Queer Culture in UCSB
From where I came from, which is PRC China, the queer culture is vetoed and kept outside of the public sight. However, things are really different here in United States, or at least, UCSB.
The first few days when I came to UCSB, which was last September, I overheard that there are on campus LGBTQ+ groups in UCSB and they hold lots of events through out the year. I wasn’t sure that if I’m going to be a part of these events at first until the drag show changed my mind. I received the invitation to the drag show which took place in the last Fall quarter and it was astonishing. Before I went to the show I thought that there may only be a few people there and I was proved to be wrong. When I walked through the door of the Student Resource Building, what was waiting inside for me is hundreds of people who occupied all the floors and spaces they have in that building. It took me almost five minutes to find a way squeezing through the crowd and find myself a spot to enjoy the show.
The show drove everyone crazy and last for more than 3 hours. By that time I couldn’t help to think about the queer culture in China where those events correlated to the queer party were either canceled by authorities or ended up unhappily because police showed up.
However, things in UCSB are really different. Not only do we have the drag shows, we also have lots of queer parties where people can actually meet their peers. For instance, there is a Facebook page where students in UCSB can find all the information of on going events for the LGBT community and those parties which are hold in Isla Vista. Comparing to the drag shows, the percentage of queer people in those parties are higher so individuals can actually find their own groups and make new friends.
Speaking of the queer party, it is as crazy as the normal ones or even crazier than some of the parties on DP(frat parties excluded). Students drink wine bags and dance and sometimes they even hookup after that(that’s a long story though). The attitude and environment created by UCSB student organizations for the queer community here is really nice and friendly and most of students here don’t judge what people do or how they express themselves. Sometimes I can find straight people coming for the queer party for the wine and fun or showing up at the drag shows and give their tips to the drag queens. The queer culture in UCSB is more inclusive and open to anyone as long as you don’t hate it or against it.
For queer students here, there are more private events such as the meetings hold by the QTC on campus in the UCEN every Tuesday and there are also some marshmallow parties and socializing parties which are queer students only. And unlike what happens in China, the right of the LGBT community is truly valued and respected.
All in all, the queer culture on campus is really friendly and it gives people hopes for a better society and teaches students to embrace the differences among individuals while educating a better generation as well.
