February 2008 LBGT@MIT Newsletter

In this month's newsletter

Letter from LBGT@MIT staff

Hello Everyone -

Welcome back to campus for the beginning of another great semester! LBGT@MIT is ready to help you start your semester off right with a calendar of events to keep you engaged and inspired. Some of the highlights include: A screening of the film Nina's Heavenly Delights (6th), Ice Cream Celebration in February! TGIF - 'Tute GLBT Ice cream Friday (8th), Dinner & Discussion about Buddhism and LBGT Identity (8th), LBGT Valentine Making Party (13th), and Dinner & Discussion with Cambridge Mayor Denise Simmons (21st). As always, the details for these great events and many others are listed below. Bring your back-to-school enthusiasm, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

- The staff of lbgt@mit

P.S. 'Meditation Monday' is being reevaluated. If you are interested in meditation, please email Amy McCreath (mccreath@mit.edu) and let her know what days and times you have available. Thanks!

This month's events

Wednesday 2/6
Film Screening! "Nina's Heavenly Delights"
7:00p-9:00pm, in 35-225
Told through the eyes of Nina Shah, a young Scottish Asian woman, NINA'S HEAVENLY DELIGHTS is a surprising love story where Scottish humor meets Bollywood spectacle! Join us for a FREE screening, snacks, and discussion.

L4Q Thursdays: Lunch 4 Queer Women and Friends
Drop in anytime 12:00p-2:00p, 50-005, Rainbow Lounge
Dessert, drinks, and good company provided (BYO lunch). L4Q is a casual, drop in, lunch for all queer, lesbian, bi, trans women, and their allies on campus - for women of all sexualities, colors, & ages. All students, staff, faculty, and alums are welcome! It is a great way to show support, feel supported, serve as a mentor, find a mentor, network, unwind, and share in the joy of being with other LBTQA women at MIT.

Friday 2/8
TGIF: 'Tute GLBT Ice cream Friday
4:00-5:30pm, in the Bush Room, 10-105
Come join us for our annual Ice Cream Social to kick off the Spring Semester, enjoy each other's company, and mock the cold by eating ice cream in February! We'll also be honoring Dean Larry Benedict for his years of service and advocacy for the LBGT Community at MIT.

Friday 2/8
Buddhism and LBGT Identity
6:00-7:30pm, in 50-005 - The Rainbow Lounge
The issue of same-sex relationships and gender identity has become a source of division both within society and within world religions. Claims have been made by both sides of this debate about the meaning and interpretation of religion and about the role of tradition in determining standards for conduct. Join us for a discussion with Buddhist Chaplain, Tenzin Priyadarshi Shukla, on LBGT issues within the Buddhist religion.

Wednesday 2/13
LBGT Valentine-Making Party!
12:00-4:00pm, in 50-005, Rainbow Lounge
Having trouble finding the perfect Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, and/or Transgender Valentines for your friends, family, or sweeety? Come to this make-your-own valentine party! There'll be lots of arts-and-crafty things so you can get creative with your cards. Drop by anytime between 12-4pm.

Queer People of Color Brunches
Mondays 2/11 and 2/25
12:30p-2:00p (drop in anytime) 50-005, Rainbow Lounge
All self-identified queer people of color from the MIT community are welcome at this Bi-Monthly Queer People Of Color Lunch Series. Come by your self, or bring your crew. QPOC lunches are casual, friendly, community-building for everybody.

Tuesday 12/12
LBGT Issues Group meeting, 50-005, all are welcome!
4:30pm social time, 5-6pm Meeting
Come hear about the issues that are of current importance to fellow members of the LBGT and Ally community at MIT. We'll work together to make progress on the most pressing issues at hand. Anyone affiliated with MIT and LBGT-friendly is welcome to join and to participate.

Wednesday 2/13
Race and Sexuality Task Force Meeting
5:00p-6:00p in W20, PDR 3
Join us for this meeting of the Race and Sexuality Task Force! All are welcome, and you don't need to have come to a meeting before. Task Force members will work across the MIT campus community to find allies, build alliances, and connect with LBGT and questioning individuals of Color. All are welcome to attend meetings and work towards these goals as well as help us create new aims.

Friday Movie Nights! 2/15, 22, 29
Sandwiches and Movie Night!
Take a break from your studies and come watch an LBGT-themed movie in the Rainbow Lounge (50-005) starting at 6pm. Early birds choose the film. We'll have peanut butter and jelly & fluffer-nutter (peanut butter and marshmallow fluff) sandwiches. Yummy!

Tuesday 2/19
LBGT Strategic Planning Meeting
5:00p-6:30pm in 50-005, Rainbow Lounge
Are you interested in mapping the future direction of LBGT@MIT? Come join the Core Group for this monthly meeting to create a strategic plan for LBGT@MIT. All MIT affiliates are welcome!

Thursday 2/21
Dinner and Discussion w/ Mayor Denise Simmons
7:00-9:00pm, in 50-105, BSU Lounge
Denise Simmons - Newly elected Black, Lesbian, Mayor of Cambridge is coming to Dinner!! Come hear about her experiences and tips for success.

Support meetings

BATS meeting
Boston Area Trans Support (BATS) is a peer-run support group for college-age/twenty-something transgender people. The group is inclusive of people who are questioning their gender, are FTM, MTF, gender-queer, and those who prefer any other gender descriptor. For more information, including the exact meeting time and location, please contact: Sean Delmore, sdelmore@mit.edu, x 2-1612.

Save the date - upcoming events

March
Sat 3/15: FREE MC^2: Multicultural Conference| Culture, Spirituality, Identity, Social Justice, and much more... For more info and to apply, please visit the web site: http://web.mit.edu/mcsquared/

April
Fri 4/11: Fabulous Friday Fiesta 4-6pm in 50-005 Sat 4/12: CPW LBGT Family and Friends Brunch 9am-12pm in 50-005 Thurs 4/24: Fierce Forever 7!!!! Fri 4/25: National Day of Silence

May
Sat 5/3: LYPSTIC - LBGT Youth Program to Strengthen Tolerance in your Community - 11 Mass. GSAs present their year-long projects in W20. Tues 5/6: Kellett Award Ceremony at the Awards Convocation 4pm in Stata Wed 5/7: Lavender Graduation Celebration! Sat 5/10: Youth Pride Boston

Opportunities for students, faculty and staff

Trans Issues Group Meeting
The Trans Issues Group is an independent group of MIT staff, faculty, and students (trans people and allies) who are working to explore and assess the areas of MIT policy and community life where trans concerns may be better addressed. The Group advocates for improvements as needed in those areas, and welcomes participation from anyone in the MIT community who wishes to work on issues and topics of importance to trans and gender variant people. For details contact Abigail at: afran@mit.edu

Wednesday, March 5, 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Boundless & Living Well Present: Fighting Biphobia - What you can do
The Bisexual Resource Center, 29 Stanhope Street, Boston
Allies and bi folks join us as we explore the effect of biphobia in our own lives. How can we unlearn negative messages and misinformation and be proactive and fabulous rather than defensive? How can non-bi folks be allies to bisexual people? Join international bi activist and educator Robyn Ochs for an interactive and thought-provoking workshop. Together, we'll answer these questions, then turn our shared knowledge into tools and tactics for fighting biphobia. For bi folks and allies of all orientations & genders. Don't miss our bi pride giveaways at the event! This event is FREE! Dinner provided. For information, RSVPs (appreciated but not necessary), or to be put on Fenway's mailing list, contact Julie at 617-927-6369 or jebin@fenwayhealth.org. Directions: 617-424-9595. Sponsored by: Fenway Community Health's Boundless & Living Well programs

Point Foundation (Point) is the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students of merit. Point provides financial support, leadership training, mentoring and hope to LGBT individuals who are marginalized because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We are currently accepting applications for a Point Scholarship. For more information about Point Foundation please visit us at http://www.pointfoundation.org/

New Blog for Generation Q!
Campus Pride has joined forces with the Advocate to produce a new blog of LGBT Youth. Please help spread the word! http://www.advocategenq.com/

*Social Justice Training Institute - "The Student Experience"*
*May 20-25, 2008*
*University of Illinois*
The Social Justice Training Institute will provide an intensive developmental opportunity for students to examine the complex dynamics of oppression and to develop strategies to foster positive change on their campuses and in their communities. SJTI Student Experience is the rare opportunity to reflect on our own identities, experiences and impacts, and to focus on what we each can do to better embody social justice.

*Cost: $450.00 (includes housing and food)*
*Deadline: March 3, 2008*
*Notification: March 13, 2008*
*Confirmations Due: March 28, 2008 *
*Payment Due: April 4, 2008 *
*Additional information can be found at: *
*http://sjti.org/home_student.html*

Rainbow Lounge Spring Hours:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1pm-7pm
Tuesday, Thursday 1pm-6pm
 

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