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Deb Martin
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It was so hard to be queer, it was so hard to be a woman, so that’s when I decided I need a career where I don’t have all of these obstacles. Name, pronouns, and identity?
I’m Deb Martin, my pronouns are she, her, and hers, and I identify as a queer woman. What is your position at Rowan and what year did you start here? I’m a full professor in the department of Writing Arts which is in the Ric Edelman College of Communications. I started in the fall of 2003, so this is my 18th year. When did you come out as LGBTQ, and why then? I came out to my mom when I had a girlfriend *laughs* I identified as lesbian before that, but until I had a girlfriend and became sexually intimate, it seemed more theoretical, it was more abstract or intellectual. I identified as lesbian, but it just didn’t seem as real to me until I had a girlfriend. I was 19. Professionally, it’s kind of tough because it was in stages. I was a public school teacher in |
Texas and I felt like I was out with a certain group of faculty members that I taught with. I mostly taught in urban schools, and there always seems to be more LGBTQ teachers in the urban areas. I wasn’t out with most of my students, but a select few. It felt like I was out but I really wasn't until later when I went to grad school and was completely out, though not by choice. I went to a Texas woman’s university and the other women there outed me. I wasn’t crazy about that but I was glad afterwards that I was 100% out. We had this thing on National Coming Out Day where we would come out to our students, whether we were gay, straight, or whatever, we would come out to our students *laughs* as lesbians (it was a woman’s university). We just had a wonderful time with that; we would tell stories about the looks on our students’ faces. So that’s when I felt like when I was most out. So then when I started interviewing after I got my Ph.D, at my interviews, I always came out. It was important to me to know what the temperature in the room was. In South Carolina, I found out it was very uncomfortable. At Rowan it was no problem, they were great, it was a welcoming atmosphere for me here.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your career at all?
Yeah, it has, because I was in the military before I was a k-12 teacher. I liked it a lot, I was an intelligence analyst, but it was so hard to be queer, it was so hard to be a woman. So then that’s when I decided I need a career where I don’t have all of these obstacles.
How has the LGBTQ culture changed while you’ve been at Rowan?
That’s a good question. When I first got here, during new faculty orientation, I got introduced to queer people, which was cool. One woman in particular who had a high status on campus told me to be in the closet. I was like, look, I’m coming from Texas, there’s no way I’m going back into the closet. So there was that kind of tension that I don’t feel now. Nobody’s telling anybody to get back in the closet, so that’s a major leap. I was the co-advisor to our Gay-Strait Alliance, which was what it was called back then. The organization kept getting bigger and bigger and at some point the organization had to fracture. The L’s and the B’s and the G’s and the T’s and the allies were at each other’s throats. We didn’t want to see that happen, and the group was huge, so it was a good thing. A lot of students don’t want to label themselves, they just want to hang out with cool people, so now where are they? Sometimes “ally” was the best choice if you didn’t want to have the pressure of taking on a queer label, so I liked including Allies for that reason, but I understand that people wanted their own group. So now it’s in the Social Justice Center, and it’s a cool thing that there’s a Social Justice Center. You can go to the women's room and right across the hall is another room, there’s areas for religion, etc. it’s just more integrated.
What would you say to a student or youth who’s struggling with their identity, either personally or with others?
I’m out to my students, and I used to think I was out to my students, but now I make it a point, I put it in my bio, I wear pride buttons, and I’m just trying to be more obvious about it. In examples in class I’ll work things in, authors that we read, and issues and rhetorical examples I could use, I do. Sometimes students really struggle with their sexual identification and they want advice, and but most times they just want someone to listen. I haven’t been that good in the advice part. One piece of advice I wouldn’t give is the “it gets better” campaign. It’s going to get worse before it gets better, and you’re always going to carry this thing around with you, not necessarily a stigma, but it’s baggage, and even still now I can feel the effects of it.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your career at all?
Yeah, it has, because I was in the military before I was a k-12 teacher. I liked it a lot, I was an intelligence analyst, but it was so hard to be queer, it was so hard to be a woman. So then that’s when I decided I need a career where I don’t have all of these obstacles.
How has the LGBTQ culture changed while you’ve been at Rowan?
That’s a good question. When I first got here, during new faculty orientation, I got introduced to queer people, which was cool. One woman in particular who had a high status on campus told me to be in the closet. I was like, look, I’m coming from Texas, there’s no way I’m going back into the closet. So there was that kind of tension that I don’t feel now. Nobody’s telling anybody to get back in the closet, so that’s a major leap. I was the co-advisor to our Gay-Strait Alliance, which was what it was called back then. The organization kept getting bigger and bigger and at some point the organization had to fracture. The L’s and the B’s and the G’s and the T’s and the allies were at each other’s throats. We didn’t want to see that happen, and the group was huge, so it was a good thing. A lot of students don’t want to label themselves, they just want to hang out with cool people, so now where are they? Sometimes “ally” was the best choice if you didn’t want to have the pressure of taking on a queer label, so I liked including Allies for that reason, but I understand that people wanted their own group. So now it’s in the Social Justice Center, and it’s a cool thing that there’s a Social Justice Center. You can go to the women's room and right across the hall is another room, there’s areas for religion, etc. it’s just more integrated.
What would you say to a student or youth who’s struggling with their identity, either personally or with others?
I’m out to my students, and I used to think I was out to my students, but now I make it a point, I put it in my bio, I wear pride buttons, and I’m just trying to be more obvious about it. In examples in class I’ll work things in, authors that we read, and issues and rhetorical examples I could use, I do. Sometimes students really struggle with their sexual identification and they want advice, and but most times they just want someone to listen. I haven’t been that good in the advice part. One piece of advice I wouldn’t give is the “it gets better” campaign. It’s going to get worse before it gets better, and you’re always going to carry this thing around with you, not necessarily a stigma, but it’s baggage, and even still now I can feel the effects of it.
Let’s start with your name, pronouns, and identity.
My name is Stephen Fleming, my pronouns are he, him, his, and I am gay.
What is your position at Rowan, and when did you start?
I’m the Assistant Dean for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and I am about four years in, here.
When did you come out as LGBTQ, and why then?
It was interesting, so I was a student here at Rowan too, I did my Bachelor’s Degree in elementary education and math, but I was also a Resident Assistant at the time over in Chestnut Hall. During that time, in my sophomore year, I had met someone and I was still exploring. I hadn’t done anything with anybody, but I had met someone in the building. Things ended up working out, and I think that was validating for me. For me, it was something I always thought about and questioned, and so it was almost affirmational. Like, “I like this, so I guess I must be gay” *laughs.* I guess it was very matter-of-fact for me. After that, I was feeling prepared to come out to my family. I was fortunate to have a family that was accepting, and it wasn’t something that I feared too much; I really understand that is a privilege. That was around May, so I ultimately came out over the process of that summer. Professionally I guess I’ve always worked it into conversations whenever it made sense. At this point now I’m married and live with my partner in Philadelphia, so if he comes up in conversations I don’t relent, but I don’t just bring it up if I don’t have to. Not because I’m afraid of what folks will think; I think we’re really fortunate to be in a bubble of higher education, which is a much more accepting field. Student Affairs, when I was working in Res Life, was really accepting. You see so many trainings for working with members of the LGBTQ+ community, and so much representation of that community of professional staff and up in that field. I felt very comfortable in my professional staff world, and even as I moved into academic affairs, the Dean and many of the faculty and staff have been so accepting. I think it's nice to work in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, because this college specifically has people who are teaching about social injustices, humanistic characteristics, race and sex and gender, and how that interplays with so many aspects of our lives. In my professional world I’m seeing and feeling equity by nature of the people I'm working with.
Has being LGBTQ+ impacted or influenced your career, and if so, how?
Not that much, I think when I was coming to Rowan I had always wanted to be a teacher, I did my student teaching, I finished with my teaching degree, and I realized that teaching just wasn’t for me. It took a different type of patience with the 3rd graders. In some ways, though, it did validate my decision to go into higher education, because when I was going through everything with the first person I met and felt a connection with as an RA, things weren’t as easy, it was a turbulent relationship. He wasn’t out, I was ready to come out, and I ultimately did get help with the counseling center here to talk through my feelings and things like that, and I saw how much staff can make a difference. In a way I suppose in addition to enjoying working with college students in the residence halls, knowing how much of a critical time this is for college students is important to me. So many students feel emboldened or liberated when they come to college and they can be their true selves, especially if they’re coming from a place that isn't as accepting. I’m happy to be able to be part of that, and understand that everyone's journey is different with that, but I know having experienced that myself, working in higher education would be something that would be valuable in a lot of different ways and I could give back.
Do you think the LGBTQ culture has changed while you’ve been at Rowan?
I do, but when you sent that question I had to really think about it. For me, the LGBTQ+ identity isn’t one of the more salient identities. I don’t know that I am as active with various groups on campus or as active in my community, so in some ways it’s hard to take a step back and see how much the campus has changed, because I’ve always found it to be an accepting place. The addition of the SJICR, though, has created much more programming and exposure for programs and support for the LGBTQ+ population. It was encouraging; there was a year during Pride where Bunce Hall was lit up with rainbow lights, and that didn’t happen when I was here. There seems to be more than just one person in one office dedicated to it now, and it just seems like there’s more of an investment in making sure students of all different groups feel supported. I would say it’s gotten better, but I don’t know that it was that bad when I was here before.
What would you say to a student or youth who’s struggling with their identity, either personally or with others?
One of the things is that struggling and questioning is a very normal part of coming to college and a normal part of a young adult's life. I say that because certainly sexuality and attraction and conflicts like that are things that many students deal with in the transition to college, and you see college be a transition for a lot of students for a lot of topics. I think the thing that I would tell them, especially here at Rowan, is they’re in a supportive place, there are a lot of great resources for folks who are still exploring. As someone who sought counseling services myself, try not to feel stigmatized by that, it’s a really good resource even if it’s on a one-time basis to process feelings. Nobody is going to tell you how to feel or what to think, they’re just going to help you tease out what you’re feeling and your emotions. The other thing I would share is that it might help to utilize the Out and Ally Network. While everyone’s experience isn't the same, having someone that you feel you can confide in and you feel might have some level of empathy for what you’re going through is always a good thing. The whole point of having that resource is to be able to identify that this person might have some semblance of understanding of what I’m going through. It’s okay to reach out to them, myself and everyone on that list are ready and willing to meet and talk and support and whatever we can do to help those students who are questioning or struggling to find their way. Know that you're not alone, there are people here that can help
Anything else you would like to discuss?
There’s still a lot of work to be done. For folks who are more committed to this work and really interested in this identity, I’d encourage them to work with the SJICR and other groups on campus to be the change you want to see. If this campus isn’t what you want it to be, I’ve seen so much change happen over the course of the short time I've been here, and it’s been led by students. Administration is very receptive to that change, the SGA is very receptive to that change, I would encourage students that if there’s something they don’t see being offered or a service not being provided, or whatever the issue may be, talk to folks and try to work with us to make that change happen. I can say that at the administrative level, we’re receptive to that and we want to see that, because we don’t know everything that the students are going through. To the extent that students are comfortable with sharing those things, they are certainly welcome to do that. I’d caveat that you don’t need to share your identity to be able to advocate for change. We have a lot of allies that don’t identify as LGBTQ+ but they’re allies. Even if folks are not part of the community or don’t want to out themselves, that doesn’t mean that you can’t advocate for change.
My name is Stephen Fleming, my pronouns are he, him, his, and I am gay.
What is your position at Rowan, and when did you start?
I’m the Assistant Dean for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and I am about four years in, here.
When did you come out as LGBTQ, and why then?
It was interesting, so I was a student here at Rowan too, I did my Bachelor’s Degree in elementary education and math, but I was also a Resident Assistant at the time over in Chestnut Hall. During that time, in my sophomore year, I had met someone and I was still exploring. I hadn’t done anything with anybody, but I had met someone in the building. Things ended up working out, and I think that was validating for me. For me, it was something I always thought about and questioned, and so it was almost affirmational. Like, “I like this, so I guess I must be gay” *laughs.* I guess it was very matter-of-fact for me. After that, I was feeling prepared to come out to my family. I was fortunate to have a family that was accepting, and it wasn’t something that I feared too much; I really understand that is a privilege. That was around May, so I ultimately came out over the process of that summer. Professionally I guess I’ve always worked it into conversations whenever it made sense. At this point now I’m married and live with my partner in Philadelphia, so if he comes up in conversations I don’t relent, but I don’t just bring it up if I don’t have to. Not because I’m afraid of what folks will think; I think we’re really fortunate to be in a bubble of higher education, which is a much more accepting field. Student Affairs, when I was working in Res Life, was really accepting. You see so many trainings for working with members of the LGBTQ+ community, and so much representation of that community of professional staff and up in that field. I felt very comfortable in my professional staff world, and even as I moved into academic affairs, the Dean and many of the faculty and staff have been so accepting. I think it's nice to work in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, because this college specifically has people who are teaching about social injustices, humanistic characteristics, race and sex and gender, and how that interplays with so many aspects of our lives. In my professional world I’m seeing and feeling equity by nature of the people I'm working with.
Has being LGBTQ+ impacted or influenced your career, and if so, how?
Not that much, I think when I was coming to Rowan I had always wanted to be a teacher, I did my student teaching, I finished with my teaching degree, and I realized that teaching just wasn’t for me. It took a different type of patience with the 3rd graders. In some ways, though, it did validate my decision to go into higher education, because when I was going through everything with the first person I met and felt a connection with as an RA, things weren’t as easy, it was a turbulent relationship. He wasn’t out, I was ready to come out, and I ultimately did get help with the counseling center here to talk through my feelings and things like that, and I saw how much staff can make a difference. In a way I suppose in addition to enjoying working with college students in the residence halls, knowing how much of a critical time this is for college students is important to me. So many students feel emboldened or liberated when they come to college and they can be their true selves, especially if they’re coming from a place that isn't as accepting. I’m happy to be able to be part of that, and understand that everyone's journey is different with that, but I know having experienced that myself, working in higher education would be something that would be valuable in a lot of different ways and I could give back.
Do you think the LGBTQ culture has changed while you’ve been at Rowan?
I do, but when you sent that question I had to really think about it. For me, the LGBTQ+ identity isn’t one of the more salient identities. I don’t know that I am as active with various groups on campus or as active in my community, so in some ways it’s hard to take a step back and see how much the campus has changed, because I’ve always found it to be an accepting place. The addition of the SJICR, though, has created much more programming and exposure for programs and support for the LGBTQ+ population. It was encouraging; there was a year during Pride where Bunce Hall was lit up with rainbow lights, and that didn’t happen when I was here. There seems to be more than just one person in one office dedicated to it now, and it just seems like there’s more of an investment in making sure students of all different groups feel supported. I would say it’s gotten better, but I don’t know that it was that bad when I was here before.
What would you say to a student or youth who’s struggling with their identity, either personally or with others?
One of the things is that struggling and questioning is a very normal part of coming to college and a normal part of a young adult's life. I say that because certainly sexuality and attraction and conflicts like that are things that many students deal with in the transition to college, and you see college be a transition for a lot of students for a lot of topics. I think the thing that I would tell them, especially here at Rowan, is they’re in a supportive place, there are a lot of great resources for folks who are still exploring. As someone who sought counseling services myself, try not to feel stigmatized by that, it’s a really good resource even if it’s on a one-time basis to process feelings. Nobody is going to tell you how to feel or what to think, they’re just going to help you tease out what you’re feeling and your emotions. The other thing I would share is that it might help to utilize the Out and Ally Network. While everyone’s experience isn't the same, having someone that you feel you can confide in and you feel might have some level of empathy for what you’re going through is always a good thing. The whole point of having that resource is to be able to identify that this person might have some semblance of understanding of what I’m going through. It’s okay to reach out to them, myself and everyone on that list are ready and willing to meet and talk and support and whatever we can do to help those students who are questioning or struggling to find their way. Know that you're not alone, there are people here that can help
Anything else you would like to discuss?
There’s still a lot of work to be done. For folks who are more committed to this work and really interested in this identity, I’d encourage them to work with the SJICR and other groups on campus to be the change you want to see. If this campus isn’t what you want it to be, I’ve seen so much change happen over the course of the short time I've been here, and it’s been led by students. Administration is very receptive to that change, the SGA is very receptive to that change, I would encourage students that if there’s something they don’t see being offered or a service not being provided, or whatever the issue may be, talk to folks and try to work with us to make that change happen. I can say that at the administrative level, we’re receptive to that and we want to see that, because we don’t know everything that the students are going through. To the extent that students are comfortable with sharing those things, they are certainly welcome to do that. I’d caveat that you don’t need to share your identity to be able to advocate for change. We have a lot of allies that don’t identify as LGBTQ+ but they’re allies. Even if folks are not part of the community or don’t want to out themselves, that doesn’t mean that you can’t advocate for change.
Jody Russell Manning
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I'm an Ally, and I am with you. Whatever is happening, let's move forward with it. Name, pronouns, and identity?
Professor Jody Russell Manning, pronouns are he/him/his, and I am a gay man. What is your position at Rowan, and when did you start? I am a history professor, faculty advisor for Prism, and the program director for the Rowan Center for the Study of Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights. I started at Rowan in 2016. When did you come out as LGBTQ, and why then? I come from a huge family from Ohio. My parents were very open to me coming out, in fact they were kind of pushing me. I am 47, and so I grew up in a different time of course, and from a small town in Ohio, but my parents were very open and accepting, and I'm the one who actually sort of had an issue with it. I didn’t come out until during college, so at about 21. |
Has being LGBTQ+ impacted or influenced your career, and if so, how?
Definitely, in ways that are apparent and other ways that are not. I deal with Holocaust and Genocide studies, that’s my area of specialty, and one of the reasons I went into this field was because of persecution and human rights and universalization of genocide, targeting groups that are seen as different. Yes, in that sense, it did, and it has always influenced it in some way, though not always in a positive way, right? I was just thinking about a time (not at Rowan) where I’d taken a group of students and one of my colleagues outed me in front of them, and it was one of those experiences I had not had yet. I was just looking back on this the other day, and I thought how it would be so different now. When I teach, I always talk about using pronouns; it’s very apparent, and I’m very open about it, where even just 5-10 years ago I was not so open. It’s still been a process.
Do you think the LGBTQ culture has changed while you’ve been at Rowan?
It’s completely changed. Since the beginning, I had always worked with SJICR, which is amazing. One of the reasons I’m the Prism advisor is because when I first came here I attended the first Prism meeting of that semester. Of course, I was the only faculty and the only person of my age, and everyone was very accepting, but it was very uncomfortable. It was obvious that faculty hadn’t shown up to meetings before. Again, nobody was unaccepting, but afterwards I reached out to the president and was like, it’s clear that older people don’t come, and they explained no, that’s not really what happens. I felt that we needed to change that, actually, and I became very involved. I became the advisor because of that, because it isn’t just students, there are faculty and administration, and we need to be present. My Dean supported me and sent me for training to become a Safe Zone trainer, so I’ve been certified, and I now have trained the entire history department with the goal of getting every department in our college certified or at least Safe Zone trained in some way. I sort of hit the ground running and pushed for more connections with students. Not only me as a faculty member who is gay, but even Allies and just getting the word out and talking about Safe Spaces. Maybe it’s just my pushing, but I’ve talked a lot more about preferred names and pronouns and how professors are not used to this, and how they should be more...I don’t want to say aggressive *laughs,* but at least be more aware at the beginning of the semester saying that we’re going to use preferred pronouns and that it’s an inclusive environment. It’s what we need to do as educators. I’ve heard horror stories from students where they’ve been outed or uncomfortable or not supported. I always say to ask the student and talk to them about what’s going on. So yes, it has changed, even in the short time I’ve been at Rowan.
What would you say to a student or youth who’s struggling with their identity, either personally or with others?
It’s a great question, and when I saw the question I panicked. My immediate reaction is that I wouldn’t tell them anything, I would listen. That’s the most important thing that I think I really took from this question. It’s not about me telling them anything, it’s about me listening and saying I’m here, I’m an Ally, and I am with you. Whatever it is that’s happening, let’s move forward with it.
Definitely, in ways that are apparent and other ways that are not. I deal with Holocaust and Genocide studies, that’s my area of specialty, and one of the reasons I went into this field was because of persecution and human rights and universalization of genocide, targeting groups that are seen as different. Yes, in that sense, it did, and it has always influenced it in some way, though not always in a positive way, right? I was just thinking about a time (not at Rowan) where I’d taken a group of students and one of my colleagues outed me in front of them, and it was one of those experiences I had not had yet. I was just looking back on this the other day, and I thought how it would be so different now. When I teach, I always talk about using pronouns; it’s very apparent, and I’m very open about it, where even just 5-10 years ago I was not so open. It’s still been a process.
Do you think the LGBTQ culture has changed while you’ve been at Rowan?
It’s completely changed. Since the beginning, I had always worked with SJICR, which is amazing. One of the reasons I’m the Prism advisor is because when I first came here I attended the first Prism meeting of that semester. Of course, I was the only faculty and the only person of my age, and everyone was very accepting, but it was very uncomfortable. It was obvious that faculty hadn’t shown up to meetings before. Again, nobody was unaccepting, but afterwards I reached out to the president and was like, it’s clear that older people don’t come, and they explained no, that’s not really what happens. I felt that we needed to change that, actually, and I became very involved. I became the advisor because of that, because it isn’t just students, there are faculty and administration, and we need to be present. My Dean supported me and sent me for training to become a Safe Zone trainer, so I’ve been certified, and I now have trained the entire history department with the goal of getting every department in our college certified or at least Safe Zone trained in some way. I sort of hit the ground running and pushed for more connections with students. Not only me as a faculty member who is gay, but even Allies and just getting the word out and talking about Safe Spaces. Maybe it’s just my pushing, but I’ve talked a lot more about preferred names and pronouns and how professors are not used to this, and how they should be more...I don’t want to say aggressive *laughs,* but at least be more aware at the beginning of the semester saying that we’re going to use preferred pronouns and that it’s an inclusive environment. It’s what we need to do as educators. I’ve heard horror stories from students where they’ve been outed or uncomfortable or not supported. I always say to ask the student and talk to them about what’s going on. So yes, it has changed, even in the short time I’ve been at Rowan.
What would you say to a student or youth who’s struggling with their identity, either personally or with others?
It’s a great question, and when I saw the question I panicked. My immediate reaction is that I wouldn’t tell them anything, I would listen. That’s the most important thing that I think I really took from this question. It’s not about me telling them anything, it’s about me listening and saying I’m here, I’m an Ally, and I am with you. Whatever it is that’s happening, let’s move forward with it.
Harold C. Connolly, Jr.
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Sometimes we all need someone to listen to us who can relate to us because they are part of the same community" Name, pronouns, and identity?
My name is Harold C. Connolly Jr, my pronouns are he and him, and I self-identify as an openly gay man. What is your position at Rowan, and when did you start? I am the founding chair and professor of the department of geology here at Rowan University. I joined the faculty in September of 2016, coming from the City University of New York where I was for 15 years before this. I’ll add that I’m also Co-Investigator and my managerial title is Mission Sample Scientist for the OSIRIS-Rex space mission, which is NASA’s New Frontiers 3 asteroid sample return mission. To my knowledge, I’m the only openly LGBTQ person on the upper management of the space mission. I’m also involved in a Japanese space mission, Hayabusa2. |
When did you come out as LGBTQ, and why then?
I first started coming in the mid-1980s, when I went to college I was starting to be more open. Then of course, the HIV epidemic hit, and many of us really freaked out. Defensively, without realizing, I stopped myself from continuing to become more free and open with who I am. I didn’t really hide but I didn’t do anything about it. From the mid-90’s, I couldn't stand it anymore so I came out totally by about three quarters of the way through my Ph.D.
Has being LGBTQ+ impacted or influenced your career, and if so, how?
That’s a great question, and one that I think about a lot, actually. I think it has. I think generally speaking as a community and individuals, we’re much more sensitive to a lot of social and emotional issues that go on in daily work life. I have never felt totally oppressed in my career, and I haven’t necessarily plugged myself as being LGBTQ as the first thing you find or see, but even today when I’m in a room full of people and I’m making managerial decisions and I’m the only LGBTQ+ person in the room, there is without question a sense of loneliness. There are certain levels of communication that I just can’t have, even if it’s having a joke because you don’t want to offend or alienate a person.
How has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time here at Rowan?
I don’t think it has, at least not in any way I notice. One of the many reasons I joined the faculty at Rowan was because, during the interview process, I noticed that the campus had a diverse community. I grew up not far away and when I was young it was nothing like it is today with respect to diversity. To me, I feel very comfortable being me, totally out, and feel the that there is a real community at Rowan that makes me happy to be here. It is certainly extremely supportive.
What would you say to a student or youth who’s struggling with their identity, either personally or with others?
You are not alone. We are here for you as a community and willing to help in every way we can. If we don’t know the answer to a question or issue, we can help you find someone that does. Do not hesitate to contact any faculty member and if you feel more comfortable with contacting one from our community such as myself, please do so and without hesitation. Sometimes we all need someone to listen to us who can relate to us because they are part of the same community. We are very happy to just listen to you as well—that’s one of the strengths of our Rowan community—being supportive!
I first started coming in the mid-1980s, when I went to college I was starting to be more open. Then of course, the HIV epidemic hit, and many of us really freaked out. Defensively, without realizing, I stopped myself from continuing to become more free and open with who I am. I didn’t really hide but I didn’t do anything about it. From the mid-90’s, I couldn't stand it anymore so I came out totally by about three quarters of the way through my Ph.D.
Has being LGBTQ+ impacted or influenced your career, and if so, how?
That’s a great question, and one that I think about a lot, actually. I think it has. I think generally speaking as a community and individuals, we’re much more sensitive to a lot of social and emotional issues that go on in daily work life. I have never felt totally oppressed in my career, and I haven’t necessarily plugged myself as being LGBTQ as the first thing you find or see, but even today when I’m in a room full of people and I’m making managerial decisions and I’m the only LGBTQ+ person in the room, there is without question a sense of loneliness. There are certain levels of communication that I just can’t have, even if it’s having a joke because you don’t want to offend or alienate a person.
How has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time here at Rowan?
I don’t think it has, at least not in any way I notice. One of the many reasons I joined the faculty at Rowan was because, during the interview process, I noticed that the campus had a diverse community. I grew up not far away and when I was young it was nothing like it is today with respect to diversity. To me, I feel very comfortable being me, totally out, and feel the that there is a real community at Rowan that makes me happy to be here. It is certainly extremely supportive.
What would you say to a student or youth who’s struggling with their identity, either personally or with others?
You are not alone. We are here for you as a community and willing to help in every way we can. If we don’t know the answer to a question or issue, we can help you find someone that does. Do not hesitate to contact any faculty member and if you feel more comfortable with contacting one from our community such as myself, please do so and without hesitation. Sometimes we all need someone to listen to us who can relate to us because they are part of the same community. We are very happy to just listen to you as well—that’s one of the strengths of our Rowan community—being supportive!
Drew Tinnin
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I know it can be super scary to talk about identity, but in my experience, it really helped when I started talking about my identity with others. Name, pronouns, and identity?
I am Drew Tinnin, I use he/him/his pronouns, and I identify as a gay male. What is your position at Rowan, and when did you start? I am currently the Associate Vice President for Student Life here, so I work a lot with campus involvement such as the Student Center and Rec Center, orientation, student leadership, and clubs and organizations. I started in 2010 working with orientation and student leadership programs. |
When did you come out as LGBTQ, and why then?
I’m from a fairly small, conservative town in middle-of-nowhere Missouri that had about 8,000 people and 160 people in my high school class. I went to college at a school very similar to Rowan there in Missouri, and came out during college because it was really an environment that was more conducive to me. I met many accepting faculty and staff I interacted with that supported me throughout my coming out process in college.
Has being LGBTQ+ impacted or influenced your career, and if so, how?
Education in general is fairly accepting and so that has probably contributed to my career choice. I originally was planning to be a high school speech and theater teacher, which is what I was going for in my undergrad. I really got involved in college, was an RA and a member of student government, and by working with the different staff I learned that higher education is a thing too, which is why I decided to pursue my career in higher ed. I went to grad school right after undergrad for higher ed at Bowling Green in Ohio, which is actually where I met my then-future husband as a grad student. My career choice has definitely been part of my coming out and identity development.
How has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time here at Rowan?
Even in ten years here at Rowan, I’ve definitely seen a lot of changes. When I started, we only had one [LGBTQ+] student organization, the Gay-Straight Alliance. Over time I have seem the Gay-Straight Alliance morph into what is now Prism, and we now have many more queer student organizations. I was the first advisor for True Colors, which started because some trans students didn’t feel that they had the type of space that they wanted in Prism, so they started their own organization. Now we also have Queer People of Color, Out in STEM, and a variety of other opportunities for students, which is something that has definitely increased over the years. There have also been some campus policies and things that we’ve tried to do to support students that I’m proud to be a part of. We were one of the first schools in the state to implement preferred name policies for students. We’ve also done a lot of work with single-user restrooms that are more accessible on campus, as well as some more inclusive housing options where students can choose roommates without consideration for sex or gender identity. When we built Hollypointe, the gender neutral bathrooms were certainly something we wanted to make sure were included.
What would you say to a student or youth who’s struggling with their identity, either personally or with others?
I definitely think it’s a process that’s different for a lot of people, but I hope students are able to find the support and resources that they need here. I’ve found a lot of students and faculty are accepting and welcoming, and both wanting to learn more about others while also being supportive. I know it can be super scary to talk about identity, especially if you are questioning or just coming out, but in my experience, it really helped when I started talking about my identity with others.
I’m from a fairly small, conservative town in middle-of-nowhere Missouri that had about 8,000 people and 160 people in my high school class. I went to college at a school very similar to Rowan there in Missouri, and came out during college because it was really an environment that was more conducive to me. I met many accepting faculty and staff I interacted with that supported me throughout my coming out process in college.
Has being LGBTQ+ impacted or influenced your career, and if so, how?
Education in general is fairly accepting and so that has probably contributed to my career choice. I originally was planning to be a high school speech and theater teacher, which is what I was going for in my undergrad. I really got involved in college, was an RA and a member of student government, and by working with the different staff I learned that higher education is a thing too, which is why I decided to pursue my career in higher ed. I went to grad school right after undergrad for higher ed at Bowling Green in Ohio, which is actually where I met my then-future husband as a grad student. My career choice has definitely been part of my coming out and identity development.
How has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time here at Rowan?
Even in ten years here at Rowan, I’ve definitely seen a lot of changes. When I started, we only had one [LGBTQ+] student organization, the Gay-Straight Alliance. Over time I have seem the Gay-Straight Alliance morph into what is now Prism, and we now have many more queer student organizations. I was the first advisor for True Colors, which started because some trans students didn’t feel that they had the type of space that they wanted in Prism, so they started their own organization. Now we also have Queer People of Color, Out in STEM, and a variety of other opportunities for students, which is something that has definitely increased over the years. There have also been some campus policies and things that we’ve tried to do to support students that I’m proud to be a part of. We were one of the first schools in the state to implement preferred name policies for students. We’ve also done a lot of work with single-user restrooms that are more accessible on campus, as well as some more inclusive housing options where students can choose roommates without consideration for sex or gender identity. When we built Hollypointe, the gender neutral bathrooms were certainly something we wanted to make sure were included.
What would you say to a student or youth who’s struggling with their identity, either personally or with others?
I definitely think it’s a process that’s different for a lot of people, but I hope students are able to find the support and resources that they need here. I’ve found a lot of students and faculty are accepting and welcoming, and both wanting to learn more about others while also being supportive. I know it can be super scary to talk about identity, especially if you are questioning or just coming out, but in my experience, it really helped when I started talking about my identity with others.