Guest speakers at NMSU to help celebrate GLBTQ Awareness Week
Transgender comedian Ian Harvie and LGBT activist Nate Phelps will speak at New Mexico State University's fourth annual Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Awareness Week April 16-17. Both events are free to the NMSU community.
Harvie began his comedy career in 2002 in Maine and moved to Los Angeles four years later. He began touring with comedian Margaret Cho as her opening act in 2006. Harvie has appeared on television and has hosted his own talk show. He is currently touring the nation and regularly donates his time to LGBTQ fundraisers.
"Bringing Ian Harvie to NMSU is very exciting because we have never brought a comedian before," said Sharna Horn, coordinator for the Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center at NMSU. "He will be able to use humor to talk about the serious topics of gender identity and sexual orientation."
Harvie will perform from 7-8:30 p.m. on April 16 at the Corbett Center Auditorium.
Phelps is an author, LGBT rights activist and the son of Westboro Baptist church leader, Fred Phelps, who gained infamy from leading protests of soldiers' funerals. Since leaving his father's home at the age of 18, Phelps has spoken about his story to many groups around North America.
"Nate Phelps will be speaking about his upbringing within the Westboro Baptist Church and how he became a GLBTQ advocate," Horn said. "His speech will teach others how one can overcome growing up in a hateful environment."
He is currently working on a book which will cover his story and is the subject of an upcoming documentary film. Phelps will speak at 7-8:30 p.m. on April 17 at the Corbett Center Ballrooms.
GLBTQ Week is sponsored by ASNMSU, the Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center, Sodexo, Stonewall QSA and the Wellness, Alcohol and Violence Education Program.
For more information, contact the SGDRC at 575-646-7031 or sgdrc@nmsu.edu.
