NameChange

TheSpringHillCollegeP.R.I.D.EClubisweighingtheoptionofchangingthenameoftheclub.
Timesarechangingandsoarepeopleapparently.HeidiZavrosstartedtheP.R.I.D.EClubin2009.
P.R.I.D.Estandsforprotectingandrespecting,individuality,diversityandequality.Thegroupwonthe
awardsforbestpresidentandacceptedtheawardforBestNewOrganizationin2010.WhenP.R.I.D.E
started,membershiprateswerehigh.Overthelastfewyears,therehasbeenadeclineinmembership.
Membersoftheorganizationseemtothinkthatoneofthereasonsforthedeclineinmembershipisdueto
thename.
JulianLosey,facultyadvisor,said,Thenameoftheclubmeanseverything.Weneedtofindanamethat
isinclusivetoallindividualsthatarefocusedonworkingtowardscreatingsafespacesandequalityforall
studentsatSpringHillCollege.
AustinConnally,anallymemberofP.R.I.D.E,said,IfeellikepeoplehearthewordsP.R.I.D.EClub
andthinkthatitisonlyforthosewhoidentifywiththeLGBT(lesbian,gay,bi,andtransgender)
community.TheproblemisthatthisclubisforalliestooandhonestlyIthinkatthispointthatwehave
morealliesthanthosewhoidentifyasLGBT.
ThereisasurveybeingdistributedaroundSpringHillCollege'scampustofindoutwhatpeoplethinkof
theorganization.Apersonwhoaskedtoremainanonymoussaid,Ifeellikethegroupishereoncampus
tomakeSpringHillCollegelookdiverse.Tohaveanamelikethatamongtheorganizationlooksgreat,
butinrealitythegroupisforpeopletogettogetheranddodisgustingthingswitheachother.Onthe
otherhand,ElizabethBullocksaid,Ifeellikeitdeclinedintoanonymityaftercertainmembersgraduate.
IwishitwasmoreprominentbecauseIstronglysupportwhatthepurposeoftheclubis.
Duringthelastmeeting,copresidentsMiltonHicksonandJeremyBuckneropenedupthefloorforthe
nametobediscussedandsuggestionsforthenewname.JuliannLoseysuggestedthattheclubshouldbe
nameQ.U.I.L.T.B.A.GAlliance.Quiltbagstandsforqueer,undecided,intersex,lesbian,transgender,
bisexual,allyorasexual,gay.LoseysuggestedthenamebecausetheLGBTgroupatHarvardusesthis
acronymforitsgroupandtheyseemtohavealargegroup.
QSA(QueerStraightAlliance)madethelistforapossiblename.FromieGonzalezsaidThatQSA
wouldbeequivalenttoshovingitdownsomeonesthroat.GSA(GayStraightAlliance)alsodoesthe
samething.QSAisjusttoomuch.IfeellikeQSAisjustaskingtogetbeatup.SAFEalsomadeittothe
topthree.MatthewTusasaid,IfeellikeSAFEisagoodnamebecauseitseemedtobeall
encompassing.FromieGonzalezagreedwiththatstatement.
MiltonHilton,copresidentofP.R.I.D.E.,suggestedusingthenameSpectrumliketheUniversityof
SouthAlabamasgroup.Hesaid,Oneofthereasonsbehindhischoicewasbecauseitiswidelyused.It
alsoencompassesallthatweaimforandputsusonthesamelevel.Ifwehadthesamenameofawidely
usedprogram,itwouldbemoreidentifiable.TiffanyThomassuggestedusingSpectrumatSpringHill
(S.A.S.H)becauseitgetstheideaacrossaboutwhatthegroupis.Atthesametimethealliterationhelps
makethegroupseemdifferentfromothergroups.Loseysaidshewasexcitedaboutthepossibilityof
usingS.A.S.Hbecauseofthewayitsounds.Buckneralsoaddedthatitwouldlookgreatinanemail.
CopresidentsHiltonandBucknerclosedthemeetingwithpositiveattitudesonthefutureoftheclub.
Therewillbeameetingbeforetheendofthesemesterfortheclubtovoteonthefinalnameoftheclub.