This year's celebration of Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Awareness Days (BGLAD) opens today with a talk by prominent gay novelist David Leavitt and a student reception at Lowell House.

The ten-day program of events is aimed at increasing recognition and tolerance of homosexual and bisexual culture, said Sandi L. Dubowski '92, co-president of the Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Students Association (BGLSA).

Dubowski, who helped organize BGLAD, said the event's goals are fourfold: "information, celebration, education and exploration."

BGLAD events are open to everyone, Dubowski said, and will focus on topics as diverse as Christianity, the military, race and AIDS.

Although BGLAD will have its share of social events--including several dances and receptions--Dubowski said the program's organizers have placed an emphasis on increasing awareness of issues of race, religion and homosexuality.

The drama group Other Countries will deliver a presentation on sexuality and AIDS in the African American community. The presentation will be co-sponsored by the BGLSA, the Black Students Association (BSA) and the Afro-American Studies department, according to a flier announcing the event.

John A. Frazier '95, who coordinated the Other Countries performance, said he hopes it will bring the Black and gay communities on campus closer together.

"There was a gap between the BSA and BGLSA, and Other Countries will fill [this gap] with the positive idea that African Americans are not homophobic," Frazier said.

The BGLSA and several of Harvard's Christian ministries will also host a series of lectures focusing on conflicting attitudes toward homosexuality within the Christian community.

"It's time for us to have our own forum," said Dubowski about such events.

"I am sick of having to defend our positions to people like [those who publish] the Peninsula," said Dubowski in reference to the conservative undergraduate magazine, which published a special issue on homosexuality earlier this year.

In an effort to garner campus- wide visibility for BGLAD, Dubowski saidstudents will door-drop the first issue ofHQ magazine--a new undergraduatepublication about gay, lesbian and bisexualissues. In addition, leaflets and pink trianglepins will be distributed in front of WidenerLibrary and in campus dining halls.

"It is crucial that people wear the pinktriangle in support of BGLAD and not feel thatthey have to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual [to doso]," Dubowski said.

Later in the week, BGLAD organizers willpresent a film festival called "Reel Queer." Thefestival will include the Boston premieres ofmovies from the 1991 New York Gay and LesbianExperimental Film Festival as well as rarely seenfilms such as "Coal Miner's Granddaughter," shotwith a toy video camera