Spectrum KU (formerly known as Queers & Allies)
About
Where Did We Come From?
The group began as the Lawrence Gay Liberation Front in the summer of 1970. Only one year after the Stonewall Riots in New York ignited the modern Gay Rights Movement.
According to an article in the Fall 1991 FALA Update (a KU LGBT alumni newsletter) by Michael Nelson and Charles Dedmon: “unattached groups of gay people existed who were interested in forming a local Gay Liberation Front. A social work student, working on a paper about alternative lifestyles, became the inadvertent founder of GLF when one of his interviewees tacked a message with his name and phone number at strategic places on campus frequented by gay men.”
The note encouraged these men to make their presence known to the campus as a whole and to find a better quality of life as a gay person. Thus began two of Queers & Allies central goals; education through campus visibility and the formation of a nurturing, supportive community.
What Do We Do?
Spectrum KU fosters community on campus through meetings and events. We also reach outside of our campus community to bring popular speakers on behalf of LGBTQIA issues. Some notable speakers include Andrea Gibson, Kate Bornstein, Dan Savage, Kenyon Farrow, Mia Mingus, and Laverne Cox. Spectrum KU also hosts at least one drag show every semester (typically during OUTober and Gaypril).
Where Can You Find Us?
Our office is located among the Student Involvement and Leadership Center (SILC) offices on the 4th floor of the Kansas Memorial Union. Our office is more than just a home base, it is a place where anyone is able to go and feel comfortable to be open about who they are. Feel free to stop by anytime, however because our officers are students we cannot guarantee that someone will be present in our office at all times. You can also often find us in the Center also on the fourth floor of the union. This is a space where LGBTQIA+ individuals can come and hang out, foster community, study, or nap on the excellent couches.
Get Involved
If you're interested in getting involved with Spectrum KU you have a few options. To start, attend general meetings. These meetings are every Tuesday at 7pm, more information regarding specific meetings is available on our Facebook page.
If you would like to get involved beyond general meetings we encourage you to attend Executive meetings. These meetings are every Tuesday before the general body meeting in the Center. Executive meetings are open to everyone and allow members to be involved in the planning of Q&A events.