On October 13, the Gender and Sexuality Student Union (GSSU) hosted a trip to the Franklin County Pride Festival, a vibrant celebration of love, diversity, and LGBTQIA+ rights. As in the past, Mercersburg students of different backgrounds attended this annual event, bringing excitement and having a fantastic time; this year certainly wasn’t an exception.
Whether students were newcomers or returners, they equally enjoyed the lighthearted cheer and festivities including live music, drag performances, colorful booths, and food trucks. Marlo Williams ‘25 said, “It was really fun. I came to PrideFest because I wanted to try something new. I’ve never been to a Pride festival. It seemed interesting, and it was nice to talk to other people who are in the queer community and meet some allies as well.” A participant in last year’s event, Alice Morgan ‘26 noted, “I really enjoyed it. This year, it was even more fun. They had more food stalls and gave out more free stuff. As I am queer myself, it was fun to have a place to hang out with friends, get good food, and leave campus for a little bit.”
The GSSU, a new student organization founded late last year by Corbin Kelly ‘24 and former faculty Jeff Cohen, organized the weekend trip. Still in its first full academic year, the union wishes to utilize this year for exploration and welcomes any additional advice the community may have. GSSU faculty adviser Dan Walker says, “This is a space for all to feel comfortable and for those from diverse genders and sexual identities to help others understand who they are and what they stand for.” GSSU student leader Annie Mohr ‘26 says, “Our main focus is to foster an inclusive environment, as we’re not limited to just people who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. We want to have a good time and spread awareness that being gay isn’t weird. And, to be proud.”
The GSSU differs from an affinity space because “We want GSSU to include and be a safe space for everybody. Especially when dealing with identity, there’s the fact that people want to keep things private, so we want to respect that,” GSSU leader Nina McDowell ‘25, explained. Furthermore, McDowell notes, “When people hear the words gay, gender, and sexuality, they sort of don’t see themselves being a part of it, so it’s hard finding a good, true, and honest group of people. But, there are, of course, many people who want to make an impact and see the change they want to see in our community.”
Seeing this event's success, GSSU student leaders McDowell and Mohr have started planning future engagements. Potential activities include a movie night, trivia night, SSC takeover, and possible collaborations with other student unions.