Elon University’s GLC program has been rated one of the “Top 30 best of the best LGBTQ-Friendly Universities” by the Campus Pride index for seven consecutive years. Elon University’s Gender and LGBTQIA Center held its annual pride celebration on June 27 on Young Commons.
Pride month recognizes members of the LGBTQIA communities and acknowledges the struggles of exploring and empowering identity within sexuality and gender in a predominantly heteronormative society.
Dean of Students Jana Lynn Patterson suggested that people to become more knowledgeable about the issues surrounding people who identify as LGBTQIA.
“I think knowledge expands our ability to think kind of beyond our narrow focus,” Patterson said. “So I would say one would be to study and two to support our LGBTQIA community.”
Elon University offers counseling resources for various reasons, including identity development, coming out and gender transition in order to ensure every student feels a sense of belonging. Elon also offers universal bathrooms and allows other services such as name changes, one of the few things many institutions are implementing to challenge the heteronormative narrative.
Elon supports programs such as the GLC that are given the opportunity to create a safe environment where anyone, specifically members of the LGBTQIA communities, can feel accepted. The GLC’s primary missions include accessible knowledge and education regarding LGBTQIA topics and supporting the “three v’s”: validated, valued and victorious. Center personnel work to remind those on campus that even if no one’s experience with sexuality and gender are the same, they are still valid.
“We are here to support, uplift and advocate for all marginalized students, no matter their sexual identity, race or ethnicity,” said Simone Royal, assistant director for the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education.
The CREDE’s mission is to create an inclusive campus for all students, specifically for those from underrepresented and marginalized communities. Its work often coincides with efforts the GLA undertakes and enforces the push for inclusivity on campus.
“It’s [Elon] a really good community, which I appreciate,” Elon student Gage Andrews said.
Florencia Olivera was born and raised in Wisconsin, where she attends Madison East High School. There, she’s been involved in the yearbook, dance and social justice programs. Last summer, she completed a photojournalism class at the University of Wisconsin that helped her appreciate how to transition her passion of photography into a possible career by using her camera to tell a story. Florencia is drawn to telling stories of people who may otherwise not be highlighted in popular media.\
