The Pride Alliance’s annual SPECTRUM Dance is coming up this weekend, one of everyone’s favorite Skidmore events. We sat down with Matt Sickles, a sophomore in the Pride Alliance, to talk more about what the club does around campus and how to get involved!
Name: Matt Sickles
Class Year: 2017
Hometown: Mamaroneck, New York
Major: Undecided
HC: For those of us who aren’t familiar with Pride Alliance, what is it and what do you do?
Matt: We are an all-inclusive OSDP (Office of Student Diversity Programs) club for LGBTQIA (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Queer Intersex Asexual) students and allies. We meet on Mondays at 8 pm in the ICC. Our meetings are normally discussion based where everyone has a chance to share their mind, but sometimes we go around and take time to share personal stories and experiences. Aside from our meetings, we strive to keep our campus a safe place for people of all gender identities and sexualities. As we get closer to our big dances, we channel our energy into event planning. We all learn a lot from one another and going to Pride is fun every time!
HC: How long have you been a member of the club?
Matt: ‘ve been a member since I spotted the rainbow flag at club fair last fall, so since the start of my freshman year. I’m proud to say I’ve missed hardly any meetings.
HC: How and why did you choose to get involved?
Matt: I was an active member of my high school’s GSA (Gay Straight Alliance), so once I found out that Skidmore Pride Alliance was the equivalent I just had to hop aboard. Getting involved was as easy as showing up to the first meeting, and I ended up on the e-board with the position “First year coordinator” and served as a freshman voice on the e-board as well as a connection to the other first year club members. I returned to the e-board this year as club treasurer.
HC: Do you have any events coming up?
Matt: Yes and soon! SPECTRUM will be this Saturday the 8th at Falstaff’s. SPECTRUM is Pride Alliance’s annual fall dance that is welcoming and inclusive of students of various sexuality and gender expression. Of course straight and cis people are invited to join the fun, but it is a wonderful opportunity for someone to express themselves in a way they may not be comfortable at other parties, or for gay and lesbian students to find a match! The theme is “Inferno”, an homage the seven deadly sins: lust, pride, wrath, sloth, envy, gluttony, and greed. The Dance will start at 10pm and everyone should plan on coming somewhat early because space will be limited. Come dressed as your favorite sin and plan on getting… sinful.