Spectra, a new campus organization, seeks to enhance community among LGBTQ students by holding social events throughout the term. Andrew McKee ’15 and Jacqueline Panichello ’16 founded the group in the fall after hearing rumors that Gender Sexuality XYZ, was disbanding.
Gender Sexuality XYZ is currently in a transitional period, which may result in new leadership or in its becoming a different organization altogether, said Reese Kelly, an LGBTQ advisor in the Office of Pluralism and Leadership.
McKee, who had initially planned to run for the position of social chair within Gender Sexuality XYZ, said he perceived a lack of social events for the queer community.
“I wanted to create spaces where people can meet and talk and just hang out in a place where nothing is assumed,” McKee said. “[Spectra] is just a safe space for students, queer or not, to get together.”
McKee has led the group since the beginning of winter term.
Spectra held several events this fall, including a “show your stripes” dance party at the Tabard coed fraternity, funded by the Council on Student Organizations, and a murder mystery party held at Panarchy undergraduate society. Ideas for future events include a Cabaret-themed party.
Attendance at Spectra’s events has varied from a handful of people to upwards of 20, but McKee said he is satisfied with the group’s progress as it solidifies its role on campus. The group will hold a mixer on Thursday in One Wheelock from 6 to 9 p.m.
McKee said he would like to see higher participation in Spectra, but he said he realizes that some LGBTQ students have already found social outlets elsewhere.
One of Spectra’s goals is to create social spaces that are inclusive regardless of sexuality or gender identity. The group hopes to reach out to allies of the LGBTQ community and to other student groups.
“An ideal queer space would not be exclusive of anyone,” McKee said.
Spectra member Amber Ahronian ’17 said she finds the group unique because it provides campus with social alternatives to Greek life. She found out about the group through Dartmouth’s Queer Life Collective, an organization that focuses on developing programming for the College’s LGBTQ community, and said she plans to run for a position on Spectra’s executive board.
Ahronian said that while she recognizes that the College’s LGBTQ community has opportunities for growth, it exceeded her expectations when she arrived on campus last year.
“I wasn’t expecting much acceptance, but I found a community that is very welcoming and forward-thinking,” she said.
Ahronian added that she believes Dartmouth’s queer community will benefit from hosting its first IvyQ conference next fall. The conference invites LGBTQ students and allies from across the Ivy League to come together to discuss issues of gender and sexuality.
IvyQ co-chair Zachary Myslinski ’15 said that Spectra fills an important niche.
“Believe it or not, the traditional social scene isn’t always welcoming to all queer people,” he said in an email. “I think there has been a pathetic lack of accountable spaces on campus, and I hope Spectra helps fix that.”
In addition to hosting the conference, a new affinity house for the LGBTQ community and allies will house up to 25 students this fall.
IvyQ co-chair Akash Kar ’16, who is involved in planning the Triangle House and also runs the LGBTQ pre-professional group Dartmouth Alliance, said he welcomes the addition of Spectra. Dartmouth’s only LGBTQ organization with a purely social focus, it will help “amp up” students during the IvyQ conference, he said.
Kar added that Dartmouth’s LGBTQ social scene is less active than that of other Ivy League universities, and the addition of a new group will help narrow that gap.
