MUNCIE, Ind. — On Oct. 11, Spectrum, a Ball State University student organization, hosted a new event called “Queerstock” at the Brown Family Amphitheater. Queerstock was a festival that featured live student performances, art vendors, free food, and more.
The event was held with the intention of promoting pride and creating an inclusive space for LGBTQ+ students who attended.
Spectrum is an organization comprised of LGBTQ+ students and allies who work towards raising awareness about their community by hosting biweekly meetings, campus activities, and events. They strive to create healthy and inclusive spaces on campus for students of all sexualities and gender identities.
“Events like Queerstock give LGBT students a place where we can all be ourselves and connect with one another and just have a space to be free,” said Paige Gregory, a vendor at the event.
Spectrum provided their attendees with free food and allowed students to sell their art at vendor booths, ranging from handcrafted pottery to custom earrings. The highlight of the night was the student performances, hosted by Glinda B. Fierce, the host of Queerfest.
Glinda is a Muncie-based Drag Queen and LGBTQ+ advocate who is well known for her community outreach.
“I just love it so much because it’s queer people deciding to be visible and then doing it despite all the craziness in the world right now,” Glinda B. Fierce said.
Events such as Queerstock not only encourage community engagement with the arts but also encourage unity and representation of the LGBTQ+ community at Ball State.
“To me, Queerstock means that I have a space to be myself and relate to other people like me,” Paige said.
On their website, Spectrum’s mission statement reads, “Spectrum's goal is to provide an anonymous, healthy, and safe space for Ball State University students and surrounding communities who identify within the LGBTQ+ community.”
To learn more about Spectrum’s upcoming events, you can follow their Instagram @bsuspectrum
Contact Diana Perez with comments at diana.perez@bsu.edu.
