LGBT college students and allies from across Louisiana will populate campus Saturday for the Louisiana Queer Conference 2012 in an effort to further the LGBT movement.
University organization Spectrum will host the second annual conference in Coates Hall.
The conference’s goal is to provide opportunities for attendees to interact and build connections statewide, according to its website.
The conference includes a statewide panel, three workshop sessions and keynote speaker Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality.
Kameron Kilchrist, biological engineering junior and co-chair for conference planning, said it would be great to have 200 people attend, but it’s difficult to estimate the number of attendees because registration takes place at the door.
Kilchrist said the conference is different than last year’s because of the keynote speaker, Student Government’s funding and community partnerships with Equality Louisiana and Louisiana Trans Advocates.
Community LGBT partners and experts will offer 29 workshops participants can attend, including “Becoming the Unicorn: Identity Erasure” and “Queer in the Mirror: Body Image Issues and Community Concerns.”
Although the conference ends at 6 p.m., Spectrum has partnered with Feminists in Action for an 8 p.m. showing of “The Vagina Monologues” that benefits Louisiana Trans Advocates.
Spectrum will also host a prom from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the French House.
Kilchrist said he is looking forward to the prom because students can mingle in a safe, alcohol-free environment.
The conference is free for University students with their LSU ID and $5 for all other attendees. Registration begins at 10 a.m.
 
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Contact Marylee Williams at [email protected]