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LGBTQ+ Western works to advance the holistic thriving of diverse LGBTQ+ students, faculty and staff at Western Washington University by collaboratively engaging the university community with transformational knowledge, resources, advocacy and celebration.

Updates

January 2025: Generations of Drag

Illustrations of drag queens on beige background for Generations of Drag show

Description

LGBTQ+ Western is hosting an Intergenerational Drag Show in collaboration with Bellingham Queer Collective and Bellingham/Whatcom PFLAG. We will have student and community performers who 18+ who will perform throughout the night. Catering will be from New Mexico Tamale Company. No This is a private, non-ticketed event. alcohol will be served or permitted. Tips for performers are encouraged but not required. Since this is a drag show, there may be some sexually explicit content or song lyrics. Earplugs will be provided. Please email questions and accommodation requests to lgbtq@wwu.edu

Details

Wednesday, January  29th 2025

5-8pm Mt Baker Theatre 

104 N Commercial St, Bellingham, WA 98225

AA/EO. Accessibility Statement: This event is intended for all participants, including those with visible or non-apparent disabilities.  For disability accommodation(s) (such as ASL interpretation, etc.) please contact the Centers, lgbtq@wwu.edu. Advance notice is appreciated and sometimes necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

The LGBTQ+ Intern Job is now open! We are accepting applications for Work Study students and for students seeking an internship for academic credit.

Details on the application can be found here.

Drag Show Coordinator: Open for work study and non-work study students. App closes Nov 22nd AT NOON.

Email cover letter and resume to lgbtq@wwu.edu

Each spring, LGBTQ+ Western hosts the annual drag show in April.

Under supervision of the Program Manager for LGBTQ+ Western and The Centers for Student Access, Community, and Intercultural Engagement and in collaboration with the LGBTQ+ Director and other LGBTQ+ Western student staff, the Drag Show Coordinator(s) help plan and facilitate the annual drag show. Western Washington University has been operating the annual drag show for over 30 years and is the longest running university drag show in Washington. The drag show coordinator (or co-coordinators) primary tasks include:

Planning and implementing the theme and logistical details of the annual show

Coordinating drag show auditions

Coordinate drag workshops (such as make up, sewing, lip synchronization, etc.)

Organizing rehearsals

Supporting the performers

Be the public department contact for the drag show

Collaborate with the rest of LGBTQ+ Western and campus and community partners for event planning, marketing, budgeting, sponsorship, and other details

Attend and co-facilitate drag show planning meetings with the Program Manager for LGBTQ+ Western and The Centers

Hold office hours in the LGBTQ+ Western office/LGBTQ+ lounge and virtually to connect with performers and stage crew

The coordinator(s) are not the sole people running the drag show and will need to work with other staff to make the event happen. Professional staff, peers, volunteer, and performer feedback must be assessed and utilized while coordinating the show.

Learn more about LGBTQ+ Western at https://lgbtq.wwu.edu/.

Educational Benefits:

Students employed in this position will develop the following skills and knowledge:

Skills planning learning outcomes; synthesizing and determining effective methods for content delivery

Facilitation and leadership development skills

Event organization and logistics

Knowledge and skills regarding the practice of student affairs and intersectional LGBTQ+ inclusion and equity work

Professional and effective communication skills

Students studying Performing Arts, Communication, Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies, or other related areas are encouraged to apply. This position is open for both work study and non-work study students

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications

Demonstrated interest in advancing the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people of diverse racial and ethnic identities, nationalities, abilities, and economic backgrounds.

Experience with drag shows or related performing arts

Strong public communication skills, including the ability to facilitate small and large groups and communicate effectively with people with various levels of familiarity with LGBTQ+ topics.

Strong time management skills and ability to work collaboratively

Strong professional judgment.

Ability to attend the Drag Show rehearsal on Friday April 4 from 5pm-10pm and the Annual Drag Show on Friday April 11 from 6:30pm-9:30pm

Pay: $19.00 an hour. Approximately two to six hours per week with increased hours leading up to the show in April and some hours after the show. Not to exceed the maximum student hours across all campus jobs of 19 hours per week.

More about the Office of LGBTQ+ Western

Founded in August 2018, LGBTQ+ Western works to advance the holistic thriving of diverse LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff by collaboratively engaging the Western community with transformational knowledge, resources, advocacy, and celebration. LGBTQ+ Western is committed to learning about and celebrating sexual orientation and gender identity diversity as they intersect with race, ethnicity, nationality, ability, religion, and other aspects of identity and experience.

To apply, please submit:

(1) a cover letter not to exceed one page describing your interest in and qualifications for the position and

(2) a current resume

In your application materials, please be specific about how you meet the job qualifications.

Need help with a cover letter or resume? The Career Services site can be a helpful tool!

Email application materials or questions to LGBTQ@wwu.edu. The application deadline is November 22 by 12pm (noon) which is when application review begins.

We recommend using the Career Services Center for application material support.

LGBTQ+ Western, through the Sustainability, Equity, and Justice Fund grant and work study, will  be hiring up to two Generations of Pride Coordinators. This student position will work with the LGBTQ+ Western team, Bellingham Queer Collective, and PFLAG Bellingham/Whatcom to support the monthly LGBTQ+ community gatherings. 

Any student can apply, including incoming new and transfer students! Applications are due Sunday, Sept 8th at 11:59pm. More information about the role can be found here.

The Pride Celebration 2024 video is ready for viewing! Thank you University Marketing and Communications for your excellent filming and editing, and the Disability Access Center for the captioning.

The Lavender Graduation piece was not filmed to respect the privacy of our graduates.

Learn more about this 2024's ceremony here.

The Pride Celebration and Lavender Graduation we hosted on May 31st was an amazing success! Thank you for joining us in celebrating our graduates. Photos will be added to the site soon.

Sof Trujillo wearing a blue shirt and whte and black keffiyeh standing at the podium smiling.

LGBTQ+ Western was awarded a $36,000 grant for Generations of Pride from the Sustainability, Equity, and Justice Fund (SEJF)

The grant will be used over the course of the 2024-2025 academic year to provide food for the Generations of Pride event, transportation for students to the Bellingham Senior Activity Center, supplies, a dedicated website, and the creation of a Generations of Pride Coordinator role.

I'd like to thank Kate McLean, Kaleb Starling, and Sof Trujillo for helping me create the grant proposal and present it to the committee.

We are excited to see how Generations of Pride will grow with this new grant!

-JoeHahn, LGBTQ+ Director

LGBTQ+ Western will be part of the Pride IN Bellingham festivities again this summer on July 7th. Join us in the parade or visit our booth at the festival.

Register for the parade here

Parade will start around 11am, while the parade time is set from 11-2pm, we were done around 12:30 last year.

 

In The News

Intergenerational drag show to celebrate solidarity and ‘mutual learning’

LGBTQ+ Western's Generations of Pride was highlighted by Cascadia Daily News. Includes quotes from JoeHahn, LGBTQ+ Director; Ayanna Phillips, Program Manager for LGBTQ+ Western and The Centers for Student Access, Community, and Interculutral Engagement; Sage Valentine, a Western alum (and former LGBTQ+ Western Drag Show Coordinator!), and Betty Desire, local legend and editor of The Betty Pages.

“It’s really important, especially as a younger queer person, to stay connected to queer elders and to celebrate them … especially in this current political climate,” said Sage Valentine, a local drag queen and one of the event’s co-hosts.

Illustrations of drag queens on beige background for Generations of Drag show

Upcoming Events

Feb 12 2025, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
VU 735 (Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room)
Feb 26 2025, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
VU 732 (Multicultural Center Quiet Space)
Mar 04 2025, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
VU 732 (Multicultural Center Quiet Space)
Mar 11 2025, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
VU 732 (Multicultural Center Quiet Space)

Our Services

LGBTQ+ Western provides support for all students, faculty, and staff at Western Washington University and its satellite campuses. We are engaged with various Whatcom County area programs, services, and non-profits. Each year we are seeing more LGBTQ+ students sharing their proud identities and navigating their college experiences. Explore our website to learn more. Here are some of our primary services:

  • Peer Support & Mentorship
  • Affinity Centered Programs
  • Gender Affirming Care & Legal Name Change Support
  • Consultation
  • Generations of Pride
  • Prospective Students and their Communities Support
  • Alumni support
  • LGBTQ+ Clubs Advising (Queer Guild Council)
  • Lavender Graduation
  • Trainings & Workshops
  • Events like the Annual Drag Show, Queerientation, etc.
  • Engagement with local Pride and other events

While our services center current students, we are a lifelong resource. If you graduate from Western and still need support such as discussing coming out to your supervisor, transitioning later in life, moving to a less LGBTQ+ friendly community, etc. we are here for you!

Please send any questions to lgbtq@wwu.edu. We try to respond within 48 business hours. We may have slower responses during our busy seasons such as Gaypril and the Pride Celebration.

Affinity Centered Programs

Students tabling at an info fair

These spaces center certain populations. But like all Western Washington University and LGBTQ+ Western events, they are open for all. Anyone who does not identify with the affinity is asked to come open-minded and as an ally to support the people with the identity. If you are interested in starting another Affinity Centered Space, please email lgbtq@wwu.edu.

All of these spaces listed below are open to the community unless otherwise stated. We are committed to providing community spaces inclusive of community members, prospective students, alumni, faculty, and staff. We center the current students needs and cater the activities to that population, but all are welcome. 

You are welcome to bring a friend, come and go as needed, whatever you wish!

Learn more about all of our affinity centered programs here.

New Affinity Programs

We are always exploring new affinity spaces for people within the LGBTQ+ community. Some ideas for affinity spaces may work better as an AS Club like the Lavender Menaces, T.A.G. Team, etc. We are always open for suggestions, email lgbtq@wwu.edu if you would like to see another affinity program.

Affinity Centered Program Winter Dates

Affinity ProgramMeeting FrequencyDatesTimesLocations
Black LGBTQ+ Thriving CollectiveHiatus—Event Focused with BSC   
Love Constellations1st and 3rd Thursdays

Jan 16th

Feb 6th

Feb 20th

March 6th TBD

3-4:30pmViking Union 740
Over the Rainbow

Once a Month

Differing Dates

Jan 22nd

Feb 12th

4pm-6pmMiller Hall 139
Rainbow RootsOnce a Month

Wed Feb 5th

Wed Mar 5th

5-6pmMCC Kitchen
Queer & Trans People of Color

Twice a Month

2nd & 4th Thursdays

Jan 9th

Jan 23rd

Feb 13th

Feb 27th

Mar 6th

4-5pmViking Union 740
Queer Men's GatheringsEvery Other Wednesday

Jan 15th

Jan 29th

Feb 12th

Feb 26th

3-4pmViking Union 740
Trans Tea

Twice a Month

1st & 3rd Tuesdays

Jan 7th

Jan 21st

Feb 4th

Feb 18th VU 462

Mar 4th

4-5pmVU 735