The Gay-Straight Alliance, University Program Council and Residence Hall Association have teamed up to encourage students to stand against bullying and stand for the rights of all students.

Stand Up for No Hate is a combination of the No H8 campaign and the Stand Up campaign.

No H8 was established as a direct response to the passage of Proposition 8 in California in November 2008. Proposition 8 amended the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

The Stand Up campaign was created to take a stand against bullying. International STAND UP to Bullying Day takes place this year on Nov. 18.

On Nov. 17, in exchange for a signature, students are able to earn a free STAND UP T-shirt. Students are encouraged to wear the shirt on Nov. 18 and attend photo shoots for No Hate.

“We want to raise awareness of what GSA is,” said GSA Vice President Jared Ellefson.

Many students have not heard of GSA.

“I was looking in the archives and it had been 5 years since GSA submitted a budget,” Ellefson said. “They were running off meager funds and nothing was getting done. That’s why we’re trying so hard to raise awareness through student involvement.”

The efforts have paid off. Since the beginning of the year the size of the group has quadrupled, going from 9 to 36 active members. The group’s first event, “When the Gays Move into Mr. Rogers Neighborhood” had an attendance of 167 students.

Is this sudden widespread support for a trend or is it something that will change the face of America?

“The more people think it’s cool to support LGBTQ will help it grow and maybe it could change the world,” Ellefson said.

International STAND UP to Bullying Day is an annual event and UPC Community Service Coordinator ReAnn Arcand has been the driving force for the fusion of No H8 and STAND UP.

“I feel like this could turn out to be something very great,” she said. “I’d love for it to become an annual event.”

For more information on the event contact ReAnn Arcand at 688-6173. For more information on GSA, contact Jared Ellefson at [email protected] or attend a GSA meeting every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Wagner 125.