Kristo Gobin, resident director for Saxon Suites, will share his experience coming out through his solo performance in the play “That’s So Gay!”
Gobin’s play will be opening tonight at Northwest Campus Auditorium at 7:00 p.m. with performances running on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday at 6:00 p.m.
All performances will be free with an optional $2 donation, which will go to the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Campus Resource Center.
Gobin originally wrote and performed the play as part of his communication studies master thesis and, after encouragement from the Office of Residential Life, he will now be performing it for the public.
Calls made to Gobin Wednesday afternoon were not returned.
Suzanne Seplow, director for the Office of Residential Life, which organizes events that happen on the Hill, said his play is an example of the type of diverse programming that is offered for on-campus residents.
“It’s just the genre of continuing to provide programs that show perspective on all types of diversity. This is one that talks about getting to issues in a way that’s not lecture. It infuses humor with messages of an individual coming-out story,” she said.
ORL puts on similar events throughout the year to encourage students to get involved and to gain different experiences. They look to engage students with theatrical performances that promote messages of diversity and individuality.
“The mission of the Office of Residential Life is to create safe, supportive and inclusive living communities. We believe programs such as this serve to fulfill this,” she said.
Seplow said she believes the LGBT community finds a great deal of support at UCLA but they are still marginalized.
Mike Chow, co-director of the Pan-Asian-Queers, who has seen the play before, said he believes that UCLA is a very conservative campus.
He said he hopes that this program will open a lot of eyes and change some students’ attitudes so that people will know that students on campus all have different backgrounds.
“I think he’s trying to connect queer students and heterosexual students in a way that will bring more visibility to queer issues on campus,” he said. “He’s trying to show people the myths behind homosexual terms. He’s trying to debunk myths about queer people.”
Chow said he was looking forward to seeing it for a second time and he stressed how the play resonated with a lot of problems queer students face. Chow said he believes that Gobin lays out the play in such a way that it becomes applicable for anyone in the audience, regardless of sexuality.
Harkiran Gill, a third-year undeclared student, will also be attending the performance for a second time. She said she believes Gobin does a tremendous job and his performance changed her life for the better.
“I’m really excited about the performance. Kristo has touched so many lives. He’s changed the way people have viewed and stereotyped the LGBT community,” she said.