The University of Pennsylvania is gearing up to host a weeklong event to explore queer identities, and special guests will include one of the stars of breakout hit “Orange is the New Black. ” QPenn Week, themed “Qtopia,” will include a series of events from March 23-30. The event is geared towards and hosted by LGBT and ally students and organizations. Co-chair Andre Ficerai, who is helming the event with co-chair Michael Lewis, said this year’s theme hopes to give a voice to all segments of the LGBTQ population. “The goal of the week was to engage the Penn and Philly community to celebrate queer culture,” Ficerai said. QPenn Week will include a keynote speech by “Orange is the New Black” star and transgender activist Laverne Cox at 7-9 p.m. March 25 at Meyerson Hall, B1. The event is sold out but a waiting list is being compiled. Lewis said Cox’s appearance on the hit show, as well as her advocacy, have helped enhance visibility for trans people. “She has been open and her visibility has been important,” he said. “She has been able to speak eloquently and knowledgeably about what it is like being a trans woman of color.” The week will kick off with “Proclaiming Pride: 40 Years of Penn LGBT” from 4-7 p.m. March 23 at the LGBT Center, 3907 Spruce St. The new exhibit commemorates the past four decades of LGBT life on campus, as well as pays tribute to the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Annual Reminders at Independence Hall. From 6-8 p.m. March 27, the Center will stage Identity Mixer, hosted by Penn Non-Cis and Penn Aces, where guests can discuss gender identity, asexuality and other diverse identities. The Annual Drag Show, hosted by the Queer Student Alliance, will take place from 7-9 p.m. March 29. Admission is $5 and proceeds will be donated to a local LGBT organization. The Annual Penn Games will kick off at noon March 30 at High Rise Field, where teams will compete in fun-filled field-day activities. Ficerai said the events are not limited to people who identify along the LGBT spectrum. “Historically, there has been a high level of attendance from the non-queer community, especially at annual Pride Games,” he said. “The goal this year is to get the straight community out to more educational events.” Ficerai said he hopes QPenn Week attendees walk away understanding more about the complexity of the community. “It is a varied, diverse community,” he said. “There isn’t one term to sum everything up. We want people to understand it is a beautiful mixture of identities.” Lewis agreed, noting that education is important even within the community itself. “Ideally, I would like to see the LGBT community get a better idea of different facets of our own community and I would like to see the straight community feel more comfortable getting situated.” For more information on the week-long event, visit www.facebook.com/events/612706682098744.
