Meet Our Bloggers!

Alexis!

Alexis being super stoked!

My name is Alexis Lynn Murauskas! I’m 21 years old! I study English and Theatre! I’m super stoked about everything!

I was born in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. I spent most of my life there swimming, dreaming, and singing with my incredible mom and too many pets. Luckily, when I came out to her as “different” at the age of sixteen, I was met with love and acceptance. (Fun fact: My girlfriend Sarah and I were the first out couple at my high school!) Since then, I have spent an incredible amount of time ruminating on my sexuality and gender identity. My current conclusion is that I am androgynous and ambiguous, and this is not a cop-out.

Some other cool things about me: I love learning. I hope to earn my Ph.D studying comic books from a feminist perspective. I love singing. You can catch me almost any day playing ukulele and guitar and belting out my favorite tunes. I love cooking and baking. Wait, rephrase, I LOVE cooking and baking! I am vegan, so I make some pretty wacky things. I love friendship! Come talk to me!


Edwin!

Really. Watch Edwin's video.

Hey! My name’s Edwin, a junior English major. I just came back from a semester abroad in Florence, Italy, where I lived with a family that didn’t speak any English and studied Art History with first-hand examples available in the various museums. Writing is my passion, and I love the outdoors, running, traveling and film. Every Thursday night I host a movie night at Schaff, the Queer House, where I live, and many of the movies are queer-themed. You should come!

Other than to a few friends in high school, I came out in my freshman year. I’ve been lucky — no one has rejected me. Even my old friends from high school, a fair number of whom were guys given to making gay jokes and obnoxiously exclaiming “no homo!”, were supportive and even defensive of me to others, putting to rest years of naïve worrying that being gay meant you couldn’t be friends with straight guys.

Telling my family I am gay was the hardest part, I think. The word “gay” itself wouldn’t leave my lips, leaving my mother, whom I told first, guessing at what it was that was bothering me. After speaking with her, I told my sister, whose only concern was that she didn’t know me better, and then my father, who was frustratingly skeptical and confused: “But you don’t act gay...” Luckily, the conversation broadened his definition what being gay meant, and he has since become supportive. My biggest concern was telling my younger brother, whom I knew had friends who called each other homophobic names (just as I once did), and he turned out to be the easiest: “OK,” he said, shrugging before he returned to his video game.

The queer community here at Ursinus College is small, often annoyingly so, but it is growing. I’ve had a great time making friends with students and professors here, and I’m looking forward to seeing what this blog becomes. Keep reading, check out my old It Gets Better video if you feel like it, and feel free to e-mail/ Facebook me anytime!

Jen!

This is Jen's face.

Hey. I'm Jen, and I'm the Ursinus College LGBTQA Connection Associate. I was born and raised in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and ever since I was old enough to understand that Pottsville was a place to escape, I've been laboring to leave(, and I will soon succeed when I move to St. Davids this summer). I'm currently a sophomore with (technically) a major in English and a minor in Creative Writing. But once I hammer out all of the details, I'm probably going to drop Creative Writing *sad face* and pick up either a minor or a second major in Sociology. It's taken me forever to get a general sense of what I intend to do after I graduate from Ursinus, and I think that I want to go to law school. I don't have a specific job title in mind -- but I plan on making some changes in the grand ol' U.S. of A., and law school seems like a logical path. If I'm unfortunate enough to end up in politics, well then ... VOTE FOR JEN DAVIS!

Important things that will factor into my posts:

1. I identify as heterosexual, and I'm not about to apologize for it. Therefore, I will be writing from a "straight perspective" within the LGBTQIA community.
2. I will write about, not only myself, but two of my closest friends in the LGBTQIA community (who will remain anonymous because their business is their own).
3. I'm definitely going to might be sarcastic and insulting.

Rachel!

Grandmother Rachel has fallen and can't get up!

Hi I'm Rachel (clearly). I'm a senior, History Major, Education Minor. I'm 22 years old. I'm super excited to be contributing! :D

I'm originally from Thomaston, Connecticut, but now live in Southbury, CT. I did theater and was an active member of my high school's GSA. I came out to my family as bisexual in phases throughout high school. While not everyone has been supportive, my Mom is one of my biggest allies. I've fully embraced my identity as the B in LGBTQA.

My hobbies include knitting, baking (I'm a Grandma trapped in a 22 year old body), watching movies/TV, and spending time with my 2 cats and dog. I'm a huge History nerd and will often write down funny things my profs say in class and quote them. I love to talk, and probably talk too much, but I'm also a great listener and love to that too! Get to know me!



X!

The Anonymous X.

Hi. My portion of this blog is going to be a collection of incidences where I have been forced to consider my sexuality here on our campus. The reason I am remaining anonymous is because I still consider myself “questioning,”  or at least not ready to jump on any particular identity yet. I want these anecdotes to be something anyone who is exploring themselves can have something to relate to.











Zack!

Zack emulating Lady Gaga.

"As a proud member of the Ursinus Gay Community I thought I should start contributing in some way to the spread of acceptance for all sexual preferences. I am a Psychology major, hoping to be some form of counselor someday. I am interested in all things metaphysical and paranormal, enjoying meditation, and reading/thinking about the mysteries of the Cosmos. I believe there is nothing that the power of love and positive thought cannot overcome. I am openly gay … well … REALLY GAY, lol, although I tend not to think so. I come from Hegins, Pennsylvania, which is a small rural town in Central PA. I am a sophomore. No one should be afraid to be themselves. Honesty is often the best policy."