This month is the College’s first annual OUTtober, a month of programming by Bowdoin Queer Straight Alliance (BQSA) celebrating various sexuality and gender identities. In the past, BQSA has organized events during the week of National Coming Out Day on October 11 and has hosted a month of programming in February, known as “Februqueery.”

OUTtober will replace “Februqueery” as BQSA’s month-long series of events, although BQSA will continue to recognize Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31.

“Our thinking behind OUTtober is having a larger offering of events and education for people within the community to socialize that’s earlier in the year, more visibile, to show that there is a community of people on campus to first years who might be new to the college,” said President of BQSA Rayne Stone ’18.

In addition to speakers and performances, OUTtober will include Yellow Shirt Day on October 24, which has traditionally been a part of Out Week programming. Participating students will don shirts reading “Respect all genders and sexualities,” which are distributed without charge by sports teams and various student groups.