Students wearing jeans today may be making a political statement without even knowing it.
The Queer Unity Project is offering students the chance to show their support for equal rights for lesbian, gay and bisexual people by wearing jeans today.
Jeans Day, sometimes called "Denim Day" at other college campuses, encourages students, faculty and staff to wear jeans or other denim articles to show they support an end to discrimination against lesbians, gays and bisexuals.
However, some say the purpose of the day is to draw attention to those not wearing jeans.
"Jeans Day has never really been to find out who's supportive of gay rights," said LSA senior and QUP member Douglas Barns. "To me, it's more to find out who is not wearing jeans ... that's the whole point of it."
LSA sophomore and QUP member Cory Fryling said Jeans Day is unique in that it allows straight people the chance to be supportive.
"Often you will see gay students showing their pride and support for gay rights but often straight students don't have that opportunity," he said.
Organizers said last year's Jeans Day drew various responses. Many went home and changed into jeans to show their support, while others who had worn jeans but did not believe in equal rights for lesbian, gay and bisexual people changed into other clothing.
"I think there's some people who maybe go home and change once they find out about it," Barns said.
LSA junior and QUP member Holly Myszenski said she favors the non-confrontational approach of Jeans Day. "Jeans Day is a fairly subtle way of putting across that we're out there, " she said. "This is a very subtle way that kind of lets people know what's happening"
Fryling said that because of publicity, Jeans Day has already sparked more dialogue concerning lesbian, gay and bisexual rights. "It's gotten people talking and that's really the main idea behind Jeans Day ... to get people talking about these issues," he said.