June 11, 2021 4:59 PM ET
On June 10, 2021, Genny Beemyn was part of a panel discussion about choosing a college as an LGBTQ+ student. The discussion was part of PFLAG‘s Something to Talk About Live, a series created by PFLAG National’s Straight for Equality program, which aims to encourage discussion of LGBTQ+ topics. Each topic in the series includes an article to read and suggested discussion questions. Panelists offered their perspectives on the article and what features of a college or university are important for LGBTQ+ students to consider.
Drawing on their decades of expertise working on behalf of LGBTQ+ college students, Genny offered a number of key insights, such as:
- Since most colleges in the U.S. today have at least one LGBTQ+ organization on campus, that criteria is no longer a reliable indicator of campus climate.
- Prospective students should research the activities the college offers specifically for marginalized groups, such as trans students, bi students, pan students, and queer and trans people of color (QTPOC).
- Every building on a college campus should have gender inclusive restrooms.
- Colleges should assign all on-campus housing based on gender identity, rather than making a small portion of housing “gender-inclusive.”
For more, watch the video, below. [31 minutes]