From international students to born-and-raised Hoosiers, from future business people to student journalists, all have the opportunity to traverse the university experience with the support of campus LGBT groups.
The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Support Services Office sponsors and supports more than 10 groups dedicated to socializing, learning and making connections with fellow students.
However, GLBTSSS Office Director Doug Bauder said new groups could crop up in the next few weeks. If students recognize a need for a new organization or have questions about the current groups, they should call or come to the office.
The office plans to release meeting locations and times for each group in the next edition of QNews, the office’s weekly newsletter. To subscribe to QNews and to check for updates, students can visit the GLBTSSS Office website.
This year, Bauder said, a graduate assistant will train group facilitators. After receiving complaints in the past, the office plans to ensure everyone from the most reserved to the most outgoing members of each group can benefit to the highest degree.
“As people come to understand their identity or their various identities, they’re seeking ways to integrate that into their life,” Bauder said. This could include issues of spirituality and sexuality, career decisions and the process of coming out to family.
The GLBTSSS Office provides guidance by directly sponsoring six groups: Connections, the Gay-Straight Alliance, Gender Warriors, GloBaL TAlks, Grad Queers (GQ) and Men Like Us.
Some student groups are more autonomous and receive indirect support from the GLBTSSS Office, which provides publicity for them and acts as a point of contact for students. These groups include Keshet, the Association of LGBT Journalists (NLGJA), Nothing is Binary, Out at Kelley and Outlaw.
Open to gay, bisexual, transgender and allied men, the Beta Chapter of the Sigma Phi Beta Fraternity represents the LGBT community within the greek system.
“Our biggest goal is to make a difference in not only the queer community, but also the local community as well,” chapter president Bryant Hayes said.
The fraternity participates in community service at local food pantries, Middle Way House and other local shelters. They have also raised money for HIV awareness and prevention organizations and the GLBTSSS Office — where Hayes is an office assistant.
“I think we are significant to have on campus, because we offer the traditional greek experience to a group of students who don’t often feel welcome in the greek community,” Hayes said. “We give queer and allied guys another safe space to form close friendships with people who are more apt to understanding them.”
While people join campus LGBT community groups for countless reasons, Bauder has identified a few commonalities.
“I would say it’s about identity development and friendship,” he said. “Education is another component, too. Education is sort of the broad stroke, I guess, in terms of all the groups seek to educate. Sometimes their purpose, then, is to also educate the larger community.”
