Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Feature by: Shelby Hearn, Director LGBTQIA+ Student Services

This past summer, I spent a week on land stewarded by Radical Faeries for nearly four decades. I was surrounded by folks of myriad genders, sexualities, races, (dis)abilities and—most notably—ages. It was truly an intergenerational queer gathering. One evening I shared dinner with a table full of queens in their 60s, 70s and 80s and listened to them trade stories. They exclaimed wordlessly at each “remember when” and frequently interjected additional details and colorful commentary. I heard about friends and lovers long passed, drag personas born in literal closets, and cross-country drives to the safe havens of one another’s apartments. 

In the midst of their nostalgia I was struck with a realization: I had never before been in the presence of so many queer elders. In all my years learning queer histories to share with college students, I’d never been so fortunate as to hear first-hand this kind of queer history, the personal histories that don’t always make it into a documentary or book. I felt deeply grateful for this dinner, and for the faerie sanctuary that brought us together. 

October is LGBTQIA+ History month, and as I meditate on the importance of LGBTQIA+ history, I think of those elders whose histories I had the privilege of hearing and learning from. LGBTQIA+ history is a tapestry of personal counter-narratives; it is thread upon colorful thread of small, shared stories that when woven together remind us: We’ve been here. We will always be here.

When legislators attempt to “legally erase” trans identities, LGBTQIA+ history reminds us that trans and gender-diverse people have been victoriously defying oppressive systems since before those words existed to describe them. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, LGBTQIA+ history provided us with a roadmap to surviving and caring for community through an epidemic. When a queer first year is nervous about moving to a little town in eastern Washington, LGBTQIA+ history assures them of queer resilience in Walla Walla. When we see injustice in the world and move to make change, LGBTQIA+ history reminds us of the importance of solidarity, and of what is lost when we leave our most marginalized community members out of our organizing. 

Read more.

Please note that due to some scheduled maintenance and software updates we will not be able to make content updates to the Whitman College website on Thursday, Oct. 10 starting at 8 a.m. Any web change requests received tomorrow will not be addressed until Friday at the earliest. 

This new version will introduce several new features and address some existing bugs. As with any update, if you encounter anything unusual, please report it to us at webteam@whitman.edu.

Some facilities on campus will operate on adjusted hours during the October break (no classes Thursday and Friday).

Penrose Library:

Cleveland Commons:

Jewett Cafe:

Reid Market:

Baker Ferguson Fitness Center:

Harvey Pool:

Climbing Gym:

Sherwood Athletic Center and Bratton Tennis Center hours will be unchanged during break.

The Walla Walla Basin Watershed Strategy (“Walla Walla 2050”) is a collaborative effort working to meet the area’s growing water needs and provide water for healthy rivers, fish, farms and people. An Open House event will be held tomorrow on Thursday, Oct. 10 from 4:30–7:30 p.m. in the Reid Campus Center Young Ballroom. This community event is free and open to the public. (Flyer attached.)

The Office of Admission is looking for volunteers for Fall for Whitman Day on Saturday, Oct. 19. Multiple shifts are available. Volunteers will help escort and direct potential students and their families across campus to their next event location. Please sign up in advance. Thank you in advance for your support and time!

Stop by Sheehan Gallery in Olin Hall to see “Picturing Family: Métis Life in the Walla Walla Valley.” The exhibit combines family photos of the Métis (mixed Indigenous and French Canadian) population of the Umatilla Indian Reservation at the turn of the 20th century with contemporary art made and collected by descendants of these same families at the turn of the 21st century.  

9–11 a.m.

Drop-In Conversations with the Interfaith Chaplain

Reid Campus Center, All Faiths Room

Noon–12:50 p.m.

Movement That Matters: Strength & Stretch

Sherwood Athletic Center

Noon–1:30 p.m.

Open Office Hours: Staff Advisory Council

Reid Campus Center, Basement

4:30 p.m.

ZFit!

Reid Campus Center Lawn or Sherwood 114

5–7 p.m.

Voter Registration: Whitman Votes

Cleveland Commons

8–11 p.m.

Game Night: Tabletop Games Club

Reid Campus Center, Basement

8 p.m.

God of Carnage

Harper Joy Theatre, Freimann Studio Theatre

Would you like to share an event with campus? Submit the information to the Events Calendar.

Produced by the Office of Communications, Whitman Today is emailed to Whitman College staff, faculty and students each weekday during the academic year and twice a week during breaks. An archive of previous issues is available online.

All submissions are welcome! If you have accomplishments to celebrate, an event to publicize or other Whitman content to share, email whitmantoday@whitman.edu. Submissions of 125 words or less are due by noon for the following day’s newsletter. Submissions may be edited and/or held for a later date according to space and editorial needs. Your submission also authorizes use on Whitman's social media unless otherwise specified.

Find us on social media: @whitmancollege