In honor of Pride Month, college and university campuses across the U.S. celebrated and supported its LGBTQ+ communities in a wide range of ways.
"Now, especially with all the anti-LGBTQ+ attacks, it's important that we have visibility on college campuses and in communities," said Shane Windmeyer., executive director and founder of Campus Pride.
Shane Windmeyer
At Emory University, those from multiple generations of the LGBTQ+ community were allowed to tell their stories and discuss American queer history at a Jun. 7 event, “Our Stories: A Celebration of Pride and Living Histories.” The event was hosted by the school’s Emory Pride Employee Network (EPEN) and open to all Emory employees.
According to an email from Danielle Bruce-Steele, director of the Office of LGBT Life at Emory, the event featured Judge Michael Jacobs of the State Court of DeKalb County, Georgia, the first openly bisexual judge in the U.S.; David Goetsch, associate director of recruitment compliance at Emory; Dr. Eric Solomon, visiting assistant professor of English and American studies at Oxford College; and Sarah Luce Look, co-owner of independent feminist bookstore Charis Books and More. Additionally, audience members were able to tell their own stories during an open mic.
One student at Emory also embodied Pride Month through the arts via a Science Gallery Atlanta exhibit that brought to light clinical and societal experiences of transmasculine people starting hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and transitioning.
“(H)our Glass” – it is an art piece of videos, oral histories, and mirrors – was co-created by Emory Laney Graduate School student Eli Chlan and partially aims to foster discussion about transgender health care.
Students at Ohio University similarly celebrated Pride through art in late May. Ohio University MFA candidates and Majestic Galleries members Jacq Garcia and Selena Loomis were able to curate a queer art exhibit highlighting regionally based artists creating art about modern-day queer life. The exhibit, “i want to reach you,” is running from May 26 - Jun. 25 at the gallery.
