Queer Life on Campus
Graphic by Isabella Hang
Being a queer student on campus can be tricky to navigate. Constantly worrying if you will be accepted or excluded from spaces or by your peers for being open about your sexuality or gender is a common and valid concern. After being a student here for three years now, I have found spaces and people that are safe for me to be openly queer. Here are some spaces and resources I have found at the University of Minnesota for queer and trans students.
1. The Gender and Sexuality Center for Queer and Trans Life (GSC)
The Gender and Sexuality Center for Queer and Trans Life, or GSC, is located in 40 Appleby Hall and provides education, advocacy, outreach, and support to students, staff, faculty, and alumni. The GSC has multiple programs that offer help with education, outreach, advocacy and support. Examples of these programs are the Lavender Celebration, Pride @ Work, and their mentorship program. Their contact is gsc@umn.edu, and you can find them on Instagram @gscumn.
2. Tongues Untied
Tongues Untied is a space dedicated to indigenous people and people of color who identify as a part of the LGBTQ community. Tongues Untied is a program that falls under the GSC. The group got its name from the famous documentary "Tongues Untied" by Marlon Riggs & Essex Hemphill. The program hosts discussions and panels, provides social and educational gatherings, and connects students with local community organizations of color such as The Exchange, Twin Cities Black Pride, and the MiniBall Scene. You can contact them through the GSC.
3. Trans Advisory and Action Team (TAAT)
The Trans Advisory and Action Team, or TAAT, is another program under the GSC that is a coalition of students, faculty, staff, and alumni. TAAT is led by trans and gender nonconforming people and is open to persons of all gender identities and expressions. TAAT is committed to intersectional gender justice, building community, and health care access for all. Their contact is umn-taat@umn.edu.
4. Queer Student Cultural Center (QSCC)
The Queer Student Cultural Center is one of the oldest LGBT student groups in the United States founded in 1969. The QSCC is located in Coffman Memorial Union in room 217. The QSCC is a dedicated safe space for LGBTQ students. They host campus events, have office hours, and have a newsletter. Their contact is qscc@umn.edu, and you can find them on Instagram @umn_qscc.