Students interested in learning more about the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community can attend some of Spectrum's biggest traditions this weekend.
Spectrum President Travis Schilla said anyone can come to the last three events of the organization's week of events.
Spectrum will participate in the 12th-annual Day of Silence with a lunch from noon to 2 p.m. Friday in the Atrium, Schilla said. Day of Silence is an annual nationwide event in which middle school, high school and college students remain silent from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in honor of people who were not allowed to speak out against GLBT discrimination, Schilla said.
According to dayofsilence.org, this year's event is in memory of Lawrence King, a middle school student from Oxnard, Calif., who was murdered by a classmate because of his sexual orientation.
Spectrum will also have a prom from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday in the Student Center Ballroom, Schilla said.
Because some GLBT students were apprehensive about prom in high school and chose to stay home, Schilla said, Spectrum wanted to create a college version of prom with a more welcoming environment.
"A lot of people did not go to high school prom because of policies their schools had or because they were afraid to come with their significant other," Schilla said. "This is our way to give them the prom they wish they had had in high school."
Spectrum parliamentarian Patrick Pataky said Spectrum's prom will have the typical royalty coronation found at most high school proms; however, Spectrum could crown two kings or two queens instead of one king and one queen.
Spectrum's final event is its annual drag show at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Ball Gym, where 16 men will dress up as women and lip sync to songs of their choosing, Pataky said.
Schilla said the "Pretty in Pink" drag show is one of Spectrum's largest events each year with an attendance of more than 1,000 people.
Pataky, who will play host and perform, said most of the crowd consists of friends of the performers, but some people attend to support the show's designated charity, the Indiana AIDS Fund.
Schilla said although the "Pretty in Pink" drag show is free, Spectrum will be accepting donations at the event for the charity.
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