NW Missouri Times

Northwest Missouri State University is inviting students and the community to celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month in October with a series of events. These activities include a movie night, awareness teaching, and bracelet making.

“We want all of our students to feel like they belong,” Latonya Davis, a Northwest coordinator of diversity and inclusion, said. “Some people may have the wrong idea of the LGBTQ+ community, but we all have commonalities and there’s nothing different. We want to make sure everybody knows that we see them.”

The month’s activities start with an information booth at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 1, on the second floor of the J.W. Jones Student Union. Representatives will distribute pride flags, stickers, and buttons while raising awareness about LGBTQ+ issues.

The LGBTQ+ movie night is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8, in the Student Union Boardroom. The featured film is “Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution,” a 2024 documentary exploring the history of LGBTQ+ stand-up comedy through personal stories from well-known performers.

On National Coming Out Day at 11 a.m., Friday, Oct. 11, Safe Zone training will take place in the Student Union Boardroom to develop allies for the LGBTQ+ community.

The month’s events will conclude with “Love Is Love” beaded bracelet making at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 29, in the Student Union’s Tower View Room.

LGBTQ+ History Month was established in 1994 to recognize lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history. The celebration takes place throughout October to commemorate LGBTQ+ rights marches on Washington in 1979 and 1987 and coincides with National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11.

Additionally, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion will offer pride flags for various Northwest offices to display during the month.

For more information about LGBTQ+ History Month activities, contact Davis at or 660-562-1584.