A movie night, a downtown parade, a cosplay convention and a Halloween drag show are part of this year’s OUTober at New Mexico State University.
NMSU’s LGBT+ Programs hosts OUTober each fall to bring together the LGBTQ community and its allies for a series of engaging events to foster a culture of inclusivity.
“LGBT+ Programs is bigger than it’s ever been,” LGBT+ Programs Director Zooey Sophia Pook said. “This OUTober reflects the awesome diversity of identities and voices in our community with amazing events like the upcoming Anime and Cosplay Convention with El Paso artist Blanca Estrada. Our students have unique identities, interests and concerns, and our programming reflects who they are.”
The first two events recognize Latinx Heritage Month and its intersection with LGBTQ lives.
LGBT+ Programs and NMSU’s Creative Media Institute will co-host a screening of the film “Cassandro” at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 3. in the CMI theater in Milton Hall, Room 171. The film follows the rise of Saúl Armendáriz, a gay lucha libre wrestler from El Paso, played by Gael García Bernal.
In a virtual talk co-hosted by the Border Rights Collective, migration scholar and sociologist Chiara Galli will discuss her book, “Precarious Protections: Unaccompanied Minors Seeking Asylum in the United States,” which chronicles the experiences of unaccompanied minors from Central America pursuing applications for refugee status in the United States. Galli’s talk will take place from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Oct. 4 on Zoom.
“This is a great opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the intersecting and diverse experiences of our students through our programming,” said Río López, director of NMSU Chicano Programs. “These events address the intersections in Latinidad, sexuality and human mobility. The movie is an amazing way to promote visibility and witness the stories of queer Latinx local legends from the borderlands. Dr. Galli’s work sheds light on the militarization of the border and how it impacts asylum seekers from diverse backgrounds and intersecting identities and experiences.”
LGBT+ Programs will then participate in Pride on the Plaza from 5 to 10 p.m. Oct. 7 in downtown Las Cruces. The festivities will include a parade, and LGBT+ Programs will have a table set up to provide information about its various student groups and activities.
To celebrate Coming Out Day, all seven student organizations affiliated with LGBT+ Programs will host a rock-climbing event at 5 p.m. Oct. 11 at the rock wall inside the NMSU Activity Center. The following week, the Gay Anime Club will host its first Anime and Cosplay Convention at 7 p.m. Oct. 18 in the Corbett Center Student Union auditorium.
OUTober 2023 will conclude with the annual Halloween Drag Show at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 on the Corbett Center Student Union outdoor stage. Co-hosted by Chicano Programs and the Asian and Pacific Islander Program, the drag show will feature Albuquerque’s Haus of Attack, including ViLette Stratton, Assma Attack and Trey C. Michaels, as well as Ryan Rox, a Las Cruces performer.
“The Halloween Drag Show is an amazing part of NMSU culture, where hundreds of students come together to celebrate queer culture,” said Lore Falls, coordinator for LGBT+ Programs. “It is not surprising that we now have our own amazing student performers, with more than 10 so far joining the line-up for the upcoming show.”
All OUTober events are free and open to all NMSU students. Pride on the Plaza and the Halloween Drag Show are also open to the public.
LGBT+ Programs currently hosts seven weekly student groups in Corbett Center Student Union, Room 208:
- Students for Asian and Pacific Islander Student Support meets at 5 p.m. Mondays.
- Students for Reproductive Rights meets at 5 p.m. Tuesdays.
- AgGays meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays.
- LGBT+ Graduate Student Organization meets at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays.
- Gay Anime Club meets at 7 p.m. Wednesdays.
- Border Rights Collective meets at 5 p.m. Thursdays.
- Gender Diverse Aggies meets at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays.
For more information about LGBT+ Programs, its events and weekly meetings, follow @nmsu_lgbt on Instagram.
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CUTLINE: New Mexico State University’s LGBT+ Programs will host OUTober events throughout October to celebrate the LGBTQ community and its allies. (Courtesy)