Student groups at the West campus are examining gay-rights issues during an event on campus this week.
Human-rights group Amnesty International at the West campus is hosting an event focused on the freedoms of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning people. The two-day LGBTQ Rights event began Monday in the La Sala Ballroom.
The event opened with a brief speech by Grace Daniels, the coordinator of Amnesty’s chapter at West campus. The political science senior welcomed students to the event and described the various upcoming events, including workshop sessions, a film screening and a book talk.
Daniels said she is particularly excited about the film because it touches on domestic partnerships, an important issue for her. The movie, which was screened Monday night, focused on a New Jersey policewoman who attempts to pass on her domestic benefits to her partner after being diagnosed with cancer.
Daniels, who has been a part of Amnesty International for five years, said she thinks the film is very relevant and hopes that it proves helpful in pushing communities to provide domestic partnership benefits.
While he was only able to attend Monday’s opening, accounting senior Camden Forgia said he was glad that the LGBTQ Rights event is taking place.
“I think it’s great,” he said. “I’ve been an activist for five or six years now, and I love to see activists putting together events to raise awareness about issues.”
Forgia has been friends with people of diverse sexual orientations throughout his life, he said.
“They should be treated as equal human beings. That’s basically my viewpoint,” Forgia said.
The event was not politically motivated, Daniels said.
“We’re not here to push gay marriage,” she said. “As Amnesty International, we’re simply here to start a dialogue on human rights and how they relate to the community.”
She said Amnesty’s goal is to provide the basis for nonpartisan discussion on sensitive issues regarding the treatment of other people.
Daniels explained that while Amnesty at the West campus has supported a number of rights issues, the organization hadn’t yet hosted an event focusing on gay rights.
“Based on the interests of our membership group, this was something that several of us felt very passionate about,” she said.
Daniels said that although the gay community at the West campus is growing, there haven’t been many groups to support them.
Several organizations supported Amnesty International in hosting this event, including Spectrum and the Human Rights Campaign.
“When we heard about the event, we decided to collaborate with Amnesty on it,” said Ashley James, a member of Spectrum at the West campus.
James, a communication studies senior, was one of the students who took part in the event. Spectrum, which is in its first semester, provides support for gay and transgender students and serves as a voice for people who aren’t heard, she said.
Tuesday’s events include several workshop sessions, a letter-writing drive and a poetry reading.
Reach the reporter at joshua.snyder@asu.edu.
