• Events
A quick list of some annual or upcoming events to be hosted by Catalyst:
> Holding Hands Day (Click to learn more)
February 13th: Campus-Wide Event!
For one day members of the student body at Mount Allison are encouraged to hold hands with someone of the same sex to show support for equality rights in Canada. The idea behind all the hand holding is to give heterosexuals an idea of what it is like to be out in public holding hands with a member of their own sex. It is also meant to make students aware of their own attitudes – which is the first step in overcoming any sort of stereotype. It’s time to start questioning why it is shocking to see two members of the same sex holding hands. So on February 13, ask a friend of your sex to hold your hand while you walk to class, across meal hall or through your residence!
> Movie Nights
• Chocolate Night: A movie night featuring the film Better Than Chocolate along with a healthy amount of choc-a-holic sweets.
• Other movie nights have included: The Birdcage, Threesome, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
> Guest Speakers
> Positive Space Campaign•We were joined by Melody Petlock, Janet Hammock, Stephen Puddle and Robert Lapp for an evening entitled "What Do You Mean There's an Elephant in the Room? An Open Discussion on Queer Topics" that was attended by students, faculty, and Sackville community members
•Stephen McClatchie and Elizabeth Wells joined us for an open discussion on queer topics in musicology
•Two years ago Kris Trotter joined us for a night entitled “Sexual Ethics and Etiquette”
• Arthur Motyer, past VP Academic at Mount Allison, and Stephen McClatchie, current VP Academic, spoke on the choice to be "out" professionally in the past and in the present.
The Positive Space Campaign is an undertaking that began in the fall of 2006, with the primary objective of increasing awareness of and promoting inclusiveness towards gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer students and staff at Mount A. The main mode of accomplishing this was through the organization of seminars which students, staff, faculty or anyone interested could attend and gain insight into GLBTQ issues on campus and how to approach these issues. This project brings visibility and support to Mount Allison's GLBTQ community and creates a campus that is inclusive and free of discrimination based on sexual orientation and identity. Individuals who complete this seminar are given a positive space sticker to display in their place of work or study, which indicates their stance as an ally. Please see the Positive Space segment of this website or visit the external Positive Space website with more details of how to get involved.
> PFLAG Meetings
On the second Monday of every month, Catalysts members are encouraged to attend the Sackville/Amherst PFLAG meetings. Here we are lucky enough to interact with a diverse group of GLBTQ people and allies. Discussions are thought-provoking and lively and you are guaranteed to leave with a warm heart.
Sackville/Amherst PFLAG meetings take place on the second Monday of every month from 7:30-9:30pm. Meetings alternate between the United Church Parlour in Sackville and Maggie's Place in Amherst. All are welcome! For more information email jhammock@mta.ca or mlerch@nbnet.nb.ca.
> Coming Out Day
This year Catalyst hosted the fourth annual Coming Out Day in October, 2008. Coming Out Day is a series of campus-wide events that are aimed at raising awareness of the LGBT community among the general populace in an effort to give a familiar face to the LGBT rights movement. This year Catalyst chose to turn Coming Out Day into Coming Out week, hosting guest speakers, showing movies, and running a session of the Positive Space Seminar. As well as bringing visibility to the LGBT movement in general, these events helped to increase awareness of Catalyst as the GLBTQ group on campus. Below are the events in previous year's Coming Out Days.
• Chalk the campus with GLBTQ quotes and the names of famous people who are GLBTQ
• Live Homosexual Acts: members of Catalyst doing everyday things such as homework, in order to illustrate that homosexual acts are remarkably similar to heterosexual acts.
• Coming Out Day Booth: and information booth about Coming Out Day and Catalyst. Participants have the opportunity to make their own stickers with slogans such as "Straight but not narrow". As well a slide show entitled "Historical Homosexuals" was presented
• GLBT Coffee House: an open mic coffee house where anyone was invited to perform. Some acts had GLBTQ content, such as the telling of a coming out story, while others did not. Performers were invited to walk through a constructed door, symbolizing coming out of the closet.