This week, gay youth organization Dito! is organizing the Pink Week. By decorating the campus with rainbow flags they want to raise awareness regarding the acceptation, emancipation and celebration of people of the LGBT community.
Original text: Vincent Veerbeek
Translation: Evelien Müller
A wide range of activities
The Pink Week, on the one hand, is meant for all students who are part of the LGBT community, but are not fully comfortable with it yet. Dito! wants these students to realize that they are not alone, and that they are worth it. On the other hand, this week intends to show all students that Radboud University has an LGBT community, and that the acceptation of this community can be improved. To raise awareness regarding this issue, different activities are organized on campus. The week started with a drag bingo and a karaoke party. Furthermore, there was a lecture about HIV and AIDS on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, students are able to practice their dance moves during a workshop ballroom dancing.
Daan Janssen, chairman of Dito!, says that the organization has put in a lot of effort to make the tenth edition extra festive. ‘This year, we tried thinking out of the box. We have a larger budget and we tried to organize lectures with well-known speakers, like Tanja Ineke, chair of COC The Netherlands. Furthermore, because of the ten-year anniversary, we are looking forward to the next ten years.’
Student elections
Hanging next to the rainbow flags, there are posters of all election candidates for asap and AKKUraatd, who are battling for a seat in the USR. Just like last year, the Pink Week coincides with the campaign week for the student elections. Janssen still hopes that this will not distract from the Pink Week. ‘Indeed, it sucks. Before the student elections were planned, we alerted the university to the fact that the Pink Week would be held this week. Sadly, the choice was made to hold the student elections in this week as well. It is a pity, but we cannot do anything about it, so we will make the best of it.’
For everyone wanting to escape the campaign madness, several activities linked to the Pink Week will take place, such as a lecture, a party and a hungover yoga session.