By Katlin Sweeney

Editor-in-Chief

Good stories can create bonds between people, and the LGBTQA Community does a beautiful job of accomplishing this.

On Friday, Nov. 1, The LGBTQA Pride Center and Associated Students, Inc. presented the Coming Out Monologues. Hosted at the McMahan House, the event allowed students in the community to share their stories of heartbreak, love and laughter when revealing their sexual orientation to their family and friends.

The evening showcased incredible performances and included a dinner and dessert for those in attendance. The audience ranged from family members and friends to administrative figures coming out to support the performers as they shared their stories.

12 students performed for the audience, each one injecting their performance with their own style and creativity. Some performers chose to communicate with their audience through visual representation, Cierra  performing a dance, Mary Baca playing two songs on the piano and Sydney Aldana performing a dance while Jeff Meints read “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Before their performances, each individual introduced themselves and why the presentation meant so much to them.

“This dance is dedicated to those who feel trapped, encased in a cage,” Aldana said.

Alex Maravillas sang the song “Ghost” by Sky Ferreira before telling his life’s story. Evan Long sang three songs for the audience, including “Hair” by Lady Gaga and “Superboy and the Invisible Girl” from Next to Normal. Each performer’s song choice reflected internal or outer struggles that they had endured when coming out.

“My hair represents my inhibitions and trust in the community,” Long said.

Other performers decided to tell their life stories to the audience and talk about their futures. Some individuals chose to talk about their relationships or friends that they had seen come to terms with their sexuality, such as in “The Good, The Bad and the Prideful” by Taylor  and “G.I.V.E.” by Bailey Alvarez. Others talked about their difficulties having their family and friends accept them, such as in “An Untitled Letter” by Cassidy Savoia, “Perfection in the Making” by Kevin and “A Life Experience” by Iyana. Other performers talked about the benefits of being in a strong community and learning to accept yourself no matter what others believe, such as in “Meta 4” by Josh  and “For All of Us” by Armand Gutierrez.

“It’s so rare that we really get to know ourselves. Everyone has a part of themselves they hide from the confines of society. There’s a place at CSUSM where people can unbox themselves. I consider the [Pride] Center a class of its own,” Josh said.

Everyone in attendance was moved by the words and performances of each student that stood up to speak. But no one was prouder than the Director of the ASI Community Centers Robert Aiello-Hauser, who was seen floating through the crowd with a big smile on his face.

“So much heart, so much talent, so much emotion; I can’t be prouder of my students,” Aiello-Hauser said.

As Taylor stated in her monologue, “coming out is special every time it happens.” The Coming Out Monologues will undoubtedly be remembered for bringing the right amount of spirit and heart to CSUSM.