Students in a rhetoric class, which focuses on different gender theories, decided to put on a program called “Gender Unplugged” to challenge the views society has about gender and sexuality.

The program will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. in the North Quad today.

Kevin Wick, a senior communication studies major, is one of the students in the class taught by Marita Gronnvoll, an assistant professor in the communication studies department, who are dedicated to put on this program as a part of their final grade.

Even though this is a class assignment, Wick and his fellow students want other students to understand the message they are trying to get across about gender.

“We are focusing on that gender is innate and natural and showing how masculinity and feminity is seen as natural,” he said.

During the event, students are able to visit the main attraction, the “Gender Tent,” which will be composed of photographs of people who are transgendered and transsexual.

Wick said this event is not put on to cause a stir.

“We want to stress that this is an educational event, and it is not meant to be a freak show or side show,” he said. “It’s for a class.”

The tent will also include several researched theories about gender and sexuality.

“We are backing up everything we are arguing with theories from gender theorists and queer theorists,” Wick said. “So it’s not just unfounded comments from us arguing that gender is this and that. It is based on theory.”

Wick said when members of the campus community come together, he wants them to look at some of the photos of the transgendered and transsexual people.

“The main point is to show that these are normal people,” he said. “These photos are not going to be seen as crazy or weird, but these will be people who you would think is “normal” if you saw them in everyday life.”

Wick said the event will also include a mock graveyard informing students about hate crimes against the LGBT community.

“Also we will have a mock Preposition Aid voting booth,” he said. “Preposition Aid is the whole gay marriage debate, and we have information about Preposition Aid, and we want to give them (campus community) an opportunity to participate in something.”

Wick said his rhetoric class has worked on this project for a couple of months.

“It is for a good cause,” he said. “It is educational. It is just not something we are just doing on a whim.”

Wick said this program is important for students to understand society’s views on gender and sexuality.

“Mainly because the society we live in, the norm is seen as having a heterosexual lifestyle and if you are not that, then you are not normal,” he said. “You are different, you are strange or freakish. That’s why we don’t want this to be a freak show.”

Wick said this program has diversity benefits for all students regardless of their sexuality.

“Diversity benefits more than who it affects directly,” he said. “If you keep surrounding yourself with people who are just like you, then you are not going to grow as a person.”

Jessica Leggin can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmleggin@eiu.edu.