Rally and March Celebrate Campus Pride Month at Penn State

State College - Teagan_Staudenmeier_Pride_Rally_2022-16-scaled

Community members gather outside Penn State’s Old Main during a march and rally to kick off Campus Pride Month events on March 11, 2022. Photo by Teagan Staudenmeier | Onward State

By

Teagan Staudenmeier

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April 12, 2022 – 1:17 pm

Students and community members joined Penn State’s Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity on Monday afternoon for a march and rally to ring in Campus Pride Month.

Monday’s crowd started its march at the HUB. There, people carried signs and flags to support the LGBTQ+ community.

The group made its way across campus and chanted, “Hey-Hey, Ho-Ho, homophobia’s got to go!”

The group even made a quick pass by the Willard Preacher as it chanted, “We are Penn State! We are not straight!”

Per tradition, the march ended at Old Main. There, on its steps, the group held a prideful rally to continue showing support for the LGBTQ+ community

Sonya Wilmoth, director of the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, was the first to speak at the rally.

“Here, I have a family,” Wilmoth said, referencing her ability to live authentically at Penn State thanks to its supportive community.

Different students and community members expressed thanks for their place at Penn State, while some shared frustrations with the current campus climate.

Throughout the afternoon, community members enjoyed each other’s company and the ability to host an in-person rally for the first time since 2019.

While Monday’s march and rally are over, Campus Pride Month is far from finished. Check out this preview to learn more about upcoming events across campus throughout April.