Rowan Supports the LGBTQIA+ Community 365
As the first sun rises in the month of June, love is in the air with the beginning of Pride month! With that being said, here are ten ways you can celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+ community throughout the month of June and beyond here at Rowan University.
- Support everyone’s differences and be open to understanding:
Many members of the LGBTQIA+ community are currently, or have previously, struggled with their identity and it’s a fact that coming out and coming to terms with who you truly are is anything but easy. That being said, one of the greatest ways to show support is by being willing to try to understand what they are going through even if their experience doesn’t mirror your own. This can be done by being sure to clarify someone’s pronouns before addressing them in a conversation, as well as being open to dialogue about the community and what you can do to be an active ally.
- Speak UP and OUT when it comes to discrimination:
A massive way to show support for the LGBTQIA+ community is to speak up when you hear discrimination being spewed. Many people in this world choose to hate and try to bring down others for things they can’t control, which isn’t okay. So shutting down people who use offensive language and rhetoric, as well as taking the time to educate them on why what they are saying is harmful and the impact it can have on an entire community is vital to end hate and keep loving whoever you want alive.
- Make room for representation:
On campus, a major way to support the LGBTQIA+ community is by allowing them to feel comfortable and have a voice in all spaces. That being said, allowing LGBTQIA+ people to have their own clubs where they can share their experiences and hardships with one another is very important, and in many cases can save lives. Along with having their own clubs, it’s also just as important for the community to be welcomed and supported in other clubs. This helps not just to add diversity to a room but also allows for important conversations and more education to be given to others about the community.
- Have resources readily available:
Our Office of Social Justice Inclusion and Conflict Resolution offers the LGBTQIA+ resource center. Here at Rowan University, the LGBTQIA+ resource center promises that all its students in the community will be “heard and respected” along with the following promise as well “All lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual students should know that they are protected by Rowan University’s Title IX policies. In addition, New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination makes it unlawful to subject people to differential treatment based on their sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. If you are a transgender student, regardless of the federal government’s current position on transgender individuals, Rowan University policies and the laws of the state of New Jersey protect you.” Through the resource center, students can reach out for help during crisis situations and report misconduct.
- Show your peers that they can be authentic around you:
Most members of the LGBTQIA+ community can attest to a moment they have toned down their self-expression as a way to “fit’ into a certain crowd or space out of fear of ridicule or bullying. That being said find ways to show people who identify as a part of the community in your life that they can be themselves around you by setting an example for them of how they should and deserve to be treated
6. Educate yourself about what you don’t understand:
Ignorance is a gateway to intolerance. This is why it’s so important for non-members of the community to educate themselves on not just what it means to be gay, non-binary, or transgender, but to go the extra mile to understand the experience that comes along with it.
7. Incorporate inclusivity into the classroom:
Bringing gender and sexuality to the classroom helps to normalize these conversations and to educate those who don’t understand. Here at Rowan University classes like Gender, Sexuality, and Literature are offered for students who want to learn more.
8. Promote and support LGBTQIA+ events:
Here on campus Rowan’s PRISM club meets weekly and also regularly holds many events around the campus, including their annual Drag Show, Sex Toy Bingo, Gay Soiree, and Pride Week Celebration. Showing up to these events and spreading the word aids in showing these clubs’ support and helps people to come out and see what Prism and its events are all about!
9. Volunteer and donate to organizations:
During your college years building a resume is a vital attribute along with what is done in the classroom; that being said volunteer experience can help round a resume along with your personal worldview. So when looking for volunteer opportunities consider helping out a local LGBTQIA+ organization; to name a few near campus Southern New Jersey LGBTQA Pride and The Attic Youth Center.
10. Have Pride, even when it’s not Pride:
Pride month is only 30 days out of 365, which is why it is vital to celebrate Pride and its mission which is to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots and work to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for the members of the LGBTQIA+ not just during June but year round.
Like what you see?
Written by: Asiya Robinson, Junior Writing Arts Major, Creative Writing and Journalism Minor