender Neutral
Housing.

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Oct. 27
Open Mic Night

7:30 p.m., The Washroom, Woodard Campus Center

PRISM celebrates every kind of identity, so join us for a night
of self-expression! Through short stories, spoken word, poetry,
personal accounts, music, art, and more, individuals are
invited to express themselves using every creative and artistic
outlet. If you want to perform, please contact Lee Gilliam at
lee.gilliam@gmail.com.

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Oct. 29
PRISM’s GLBTTQQIAAP Celebration Keynote
Performance Katastrophe and Athens Boys Choir

7 p.m., Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall
(Parental discretion advised)

Rapper and producer Katastrophe (Rocco
Kayiatos) weaves a lyrical tapestry of
personal themes, protest, funky and soulful
beats, and rap riffs. One of hip-hop’s first
openly transgender artists, Katastrophe’s
debut album earned him Out Music Awards’
Producer of the Year. His music has been
featured on MTV’s LOGO and Showtime’s
The L Word. His latest album, The Worst Amazing, is a
coming-of-age triumph over addiction and depression.
Katz began touring as Athens Boys Choir (ABC) in 2003 and
released the debut album Rhapsody in T. As Athens Boys
Choir, Katz fuses hip-hop with sharp humor to create edgy and
engaging music. He delivers spoken-word pieces that deal with
issues such as gender, love, sex, and politics. Warning: Katz
may shock sensibilities. He doesn’t push the envelope,
he shoves it!

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Oct. 30
Charity Prom and Dance-a-thon

8 p.m., Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center
Cost: $3
(Formal attire strongly encouraged)

If you missed the prom or just want to relive it, here’s a
second chance – with a twist. PRISM offers you the prom’s
trappings – to music, dancing, photos, and refreshments – and
the opportunity to help a great cause. All Dance-Throughthe-
Decades Dance-a-thon donations and pledges go
Richmond’s Fan Free Clinic Transgender Program.
Co-sponsored by Gender Neutral Housing.
Email umwprism@gmail.com.

All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
For more information, contact the James Farmer Multicultural
Center at ; Lee Hall, 211 or at www.umw.edu/multicultural