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Tyler "TJ" Jacobs
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Maybe one day I can be that hero where someone looks at my work and says he did it, I can do it, which is a beautiful thing. Name, pronouns, and identity?
I am Tyler “TJ” Jacobs, my pronouns are he/him/his, and I am a gay man. What is your year in school and your major? I am a junior theater major at Rowan University. When did you come out as LGBTQ+, and why then? *laughs* okay this is actually a really funny story. So there is never a right time for anything. I actually came out twice, and the first time was of my own accord. I was in 8th grade, and I had attended an open house at my sister’s elementary school with my family and my sister. My sister’s school had one of those "cafetoriums" where there’s a stage in the cafeteria, and I had gone up on the stage and had done some kind of flourish or something, and my |
mom was like “be careful Tyler, do something like that and people might think that you’re gay.” I was like, haha, yeah, and she said “it would be okay if you were,” and I was like cool, that’s good to know. That in mind, we were going out to the car, and I was like “well, I am gay” and they said oh haha, yeah sure, and I was like no, I am gay. My step-dad laughed and said okay, but my mom proceeded to freak out. She pulled every emotional trick to basically force me back into the closet, and that was not great. But she had said it would be okay, so I had been like, well, there’s no better time than the present, and it turns out the present was not a great time. Later, sophomore year of high school, I had two of my friends over. My friend, who I had a crush on at the time, and I were cuddling and my mom came in and said “stop that.” Well, obviously, we didn't stop, and then she came back and said that I needed to come downstairs, while my friends were still in my room, and then had this entire confrontation with me that was forcing me out of the closet. Now everything’s fine, we have a great relationship. My mom doesn’t have a problem with it; she did research on her own to figure out what was going on, and we have a great relationship now. Certainly back then, things were a bit rocky.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
Not really in any negative way. Generally, I’ve been pretty blessed with being a white cis man, who is also straight-passing, that I haven’t had any backlash. I mean, I’ve been called “fag” only twice in my life, and not so many are that lucky.
Has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time at Rowan?
I’m in the theater department, so I’m just generally around a large amount of LGBTQ+ people, but I haven’t really felt super connected to a larger community of LGBTQ+ people as a whole at Rowan. I haven’t felt that at all. I haven’t really experienced any hatefulness or anything from the general public, besides being called “fag” once, but that was one time out of three years. Ultimately, it doesn’t feel like there’s a huge presence with any of the LGBTQ+ organizations. I know that they’re there, but I’m never able to attend because of my schedule. This year I’m really, really trying to reach out and connect to other people in the community because in general LGBTQ+ youth do not get to connect to others in the community throughout their adolescence. I really think we are negatively impacted by that, because we don’t get to relate and share our experiences with others as our straight counterparts do. I’m hoping that the community continues to grow and open up and connect with others on campus, but I haven’t seen any new developments. It’s honestly stagnant. The community at large here are very accepting.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I would like to see a large presence besides rainbow balloons at Pride month. There are drag competitions that happen, but only once a year. Maybe I’m wrong, because I’m not super connected to any of the organizations, but I would generally like to see more outreach and letting people know “hey we’re here.” Other than me just being aware of the existence of these clubs, I see and hear nothing. That’s really unfortunate because there are a lot of people who could really use a little more messaging and letting them know that they’re there. There’s no connection, there’s no flyer up or anything that’s constantly up in their periphery to remind them that oh, there are people out there like me on campus who I can connect to and grow with. It would be really assuring if there was a general expansion of LGBTQ+ presence to let people know we are here.
Anything else you want to discuss?
I think it’s really, incredibly important to find people in the community you look up to and can relate to and maybe reach out to. I’m a puppeteer, and the puppeteering community, like most professions, is dominated by straight, cis, white men, but there are queer puppeteers out there, and there are some truly amazing ones. While I haven’t had the privilege of getting to speak with them, just knowing that they exist and being able to see and relate to their work, and to know that they’re approaching it through that [LGBTQ+] lens is a really powerful thing. To know that there are these artists representing gay men in the puppeteering profession is really really important to me. They are truly my biggest heroes, and I know for me, I hope I can connect with them so maybe one day I can be that hero where someone looks at my work and says he did it, I can do it, which is a beautiful thing. Find your idols, find your role models, and if you can, let them know that you’re here too.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
Not really in any negative way. Generally, I’ve been pretty blessed with being a white cis man, who is also straight-passing, that I haven’t had any backlash. I mean, I’ve been called “fag” only twice in my life, and not so many are that lucky.
Has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time at Rowan?
I’m in the theater department, so I’m just generally around a large amount of LGBTQ+ people, but I haven’t really felt super connected to a larger community of LGBTQ+ people as a whole at Rowan. I haven’t felt that at all. I haven’t really experienced any hatefulness or anything from the general public, besides being called “fag” once, but that was one time out of three years. Ultimately, it doesn’t feel like there’s a huge presence with any of the LGBTQ+ organizations. I know that they’re there, but I’m never able to attend because of my schedule. This year I’m really, really trying to reach out and connect to other people in the community because in general LGBTQ+ youth do not get to connect to others in the community throughout their adolescence. I really think we are negatively impacted by that, because we don’t get to relate and share our experiences with others as our straight counterparts do. I’m hoping that the community continues to grow and open up and connect with others on campus, but I haven’t seen any new developments. It’s honestly stagnant. The community at large here are very accepting.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I would like to see a large presence besides rainbow balloons at Pride month. There are drag competitions that happen, but only once a year. Maybe I’m wrong, because I’m not super connected to any of the organizations, but I would generally like to see more outreach and letting people know “hey we’re here.” Other than me just being aware of the existence of these clubs, I see and hear nothing. That’s really unfortunate because there are a lot of people who could really use a little more messaging and letting them know that they’re there. There’s no connection, there’s no flyer up or anything that’s constantly up in their periphery to remind them that oh, there are people out there like me on campus who I can connect to and grow with. It would be really assuring if there was a general expansion of LGBTQ+ presence to let people know we are here.
Anything else you want to discuss?
I think it’s really, incredibly important to find people in the community you look up to and can relate to and maybe reach out to. I’m a puppeteer, and the puppeteering community, like most professions, is dominated by straight, cis, white men, but there are queer puppeteers out there, and there are some truly amazing ones. While I haven’t had the privilege of getting to speak with them, just knowing that they exist and being able to see and relate to their work, and to know that they’re approaching it through that [LGBTQ+] lens is a really powerful thing. To know that there are these artists representing gay men in the puppeteering profession is really really important to me. They are truly my biggest heroes, and I know for me, I hope I can connect with them so maybe one day I can be that hero where someone looks at my work and says he did it, I can do it, which is a beautiful thing. Find your idols, find your role models, and if you can, let them know that you’re here too.
Ian McClellan
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People who want to be involved in the LGBTQ living-learning community have a place where for the first time in college they can come out and meet people in the community. Name, pronouns, and identity?
My name is Ian McClellan, my pronouns are he/him/his, and I am gay. What is your year in school and your major? I am currently a junior here at Rowan University majoring in local supply chain management and logistics, marketing, and entrepreneurship. |
When did you come out as LGBTQ+, and why then?
I officially came out when transitioning between high school and college. For me it was just an easier transition, because I didn’t have to keep up any sort of façade. Everyone who was going to be at my school wouldn’t know me, so it was an easier time to be open instead of trying to hide it.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
For the most part, there isn’t a noticeable impact. My teachers have never quite cared, and most of them probably don't know. I’m not super forthcoming about being gay, it’s more of a fun fact or piece of trivia that you figure out if you figure it out, so I guess there’s been no profound impact.
Has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time at Rowan?
I’d say the change is minor, but I noticed it through the LGBTQ clubs on campus. When I first started attending Rowan my freshman year, the LGBTQ clubs and organizations were more of a social gathering where you could go and meet other LGBTQ people in the community, but today it’s more focused on activism and social change. That has come around due to leadership changes in the clubs, so activism is a bit bigger on campus than it once was. Social interaction still occurs through the activism of those clubs, but it’s not quite what it was. The culture hasn’t changed too much, but just changed what the focus is about.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I know a lot of people at Rowan struggle at the moment with their identity. College, for a lot of people, is a time to get away from the pressures of home and feeling like you have to achieve certain things, so I know a lot of students have the opportunity to explore their sexuality. A lot of people are quiet or hushed about it, though, because they feel that there’s some kind of stigma or stereotype about experimenting with your sexuality, like it’s something you can be made fun of, especially if you’re a male. You seem to have to want to experiment, because if you experiment, people think you automatically are [LGBTQ] and there’s no going back, so a lot of people go on apps to explore sexuality and use fake names or don’t put up photos, so overall there’s a lot of insecurity about it, which could be worked to be decreased.
Anything else you want to discuss?
There’s a living-learning community in Holly Pointe Commons for LGBTQ+ people. I know that RLUH (Residential Learning and University Housing) is really pushing to create more learning communities to allow people to express their interests, so people who want to be involved in the LGBTQ community have a place where for the first time in college they can come out and meet people in the community. They get the opportunity to feel an aura of comfort, because other people in their community don’t judge them for who they are.
I officially came out when transitioning between high school and college. For me it was just an easier transition, because I didn’t have to keep up any sort of façade. Everyone who was going to be at my school wouldn’t know me, so it was an easier time to be open instead of trying to hide it.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
For the most part, there isn’t a noticeable impact. My teachers have never quite cared, and most of them probably don't know. I’m not super forthcoming about being gay, it’s more of a fun fact or piece of trivia that you figure out if you figure it out, so I guess there’s been no profound impact.
Has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time at Rowan?
I’d say the change is minor, but I noticed it through the LGBTQ clubs on campus. When I first started attending Rowan my freshman year, the LGBTQ clubs and organizations were more of a social gathering where you could go and meet other LGBTQ people in the community, but today it’s more focused on activism and social change. That has come around due to leadership changes in the clubs, so activism is a bit bigger on campus than it once was. Social interaction still occurs through the activism of those clubs, but it’s not quite what it was. The culture hasn’t changed too much, but just changed what the focus is about.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I know a lot of people at Rowan struggle at the moment with their identity. College, for a lot of people, is a time to get away from the pressures of home and feeling like you have to achieve certain things, so I know a lot of students have the opportunity to explore their sexuality. A lot of people are quiet or hushed about it, though, because they feel that there’s some kind of stigma or stereotype about experimenting with your sexuality, like it’s something you can be made fun of, especially if you’re a male. You seem to have to want to experiment, because if you experiment, people think you automatically are [LGBTQ] and there’s no going back, so a lot of people go on apps to explore sexuality and use fake names or don’t put up photos, so overall there’s a lot of insecurity about it, which could be worked to be decreased.
Anything else you want to discuss?
There’s a living-learning community in Holly Pointe Commons for LGBTQ+ people. I know that RLUH (Residential Learning and University Housing) is really pushing to create more learning communities to allow people to express their interests, so people who want to be involved in the LGBTQ community have a place where for the first time in college they can come out and meet people in the community. They get the opportunity to feel an aura of comfort, because other people in their community don’t judge them for who they are.
Rahbert Britt
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Don’t worry about anybody else's acceptance, because if you bank on someone accepting you, you’re putting their opinion over your own. Name, pronouns, and identity?
My name is Rahbert, my pronouns are he/him/his, and I am bisexual. What is your year in school and your major? I’m a junior performing arts major with a concentration in acting. When did you come out as LGBTQ+, and why then? I came out at the end of my sophomore year in college because I didn’t feel like I was being honest with myself. I did a lot of praying, a lot of self-reflection, and a lot of questions were asked of me. I guess technically that was my second time coming out; my first time coming out, I came out to my mom. She asked me a lot of questions I wasn't able to answer at that point, and she made me second guess my decision. That only |
made me self-reflect more and truly try to understand if this is really who I am, and it made me realize this is who I am.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
It has in a positive way! I have wanted to know more about the LGBTQ history because I do realize that it’s not really taught that much in schools. Being black and being bisexual, it’s kind of a double hinderance, like I don’t know much about either history except what’s portrayed on media which is usually the same thing over and over again. I have to do a lot of my own digging and find the few teachers that do put it in their bios that they are LGBTQ or that I can clearly see are black or a minority in several categories with intersectionality. I ask them a lot of questions and try to connect with them as much as I can.
Has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time at Rowan?
I do think it has gotten better from when I was a freshman because I know from doing the roommate application, they now ask the questions like “are you comfortable sleeping in the same room as someone who is genderfluid or nonbinary” or things like that, and so it does create a safe space for those people. Rowan obviously does not want to put them in a room where someone is not comfortable because that would be a whole other situation. If they can’t find anybody, they’re able to get their own room, which I appreciate.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I do think there are obviously more ways to be inclusive like having more gender-neutral bathrooms and more LGBTQ+ history classes, as well as classes teaching about the full acronym of LGBTQ+ and what everything means. Also, making it part of the curriculum, or maybe even having a major in LGBTQ studies, not just an elective, would be awesome.
Anything else you want to discuss?
When it comes to coming out, don’t let anybody make you second guess yourself. I let that happen to me with my mom. I came out to her just after high school, and she asked me all those questions I wasn’t able to answer. She asked if I really think I’m bisexual, and that sent me into a spiral that really affected me negatively. I started second guessing everything I was doing, and was insecure about anything and everything that I did. I had to just let it go and I had to make sure that I knew who I was. My mother has accepted me now because I'm more confident in who I am with being bisexual. Ultimately, don’t let anyone second guess your identity. Don’t worry about anybody’s acceptance because if you bank on someone accepting you, you’re putting their opinion over your own
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
It has in a positive way! I have wanted to know more about the LGBTQ history because I do realize that it’s not really taught that much in schools. Being black and being bisexual, it’s kind of a double hinderance, like I don’t know much about either history except what’s portrayed on media which is usually the same thing over and over again. I have to do a lot of my own digging and find the few teachers that do put it in their bios that they are LGBTQ or that I can clearly see are black or a minority in several categories with intersectionality. I ask them a lot of questions and try to connect with them as much as I can.
Has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time at Rowan?
I do think it has gotten better from when I was a freshman because I know from doing the roommate application, they now ask the questions like “are you comfortable sleeping in the same room as someone who is genderfluid or nonbinary” or things like that, and so it does create a safe space for those people. Rowan obviously does not want to put them in a room where someone is not comfortable because that would be a whole other situation. If they can’t find anybody, they’re able to get their own room, which I appreciate.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I do think there are obviously more ways to be inclusive like having more gender-neutral bathrooms and more LGBTQ+ history classes, as well as classes teaching about the full acronym of LGBTQ+ and what everything means. Also, making it part of the curriculum, or maybe even having a major in LGBTQ studies, not just an elective, would be awesome.
Anything else you want to discuss?
When it comes to coming out, don’t let anybody make you second guess yourself. I let that happen to me with my mom. I came out to her just after high school, and she asked me all those questions I wasn’t able to answer. She asked if I really think I’m bisexual, and that sent me into a spiral that really affected me negatively. I started second guessing everything I was doing, and was insecure about anything and everything that I did. I had to just let it go and I had to make sure that I knew who I was. My mother has accepted me now because I'm more confident in who I am with being bisexual. Ultimately, don’t let anyone second guess your identity. Don’t worry about anybody’s acceptance because if you bank on someone accepting you, you’re putting their opinion over your own
Jahnaya Peyton
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Being LGBTQIA+ has heavily impacted my involvement at Rowan. I am the President of a LGBTQ+ and multicultural organization on campus called Queer People of Color (QPOC). Name: Jahnaya Peyton
Pronouns: She/Her/They/Them Identity: Pansexual What is your year in school and your major? I am a junior majoring in Public Relations and Advertising. |
When did you come out as LGBTQ+, and why then?
I decided to come out to my mom during my Freshman year at Rowan. Since I no longer lived at home I figured what's the worst that can happen. Surprisingly, she was fine with it. She didn't completely understand my identity but I explained it as best as I could and she didn't make a big deal out of it at all.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
Being LGBTQIA+ has heavily impacted my involvement at Rowan. I am the President of a LGBTQ+ and multicultural organization on campus called Queer People of Color (QPOC). All of the friends I have made here are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. My entire social experience at Rowan is influenced by the LGBTQIA+ community.
Has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time at Rowan?
LGBTQIA+ culture and acceptance has pretty much stayed the same during my time at Rowan. Everyone I have met is super supportive, accepting, and welcoming.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
Some things I would like to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ life are more representation and awareness, and more policies dedicated to help the community.
Anything else you want to discuss?
For those looking for a safe space, a community, or a pastime, QPOC meets on Fridays at 4pm. To learn more about us please follow us on Instagram @qpocatrowan.
I decided to come out to my mom during my Freshman year at Rowan. Since I no longer lived at home I figured what's the worst that can happen. Surprisingly, she was fine with it. She didn't completely understand my identity but I explained it as best as I could and she didn't make a big deal out of it at all.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
Being LGBTQIA+ has heavily impacted my involvement at Rowan. I am the President of a LGBTQ+ and multicultural organization on campus called Queer People of Color (QPOC). All of the friends I have made here are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. My entire social experience at Rowan is influenced by the LGBTQIA+ community.
Has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time at Rowan?
LGBTQIA+ culture and acceptance has pretty much stayed the same during my time at Rowan. Everyone I have met is super supportive, accepting, and welcoming.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
Some things I would like to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ life are more representation and awareness, and more policies dedicated to help the community.
Anything else you want to discuss?
For those looking for a safe space, a community, or a pastime, QPOC meets on Fridays at 4pm. To learn more about us please follow us on Instagram @qpocatrowan.
Rey Vazquez Jr.
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Treat everyone regardless of gender, orientation, expression, or ethnicity like a human being deserving of love and respect. Name, pronouns, identity, and major?
My name is Reinaldo Vázquez Jr, but most people call me Rey. I am a Latinx male of Puerto Rican descent. I am bi-racial and pansexual/panromantic. My hometown is Paulsboro, New Jersey, a small town in Gloucester County about 20 minutes from Rowan's main campus where I am pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Physics with a Minor in Math. |
When did you come out as LGBTQ+, and why then?
Truth be told, I never directly came out to my family as being Queer. Over time, they came to accept I was different without an explanation, though I'm sure it helps that I never brought home a boyfriend.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
I think being a Queer person of color played a major part in how I was perceived by my peers growing up. There were very few openly gay and lesbian students in my school, fewer non-binary students, and fewer still were people of color. In high school, I joined a student support club called SURE (Students United for Respect and Equality). SURE, particularly the club advisor/art teacher Ms. Margaret LaDue, was a critical resource for my mental health and physical well-being.
Has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time at Rowan?
I feel that while the Rowan's administration claims to value our differences and though public perception of LGBTQ+ folx has marginally improved over the past several years, there is still a long road ahead. In America, trans and non-binary people, especially womxn of color are still routinely the targets of violent crimes in the streets, domestic abuse in the home, and crude "jokes" in the media.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I would like to see Rowan Administration and the Division of Equity and Inclusion institute specific policies and goals aimed at diminishing the social barriers that LGBTQ+ and people of color face and establishing the entire Rowan Community as a safe space for us to receive our education.
Anything else you want to discuss?
Defund the police and invest in the people, arrest the cops that killed Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Philando Castile and countless others and ACTUALLY hold them accountable. Stop treating trans and non-binary people as someone to be ostracized, bullied, and laughed at and instead treat everyone regardless of gender, orientation, expression, or ethnicity like a human being deserving of love and respect.
Truth be told, I never directly came out to my family as being Queer. Over time, they came to accept I was different without an explanation, though I'm sure it helps that I never brought home a boyfriend.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
I think being a Queer person of color played a major part in how I was perceived by my peers growing up. There were very few openly gay and lesbian students in my school, fewer non-binary students, and fewer still were people of color. In high school, I joined a student support club called SURE (Students United for Respect and Equality). SURE, particularly the club advisor/art teacher Ms. Margaret LaDue, was a critical resource for my mental health and physical well-being.
Has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time at Rowan?
I feel that while the Rowan's administration claims to value our differences and though public perception of LGBTQ+ folx has marginally improved over the past several years, there is still a long road ahead. In America, trans and non-binary people, especially womxn of color are still routinely the targets of violent crimes in the streets, domestic abuse in the home, and crude "jokes" in the media.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I would like to see Rowan Administration and the Division of Equity and Inclusion institute specific policies and goals aimed at diminishing the social barriers that LGBTQ+ and people of color face and establishing the entire Rowan Community as a safe space for us to receive our education.
Anything else you want to discuss?
Defund the police and invest in the people, arrest the cops that killed Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Philando Castile and countless others and ACTUALLY hold them accountable. Stop treating trans and non-binary people as someone to be ostracized, bullied, and laughed at and instead treat everyone regardless of gender, orientation, expression, or ethnicity like a human being deserving of love and respect.
Connor Crafton-Tempel
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Seeing the amount of students [in 2019] telling homophobic protestors that their bigoted worldview is flat out wrong told me that I had made a good choice in transferring here. Name: Connor Crafton-Tempel
Pronouns: They/Them Identity: Non-binary, Pansexual What is your year in school and your major? I am a senior in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management |
When did you come out as LGBTQ+, and why then?
I initially came out as bisexual when I was 14, right around Memorial Day of 2014. I had known for most of 8th grade, but at the time I had to be in the closet. I was involved with Scouts BSA, which had a ban on LGBTQ+ youth and adults. Once I heard on the news that I could be both bi and continue with Scouting, I came out to my parents. Then, my junior year of college, I did a lot of self-reflecting on my sexual orientation, gender identity, and pronouns. I then realized that I don’t identify as a cisgender man, but rather as a nonbinary individual. I also realized when I came to terms with being nonbinary that I would love my partner no matter how they identified in terms of sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. What actually helped was taking Sexuality and Society with Dr. Nadine Rosechild-Sullivan. That was the first time I got an in-depth education on the LGBTQ+ community.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
For the most part, being queer really hasn’t impacted my education here at Rowan. Before I transferred here, I studied at a Roman Catholic university where there was a much larger Republican/conservative demographic than here at Rowan. Because of this (and a few other factors), I slid into a slight depression when I was a freshman and my grades were affected. Now that I’m mostly out of the closet, my grades have vastly improved.
How do you view Rowan's acceptance and LGBTQ+ culture on campus?
I did have allies at my old school, but I knew that there would be a lot more allies at Rowan. I transferred here in the spring of 2019, and what really solidified it for me was seeing the turnout for the people protesting on campus in April 2019. The group is based in Philadelphia and goes around the region saying that certain groups of people aren’t worthy of heaven due to various things such as sexual orientation and gender identity. Just seeing the amount of students packed into the Student Center patio telling them that their bigoted worldview is flat out wrong told me that I had made a good choice in transferring here, and I don’t think I would’ve seen that same response at my previous university.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I would like to see more celebrations of LGBTQ+ people, and in particular, celebrating LGBTQ+ people of color. Stonewall was started by Marsha Johnson, a bisexual trans woman of color. Another influential activist was the Rev. Pauli Murray, an activist who later became an Episcopal priest (and we venerate her on the anniversary of her death). We do have a few events celebrating pride during our pride month in April, since the typical collegiate academic year doesn’t include June, but most people our age haven’t heard of Marsha Johnson or Rev. Pauli Murray, which is why I feel we need more celebrations of queer POC.
Anything else you want to discuss?
The closest thing to an on-campus group for religious LGBTQ+ individuals is The Episcopal Church at Rowan University (TEC@RU), my diocese’s chaplaincy at Rowan. I am so grateful that St. Thomas and the other parishes that make up TEC@RU are affirming parishes in the Episcopal Church.
I initially came out as bisexual when I was 14, right around Memorial Day of 2014. I had known for most of 8th grade, but at the time I had to be in the closet. I was involved with Scouts BSA, which had a ban on LGBTQ+ youth and adults. Once I heard on the news that I could be both bi and continue with Scouting, I came out to my parents. Then, my junior year of college, I did a lot of self-reflecting on my sexual orientation, gender identity, and pronouns. I then realized that I don’t identify as a cisgender man, but rather as a nonbinary individual. I also realized when I came to terms with being nonbinary that I would love my partner no matter how they identified in terms of sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. What actually helped was taking Sexuality and Society with Dr. Nadine Rosechild-Sullivan. That was the first time I got an in-depth education on the LGBTQ+ community.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
For the most part, being queer really hasn’t impacted my education here at Rowan. Before I transferred here, I studied at a Roman Catholic university where there was a much larger Republican/conservative demographic than here at Rowan. Because of this (and a few other factors), I slid into a slight depression when I was a freshman and my grades were affected. Now that I’m mostly out of the closet, my grades have vastly improved.
How do you view Rowan's acceptance and LGBTQ+ culture on campus?
I did have allies at my old school, but I knew that there would be a lot more allies at Rowan. I transferred here in the spring of 2019, and what really solidified it for me was seeing the turnout for the people protesting on campus in April 2019. The group is based in Philadelphia and goes around the region saying that certain groups of people aren’t worthy of heaven due to various things such as sexual orientation and gender identity. Just seeing the amount of students packed into the Student Center patio telling them that their bigoted worldview is flat out wrong told me that I had made a good choice in transferring here, and I don’t think I would’ve seen that same response at my previous university.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I would like to see more celebrations of LGBTQ+ people, and in particular, celebrating LGBTQ+ people of color. Stonewall was started by Marsha Johnson, a bisexual trans woman of color. Another influential activist was the Rev. Pauli Murray, an activist who later became an Episcopal priest (and we venerate her on the anniversary of her death). We do have a few events celebrating pride during our pride month in April, since the typical collegiate academic year doesn’t include June, but most people our age haven’t heard of Marsha Johnson or Rev. Pauli Murray, which is why I feel we need more celebrations of queer POC.
Anything else you want to discuss?
The closest thing to an on-campus group for religious LGBTQ+ individuals is The Episcopal Church at Rowan University (TEC@RU), my diocese’s chaplaincy at Rowan. I am so grateful that St. Thomas and the other parishes that make up TEC@RU are affirming parishes in the Episcopal Church.
Name: October Stoner or Oby for short
Pronouns: Ze/Hir/Hirs
Identity: For my sexuality I usually just shrug and say “eh,” but when I actually have to talk about it I either say queer or perpetually questioning and fine with it. For gender I would say binary trans man but also agender.
What is your major and year in school?
Modern Languages and Linguistics, and I am technically a sophomore but I think I should be a junior by credits as a transfer student.
When did you come out as LGBTQ+, and why then?
The first thing I came out as was bisexual when I was in 8th grade. I’m autistic, and I don’t know if this is just an autistic thing, but whenever I figure out I have a crush on somebody or like someone I will just tell them within about a week of figuring it out. Not even to ask them out, just to say hey, I have a crush on you, and then whatever their response is it’s like, ‘great’ and if they don’t like me then I get over it within another week. Similarly with coming out, I found out I was bi and was like you know what, why the fuck not, I guess I’ll just say it. So there wasn’t a lot of thought process behind it. I was definitely nervous to come out though.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
Definitely, in a huge way. In high school I was one of the only trans people at my school. I came out as trans my freshman year, and my school is kinda ridiculous: they liked to pretend they’re very liberal and woke but they didn’t seem to read Title IX or understand that I have a legal right to use the bathroom, so they would deny me both women’s and men’s bathrooms. That was very difficult to navigate, and I ended up skipping PE for about two months because I didn't have a locker room to change in. My senior year it was a very weird social dynamic. I ended up doing a lot of education around trans identities for the school. There’s this health class that freshmen take and I would skip my classes with teacher permission in order to do hour-and-a-half presentations for those classes, which was really great. I would also do trainings for the teachers which was important and awesome but it gave me a weird social hierarchy that I broke, where to some extent I was equal to a lot of my teachers in terms of professionalism. I was half on equal footing and half still definitely a student, so navigating that was definitely different. Finally, when looking for colleges, I made a spreadsheet and researched over 50 colleges in the U.S. and about 15 in the UK, and part of the spreadsheet was what clubs do they have that I would be interested in and within that, what queer clubs/organizations do they have on campus. I was also researching the surrounding area and seeing how queer-friendly it was, and it was a pretty big factor in where I would apply to.
As a transfer student, what are your initial thoughts on Rowan's acceptance and LGBTQ+ culture on campus?
I attended the welcome week for queer students hosted by the Social Justice, Inclusion, and Conflict Resolution (SJICR) center and I also joined Prism. It’s been better than I expected in some ways and a bit more disappointing in others. When I was at the welcome week I asked how trans people with neopronouns are treated at the school and they said that they’ve never had someone with neopronouns before so of course it would be fine. Well, that is not how that works and it felt dismissive like ‘of course it would be fine, we don’t even think about it.’ That’s the problem, I’ve been kicked out of trans spaces for using neopronouns in the past so this is a valid concern that I have and have experience with, I have reasons for asking it. That was a little unfortunate but also I got one of the free planners and looked in it and it had “ze/hir” in there so that was cool. There are some things that are more than I would have expected. With Prism it seems like for the most part it’s really cool and really educational but there seems to be a lot of people that don’t know the basics of trans identities and also don’t know how to ask consent to ask questions about trans identities.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I don’t think I know enough about it yet to say too much. From the Prism meetings I have gone to, I think that doing more events centered around education and bringing people in who have different identities to talk about stuff would be good.. They did an LGBTQ+ representation in the media presentation and it was really interesting but there is a lot of nuance in the media, and bringing up those small things might be nice.
Pronouns: Ze/Hir/Hirs
Identity: For my sexuality I usually just shrug and say “eh,” but when I actually have to talk about it I either say queer or perpetually questioning and fine with it. For gender I would say binary trans man but also agender.
What is your major and year in school?
Modern Languages and Linguistics, and I am technically a sophomore but I think I should be a junior by credits as a transfer student.
When did you come out as LGBTQ+, and why then?
The first thing I came out as was bisexual when I was in 8th grade. I’m autistic, and I don’t know if this is just an autistic thing, but whenever I figure out I have a crush on somebody or like someone I will just tell them within about a week of figuring it out. Not even to ask them out, just to say hey, I have a crush on you, and then whatever their response is it’s like, ‘great’ and if they don’t like me then I get over it within another week. Similarly with coming out, I found out I was bi and was like you know what, why the fuck not, I guess I’ll just say it. So there wasn’t a lot of thought process behind it. I was definitely nervous to come out though.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
Definitely, in a huge way. In high school I was one of the only trans people at my school. I came out as trans my freshman year, and my school is kinda ridiculous: they liked to pretend they’re very liberal and woke but they didn’t seem to read Title IX or understand that I have a legal right to use the bathroom, so they would deny me both women’s and men’s bathrooms. That was very difficult to navigate, and I ended up skipping PE for about two months because I didn't have a locker room to change in. My senior year it was a very weird social dynamic. I ended up doing a lot of education around trans identities for the school. There’s this health class that freshmen take and I would skip my classes with teacher permission in order to do hour-and-a-half presentations for those classes, which was really great. I would also do trainings for the teachers which was important and awesome but it gave me a weird social hierarchy that I broke, where to some extent I was equal to a lot of my teachers in terms of professionalism. I was half on equal footing and half still definitely a student, so navigating that was definitely different. Finally, when looking for colleges, I made a spreadsheet and researched over 50 colleges in the U.S. and about 15 in the UK, and part of the spreadsheet was what clubs do they have that I would be interested in and within that, what queer clubs/organizations do they have on campus. I was also researching the surrounding area and seeing how queer-friendly it was, and it was a pretty big factor in where I would apply to.
As a transfer student, what are your initial thoughts on Rowan's acceptance and LGBTQ+ culture on campus?
I attended the welcome week for queer students hosted by the Social Justice, Inclusion, and Conflict Resolution (SJICR) center and I also joined Prism. It’s been better than I expected in some ways and a bit more disappointing in others. When I was at the welcome week I asked how trans people with neopronouns are treated at the school and they said that they’ve never had someone with neopronouns before so of course it would be fine. Well, that is not how that works and it felt dismissive like ‘of course it would be fine, we don’t even think about it.’ That’s the problem, I’ve been kicked out of trans spaces for using neopronouns in the past so this is a valid concern that I have and have experience with, I have reasons for asking it. That was a little unfortunate but also I got one of the free planners and looked in it and it had “ze/hir” in there so that was cool. There are some things that are more than I would have expected. With Prism it seems like for the most part it’s really cool and really educational but there seems to be a lot of people that don’t know the basics of trans identities and also don’t know how to ask consent to ask questions about trans identities.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I don’t think I know enough about it yet to say too much. From the Prism meetings I have gone to, I think that doing more events centered around education and bringing people in who have different identities to talk about stuff would be good.. They did an LGBTQ+ representation in the media presentation and it was really interesting but there is a lot of nuance in the media, and bringing up those small things might be nice.
Name, pronouns, and identity?
My name is Ella Emmer, my pronouns are she/her, and I identify as gay.
What is your year in school and your major?
I’m a junior psychology major, and am also pursuing a minor in German
When did you come out as LGBTQ+, and why then?
Unfortunately, the first part of my coming out journey was being outed. I got outed my sophomore year of high school to my field hockey team, my coaches, and the entire athletic wing. I had a lot of different friend groups and so it was kinda divided. My friends in the theater wing didn’t find out until I chose to come out my junior year. The first time I chose to come out I felt like it was almost a form of activism. I was in my high school psychology class and I heard really harmful and derogatory words being thrown around and so I turned around to the group of guys saying those harmful things and I said ‘well, what’s wrong with being gay,’ which immediately shocked everyone into silence. He tried to defend it and be like ‘well Daniella, what would you do if a girl came up and tried to kiss you, wouldn’t you think it’s weird’ and despite not being out to anyone in the school except that one athletic section, I said ‘I’d kiss her right back’ and then he was like ‘oh so you’re a dyke’ to which I said yes. It was a very uncomfortable experience and it was extremely embarrassing in the moment, but it’s something I look back on with pride because I wanted to make a statement. I didn’t like how no one was saying anything, especially the teacher because I knew he was hearing what was happening. After that class I had a really long and meaningful talk with my high school choir director and he said something that has stuck with me since. He said ‘empower yourself and live in your light’ and that’s something I still live by today.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
Being gay, one of the criteria I looked at when choosing a college was how accepting of LGBTQ students they were and the resources they have for our community. When I saw that Rowan has various LGBTQ+ clubs and the SJICR center, it made me feel very at-home and comfortable, and also I’ve always been someone who loves activism and social justice work, so finding Prism felt like a perfect fit. It felt like a great balance between being a social group for LGBTQ members to meet each other as well as pursuing activist work. I also want to be a trauma therapist, and part of my mission is to advocate and support LGBTQ+ individuals because unfortunately, people in the LGBTQ+ community are more likely to face trauma.
Has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time at Rowan?
In my experience, I’ve always felt that Rowan has been a very accepting place. I’ve loved to see Prism grow over the years. When I first started it was a small, tight-knit group and now we’re still a family but it’s amazing each year to see more and more people join the family and it makes my heart so happy.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I’ve heard many painful stories that my friends have shared about their professors aren’t using the right pronouns or the right name. I feel that that is completely unacceptable and there is no reason why professors or anyone for that matter can’t respect someone’s identity. In the future I would hope to see change implemented that holds all professional staff to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all of their students.
Anything else you want to discuss?
The journey of figuring out your identity can be extremely terrifying and it can feel isolating, but I want people to know that they’re not alone in any of it and that they have a community. They’re exactly valid and worthy for who they are and if anyone ever needs support or a safe person to talk to, just know that I’m an email away.
My name is Ella Emmer, my pronouns are she/her, and I identify as gay.
What is your year in school and your major?
I’m a junior psychology major, and am also pursuing a minor in German
When did you come out as LGBTQ+, and why then?
Unfortunately, the first part of my coming out journey was being outed. I got outed my sophomore year of high school to my field hockey team, my coaches, and the entire athletic wing. I had a lot of different friend groups and so it was kinda divided. My friends in the theater wing didn’t find out until I chose to come out my junior year. The first time I chose to come out I felt like it was almost a form of activism. I was in my high school psychology class and I heard really harmful and derogatory words being thrown around and so I turned around to the group of guys saying those harmful things and I said ‘well, what’s wrong with being gay,’ which immediately shocked everyone into silence. He tried to defend it and be like ‘well Daniella, what would you do if a girl came up and tried to kiss you, wouldn’t you think it’s weird’ and despite not being out to anyone in the school except that one athletic section, I said ‘I’d kiss her right back’ and then he was like ‘oh so you’re a dyke’ to which I said yes. It was a very uncomfortable experience and it was extremely embarrassing in the moment, but it’s something I look back on with pride because I wanted to make a statement. I didn’t like how no one was saying anything, especially the teacher because I knew he was hearing what was happening. After that class I had a really long and meaningful talk with my high school choir director and he said something that has stuck with me since. He said ‘empower yourself and live in your light’ and that’s something I still live by today.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
Being gay, one of the criteria I looked at when choosing a college was how accepting of LGBTQ students they were and the resources they have for our community. When I saw that Rowan has various LGBTQ+ clubs and the SJICR center, it made me feel very at-home and comfortable, and also I’ve always been someone who loves activism and social justice work, so finding Prism felt like a perfect fit. It felt like a great balance between being a social group for LGBTQ members to meet each other as well as pursuing activist work. I also want to be a trauma therapist, and part of my mission is to advocate and support LGBTQ+ individuals because unfortunately, people in the LGBTQ+ community are more likely to face trauma.
Has LGBTQ culture and acceptance changed throughout your time at Rowan?
In my experience, I’ve always felt that Rowan has been a very accepting place. I’ve loved to see Prism grow over the years. When I first started it was a small, tight-knit group and now we’re still a family but it’s amazing each year to see more and more people join the family and it makes my heart so happy.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I’ve heard many painful stories that my friends have shared about their professors aren’t using the right pronouns or the right name. I feel that that is completely unacceptable and there is no reason why professors or anyone for that matter can’t respect someone’s identity. In the future I would hope to see change implemented that holds all professional staff to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all of their students.
Anything else you want to discuss?
The journey of figuring out your identity can be extremely terrifying and it can feel isolating, but I want people to know that they’re not alone in any of it and that they have a community. They’re exactly valid and worthy for who they are and if anyone ever needs support or a safe person to talk to, just know that I’m an email away.
Yamiles Delgado
|
Just be honest to yourself, and be who you are, because that will lead you to your happiest self. I always live my life by the quote of “be the kind of person you needed growing up.” Name, pronouns, and identity?
My name is Yamiles, I go by Yam. I use they/them pronouns, and I bisexual, poly, genderfluid person. What is your year in school and your major? I’m technically a senior. I transferred in so this is my first year here. I’m a theater major in design tech. |
When did you come out as LGBTQ+, and why then?
I came out about two years ago. At the time I was living in Ohio and I lived in a sexuality and gender equality house. My house project at the time was Coming Out Day, so I figured what better time to come out than on Coming Out Day.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
I think it impacted my education in a more positive way. I’ve never really had any professors give me any trouble for it, I’ve had more professors be really accepting and super nice about it. I had a theater professor that assumed you were queer unless otherwise stated so and for the most part whenever I see other LGBTQ+ students/peers they happen to draw to each other. It’s been a positive experience.
How do you view Rowan's acceptance and LGBTQ+ culture on campus?
I don’t know it too well. From what I’ve seen so far it’s pretty accepting, or at least the theater department is very accepting, but I kinda expected that. I definitely want to learn more about it. I feel like it might be one of those things that’s accepted in certain areas but as a transfer student I don’t know too much yet.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I would like to see more LGBTQ+ events like Trans Remembrance Day from within our culture that we would be happy to show out to the world.
Anything else you want to discuss?
Just be honest to yourself, and be who you are, because that will lead you to your happiest self. I always live my life by the quote of “be the kind of person you needed growing up.”
I came out about two years ago. At the time I was living in Ohio and I lived in a sexuality and gender equality house. My house project at the time was Coming Out Day, so I figured what better time to come out than on Coming Out Day.
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education?
I think it impacted my education in a more positive way. I’ve never really had any professors give me any trouble for it, I’ve had more professors be really accepting and super nice about it. I had a theater professor that assumed you were queer unless otherwise stated so and for the most part whenever I see other LGBTQ+ students/peers they happen to draw to each other. It’s been a positive experience.
How do you view Rowan's acceptance and LGBTQ+ culture on campus?
I don’t know it too well. From what I’ve seen so far it’s pretty accepting, or at least the theater department is very accepting, but I kinda expected that. I definitely want to learn more about it. I feel like it might be one of those things that’s accepted in certain areas but as a transfer student I don’t know too much yet.
Is there anything you would want to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ+ life?
I would like to see more LGBTQ+ events like Trans Remembrance Day from within our culture that we would be happy to show out to the world.
Anything else you want to discuss?
Just be honest to yourself, and be who you are, because that will lead you to your happiest self. I always live my life by the quote of “be the kind of person you needed growing up.”
Denzell Moore
|
Now that I am more comfortable with myself, I see sharing my identity with people as a privilege for them to further understand me. Name, pronouns, and identity?
Denzell Moore, he/him, bisexual What is your year in school and your major? Graduate Student in Higher Education Administration When did you come out and why then? I feel like I’ve never formerly came out because I was outed. Since then I choose when and who I come out to on my terms. Now that I am more comfortable with myself, I see sharing my identity with people as a privilege for them to further understand me. |
Has being LGBTQ impacted or influenced your education in any way? If so, how?
In regards to my education being bisexual has made notice a lot of the extra steps LGBTQ+ folks have to take to feel and respected in their learning environment. In class discussions around sexuality I often contemplate whether or not to out myself and how that will change how my peers and professors will see me.
Has LGBTQ culture/acceptance at Rowan changed throughout your time here?
Initially when I arrived at Rowan I wasn’t sure about Rowan’s LGBTQ acceptance. It wasn’t until homophobic/transphobic protestors made there way onto campus (spring of 2019) that I was able to see how accepting Rowan was regarding LGBTQ+ people. While this was taking place many faculty, students, and staff of all backgrounds displayed their rejection of these protestors ideals by verbally counter protesting and posing with the pride flag in support. It wasn’t until then I was able to accurately see how accepting and supportive Rowan's campus can be.
What is something you would like to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ life?
While I was pursuing my undergraduate degree at Rowan I served as Public Relations Chair for Prism (an LGBTQ+ advocacy group at Rowan). During this time I heard the grievances of a few trans students regarding making sure they were not addressed by their dead name by professors (even after telling their professors their preferred name). I would like to see a change in Rowan in which trans students do not have to endure this uncomfortable situation.
In regards to my education being bisexual has made notice a lot of the extra steps LGBTQ+ folks have to take to feel and respected in their learning environment. In class discussions around sexuality I often contemplate whether or not to out myself and how that will change how my peers and professors will see me.
Has LGBTQ culture/acceptance at Rowan changed throughout your time here?
Initially when I arrived at Rowan I wasn’t sure about Rowan’s LGBTQ acceptance. It wasn’t until homophobic/transphobic protestors made there way onto campus (spring of 2019) that I was able to see how accepting Rowan was regarding LGBTQ+ people. While this was taking place many faculty, students, and staff of all backgrounds displayed their rejection of these protestors ideals by verbally counter protesting and posing with the pride flag in support. It wasn’t until then I was able to accurately see how accepting and supportive Rowan's campus can be.
What is something you would like to see changed at Rowan in regards to LGBTQ life?
While I was pursuing my undergraduate degree at Rowan I served as Public Relations Chair for Prism (an LGBTQ+ advocacy group at Rowan). During this time I heard the grievances of a few trans students regarding making sure they were not addressed by their dead name by professors (even after telling their professors their preferred name). I would like to see a change in Rowan in which trans students do not have to endure this uncomfortable situation.