13 Foundations of Higher Education

The foundations course  with Dr. Mariott allowed me to combine two areas of interest, history and higher education. I enjoyed learning about how much the college experience has changed since colonial America, and about the various groups who have fought for their rights within higher education. One area of interest that was not covered in the course is the history of LGBTQIA+ resources on college campuses. I chose to research this topic for my final paper.

Queer in College: A History of LGBTQIA+ Resources in Higher Education

The historic changes concerning the queer community can be seen over time, simply with the additions and changes to the LGBT acronym. LGBT, LGBTQ, BGLTQ+, GLBTQ, and LGBTQ2IA+ exemplify how the community has grown to include more groups of people under the queer umbrella. Today, higher education acts as one of the most accepting and inclusive institutions for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, intersex, and asexual individuals, however this has not always been commonplace.

Historically, higher education barred most of the general population from attending, creating an elite center of knowledge for the privileged white males and their male descendants (Thelin, 2019).  Higher education changes as its students change, and the resources they use to support the needs of those they educate must also change. Within higher education, students have often been judged for expressing their true selves as anything outside of the norm sparked controversy. A constant stream of political issues and a lack of queer representation within the media caused several problems for queer college students and faculty.

The continual ostracization of queer voices throughout American history catalyzed a movement to strive for better treatment, representation, and support for queer students and faculty within higher education. Today, there are several institutions nationwide that provide on-campus resources and campus offices dedicated to the needs of their queer student populations. These efforts offer community and inclusion, activism, and leadership opportunities while also working to address the stigma that surrounds this population. These resources can help lower the risk of social isolation, substance abuse, and attrition rates (Rankin, 2019), increasing the likelihood of students seeing their degrees to completion and  achieving their academic goals.

History of LGBT Campus Resources

Many college campuses today act as safe spaces for their multicultural and diverse student populations. Students from many different walks of life can find comfort in knowing they will be accepted regardless of their race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, although this has not always been reality. Higher education institutions have not always provided designated spaces for queer students. Universities historically change as society changes as they are “intimately connected to the society of which they are a part” (D’Emilio, 1992, p. 162). While many people associate the events at Stonewall as the start of the LGBT rights movement, the movement in America began long before the well-known riot in 1969. Some university records that date back to the early 20th century confirm that gay college students formed secret societies on several American campuses. These groups had to be underground due to the risk of being expelled or turned over to the authorities (Rankin, 2019). One group formed at Oberlin College in the 1920s, known as the Oberlin Lesbian Society, devoted their group to writing poetry (Blumenfeld, 2022). The American political climate has made it significantly difficult for queer people to coexist in this country. Still today, lawmakers attempt to strip the community of the few rights they have left. People become enraged over pride events and drag shows and transgender spokespersons selling cans of beer. While America has come far, the work clearly remains. Many of the things that queer people have accomplished throughout American history fail to be known, due in part to queer erasure.

Many universities established organizations on their campuses during the 1960s, but they were often refused to be granted official campus affiliations. Stein (2022) noted that several court battles during the 1970s petitioned by gay student groups gained national recognition. Their struggles within higher education called for change and many lawsuits fought for the formal acknowledgment of LGBT campus organizations (Stein, 2022). These students argued that their institutions infringed on the 1st amendment rights of their queer students. While these victories may not have solved every issue these student populations faced, the exposure and publicity allowed more people to understand their struggles and resulted in improved campus climates and a more tolerant attitude towards homosexuals (Stein, 2022), but tolerance and acceptance differ greatly. Around this time, the women’s liberation movement continued to fight for gender equality, but one of the movement’s iconic leaders, Betty Friedan, felt that the needs of lesbians would diminish the women’s rights efforts.

Friedan and the Exclusion of Lesbians from NOW

When one thinks of women’s rights, they may think of women’s suffrage or the pay gap, but they may also think of the influential work of Betty Friedan. The Feminine Mystique, published in 1963, brought the question of woman’s purpose to the forefront of American minds. Friedan argued that women could have it all: a college education, a thriving career, and the joys of motherhood and marriage. Women did not have to settle for only one, and housewives could accomplish more than seeing to their domestic obligations (Friedan, 1963).  Although significant, Friedan’s argument failed to consider the needs of the working-class woman, the colored woman, and especially the gay woman.

Friedan, educated and successful, worked as a freelance journalist. She advocated for women’s rights and women’s education. In 1966, she co-founded the National Organization for Women, also known simply as NOW (Gershon, 2021). Chapters formed in cities throughout the country, and many of the organization’s lesbian members noted experiences of homophobia. Friedan herself spoke out about how she felt that publicly supporting the right to same-sex relationships would hurt the organization’s mainstream credibility and diminish the work they did, referring to lesbians as a “lavender menace” at the national NOW conference in New York in 1969. Many members felt displeased with the organization, and NOW formally recognized lesbian rights as a legitimate concern for feminism in 1971 (Gershon, 2021). NOW chapters have partnered with higher education institutions across the nation and despite the antiquated beliefs of Friedan concerning gay rights, their website states:

NOW is committed to fighting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in all areas, including employment, housing, public accommodations, health services, child custody, and military policies. NOW is committed to educational efforts that combat the adverse effects of homophobia, promote positive images in the media, and ultimately ensure civil rights protection for all. NOW asserts the right of LGBTQIA individuals to live their lives with dignity and security, and marriage equality for all. (National Organization for Women, 2023).

The inclusion of queer issues within the mission statement of NOW demonstrates how society holds the power to change.

During this time, President Richard Nixon passed Title IX on June 23, 1972. This law states that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance” (US Courts).  The law has undergone several revisions and additions over the last 50 years, one recently being a change released by President Biden, “guaranteeing an education environment free from discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual orientation or gender identity” (Women’s Sports Foundation, 2019). Although Title IX has been rewritten to be more inclusive, many legislators still fight to revoke these rights from members of the queer community and despite the strides made by its members, the need remains for more resources and support for queer college students. America has grown increasingly accepting of LGBT individuals, but sadly anti-gay legislature and hate crimes continue to plague the queer community.

Activism and Leadership

Although the gay rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s saw positive changes, ignorance and fear continued to spread while hate crimes continued to shock the nation. In 1998, a man discovered the body of Matthew Shepard during his morning bike ride. Shepard, a gay man, had been murdered and tied to a fencepost in a rural town in Wyoming (Fine, 2012). Sadly, Shepard’s death would not be the first nor the last of its kind. His death did however spark a widespread movement to acknowledge the rights and protections of LGBT Americans, and higher education institutions began to establish designated spaces on their campuses for queer students, although many still need to address the need for specialized resources for this specific student population (Fine, 2012). The issue of institutions denying official recognition to queer campus organizations still arises today, Florida State University, Penn State University, the University of Kansas, and the University of Texas being a few examples (Blumenfeld, 2022).

People often become aware of injustices when they experience it firsthand. In a 2019 interview with Angus Henderson for the OSU Diverse Sexuality and Gender Oral History Project, alumna of Oklahoma State University and former Oklahoma state senator Allison Ikley-Freeman discussed one of their first experiences with discrimination when they attempted to purchase tickets to their high school prom for their girlfriend and themself. The school denied their request and Ikley-Freeman learned of others who had taken similar cases to the schoolboard. They presented their school with their research, noting that they would also take their case to the schoolboard unless the school allowed them to attend the prom. In the end, they received their tickets. The senior prom serves as a major rite of passage, and while Ikley-Freeman did not realize it at the time, they “solved problems [they] didn’t realize [they were] solving” (OOHRP, Ikley-Freeman, 2021). Many queer students like Ikley-Freeman endure similar experiences where society infringes on their basic human rights. Many treat these incidents as life lessons and opportunities to advocate for others and to promote awareness through activism.

Dr. Laura Belmonte, a former faculty member of Oklahoma State University, spoke with Angus Henderson in 2019 about their efforts and achievements with the local LGBTQ+ community during their time in Tulsa, OK. They served on the board for Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights, now known as Oklahomans for Equality or OKEQ (OOHRP, Laura Belmonte, 2022). Belmonte, like many young adults who struggle with their sexual identity, did not come out until graduate school. When they began to acknowledge that part of themself, they began to see the injustice and inequalities that the queer population endures.

They noted about seeing protests on campus during their time in school. Students had “kiss-ins,” where they would sit on the campus lawn and kiss each other. People became angry and threw rocks and yelled profanities at those who participated. They noted about how they felt almost shielded from queer representation throughout their life until they began to come to terms with their sexuality. They said they began to read every gay book they could find. Representation has greatly improved and has provided many queer youths with the comfort of knowing they are not alone. Belmonte noted in the interview: “I just marvel at young people now, they don’t have to come out of the closet because they never got into it in the first place” (OOHRP, Laura Belmonte, 2022). Belmonte currently works for Virginia Tech where in August of 2022 they helped establish the Lavender House, which serves as housing for students or allies of the LGBTQ+ community (Kennett, 2022). Resources like the Lavender House aim to help students feel more comfortable by providing them with a safe space where they can gain a sense of belonging which helps combat feelings of isolation, substance abuse, and attrition rates in college students.

Stigma as a Barrier to Academic Success

When institutions fail to cultivate a welcoming and supportive environment for their marginalized student populations, they inevitably contribute to the increase of attrition rates. Students who feel included statistically perform better overall academically and will be more likely to achieve degree completion (Westbrook, 2009). Those who feel as though they do not belong will be more at risk of dropping out of their programs. Despite the efforts to promote representation and acceptance within college campuses, the queer community still faces challenges. Society continues to minoritize this population, lumping issues concerning sexuality and gender into one group, despite their differences. Even the institutions that actively work to assist their queer students struggle to understand their specific needs due to the lack of institutional and national data (Renn, 2017). Many students may also not wish to identify as members of the queer community due to the stigma that surrounds it. Faculty and staff who identify as members of the LGBT community often serve as advocates for students. Belmonte noted in her interview that during her time working at OSU, queer students often flocked to them for guidance and support with their personal issues (OOHRP, Laura Belmonte, 2022). While the act of coming out or being out in the workplace is an effective way of promoting visibility and therefore of potentially changing attitudes about sexual minorities, it still poses a risk (Nodin, 2022, p. 24). A major risk that out students face is bullying, something many experience prior to entering college. The effects of bullying linger, even long after its occurrences. Athanases (2008) notes that LGBT youth clearly have often fallen victim to bullying at school, most incidents occurring where teachers cannot see or hear. Even then, their study showed that some students experienced bullying in the presence of authority figures, and they did little or nothing to intervene or stop the incidents (Athanases, 2008). Stigma often prevents students, staff, and faculty from publicly identifying their sexual orientation within the campus community out of fear of being shamed or judged. Campuses can address this issue by cultivating inclusivity.

Community and Inclusion

Stigma often hinders various college student populations from understanding the differences of their peers. Promoting awareness and inclusion of underserved groups within campus communities can help eliminate stigma while also allowing stigmatized groups to feel more included. When people feel included, they can focus on learning (Rosenbloom, 2006). This can also allow students to be more empathetic and understanding of people from other backgrounds. Much like Virginia Tech and the establishment of their Lavender House (Kennett, 2022), institutions have continued to provide designated spaces for their queer student populations as well as their allies to gain additional support, form friendships and social connections, and find potential opportunities for volunteer work, activism, and leadership. Due to stigma, queer students often feel isolated or separated from their peers. They may turn to using alcohol or other substances to cope with the stress of college (Rankin, 2019).

Institutions can help prevent these things and create a more inclusive campus environment by hiring a diverse faculty and staff, ensuring that students have access to resources or practitioners who know how to address their specific needs, and by promoting awareness of LGBT issues and hosting inclusive events. Mental health resources and group therapy sessions specific to queer students also combat some of the major issues that these students endure while navigating higher education.

The safety of queer students has become an important factor in determining which schools to apply to for incoming freshman, and having an LGBT student center as well as gay faculty can help institutions stand out from the others (Candido, 2011). Universities that offer diverse degree programs like women’s studies or gender and sexuality studies may also seem like more appropriate options for students seeking welcoming and accepting campus environments.

Blankenau (2023) notes that higher education currently faces a time of turmoil for queer students due partly to the pandemic and its hindrance to self-exploration. At the height of the pandemic, many students who lived and attended classes on campus had to adjust to online courses. Many also had to move back home, some returning to unsupportive or hostile environments (Blankenau, 2023). Students do not always have understanding families or strong support networks to lean on. College serves as an opportunity for students to become involved with others who might share similar interests and to form new connections and friendships. The pandemic took away that opportunity for many, and institutions struggled to return to a state of normalcy.

Recommendations

Gay and queer are two terms often utilized to refer to the LGBT community. Institutions can help their queer student communities by ensuring that the subject matter of queer issues never get thrown aside or erased as material concerning LGBT history and issues in teaching programs have often been constrained (Allen, 2015). The refusal to discuss matters regarding the LGBT community only contributes to the stigma. Almost 20 years ago, Syracuse University published a guide for their faculty and staff to educate them on queer issues and how to address them (Farrell et al., 2004). While many things have changed since the publication of this guide, the idea of providing a detailed resource on the subject serves as a wonderful option that could easily be replicated at institutions throughout the country.

LGBT students often experience mental health problems when dealing with the stress of school and trying to adjust. Another option for institutions to consider would be partnering with existing counseling services to offer specific counseling services concerning gender and sexuality. The University of Michigan began offering specialized counseling services to queer students in 1971 and since then many other universities have implemented this unique resource into practice, but many have yet to address this need (Blumenfeld, 2022). Students may also choose not to reach out for help due to the stigma. Addressing the issue of stigma firstly would be ideal for institutions who wish to improve the resources they provide for their queer communities.

Renn (2017) noted that one of the major barriers to serving the needs of queer students within higher education involves the lack of institutional and national data concerning this student population. The practice of evaluation and assessment could potentially provide further instruction on how to better existing resources or information concerning which resources students would like to see offered by their campuses. When institutions address the needs of their students, not only do they improve their college experience, but they also show them that they genuinely care.

Conclusion

Higher education has grown to be much more accepting towards queer student communities throughout the last 50 years due to the efforts of those who have come before them. While many associate the Stonewall riot in 1969 as the start of the gay rights movement, many were fighting long before then. The earlier existences of gay student organizations were often hidden due to queer erasure. Over time, institutions changed as society changed. While the queer student populations still face certain issues within higher education, their college experience has changed significantly since the beginning of the 20th century.

References

Allen, L. (2015). Queer conversation in straight spaces: An interview with Mary Lou Rasmussen about queer theory in higher education. Higher Education Research & Development, 34(4), 685-694.

Athanases, S.Z. & Comar, T.A. (2008). The performance of homophobia in early adolescents’ everyday speech. Journal of LGBT Youth, 5(2), 9-32.

Blankenau, A., Wa, X.A., Auerbach, L., Schuman, Z.D., & Hopmeyer, A. (2023). Queer peer crowds on campus: LGBT crowd affiliation as a critical correlate of college students’ loneliness, academic well-being, & stress. Journal of Homosexuality, 70(7), 1411-1439. https://doi-org.argo.library.okstate.edu/10.1080/00918369.2022.2030616

Blumenfeld, W.J. (2022, October 13). A Brief Early History of LGBTQ Studies in the United States. Campus Pride. https://www.campuspride.org/a-brief-early-history-of-lgbtq-studies-in-the-united-states/#:~:text=Among%20the%20very%20first%20undergraduate,the%20University%20of%20Nebraska%2C%20Lincoln.

Candido, S.N. (2011, January 20). More Students Seek Avenues to Gay-Friendly Colleges. New York Times. https://archive.nytimes.com/thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/20/gay-friendly/?searchResultPosition=120

D’Emilio, J. (1992). Making trouble: Essays on gay history, politics, and the university. New York: Routledge.

Farrell, K., Gupta, N., & Queen, M. (2004). Interrupting heteronormativity: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender pedagogy and responsible teaching at Syracuse University. Books. https://surface.syr.edu/books/14

Fine, L.E. (2012). The context of creating space: Assessing the likelihood of college LGBT center presence. Journal of College Student Development, 53(2), 285-299. DOI: 10.1353/csd.2012.0017

Friedan, B. (1963). The Feminine Mystique. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Gershon, L. (2021, March 5). How NOW Started Standing up for Lesbians. JSTOR Daily. https://daily.jstor.org/how-now-started-standing-up-for-lesbians

Kennett, L. (2022, August 17). Virginia Tech opens new housing for LGBTQ+ students. WSLS 10. https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/17/virginia-tech-opens-new-housing-for-lgbtq-students/

National Organization for Women. (2023). LGBTQIA+ Rights. NOW. https://now.org/issues/lgbtq-rights/

Nodin, N. (2022). Queering the curriculum: Reflections on LGBT+ inclusivity in higher education. Psychology Teaching Review, 28(1), 21-30. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1348764.pdf

Oklahoma Oral History Research Program. (2021, November 10). Allison Ikley-Freeman; OSU Diverse Sexuality and Gender Collection [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8DY8KOY19M

Oklahoma Oral History Research Program. (2022, April 7). Laura Belmonte; OSU Diverse Sexuality and Gender Collection [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOesqbfTcHs

Rankin, S., Garvey, J.C., & Duran, A. (2019). A retrospective of LGBT issues on US college campuses: 1990-2020. International Sociology, 34(4), 435-454. https://doi-org.argo.library.okstate.edu/10.1177/0268580919851429

Renn, K. (2017, April 10). LGBTQ Students on Campus: Issues and Opportunities for Higher Education Leaders. Higher Education Today. https://www.higheredtoday.org/2017/04/10/lgbtq-students-higher-education/

Rosenbloom, S. (2006, September 14). Is This Campus Gay-Friendly? New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/14/fashion/14guide.html?searchResultPosition=17

Stein, M. (2022). Students, sodomy, and the state: LGBT campus struggles in the 1970s. Law & Social Inquiry, 1-30. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/lsi.2022.6

Thelin, J. R. (2019). A History of American Higher Education. Johns Hopkins University Press.

United States Courts. (n.d.) The 14th Amendment and the Evolution of Title IX. US Courts. https://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/14th-amendment-and-evolution-title-ix#:~:text=Title%20IX%20of%20the%20Civil,Nixon.

Westbrook, L. (2009). Where the women aren’t: Gender differences in the use of LGBT resources on college campuses. Journal of LGBT Youth, 6(4), 369-394. https://doi-org.argo.library.okstate.edu/10/1080/19361650903295769

Women’s Sports Foundation. (2019, August 13). History of Title IX. https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/advocacy/history-of-title-ix/

ACPA and NASPA (2015) Competency Statement:

The competency of values, philosophy, and history matches the teachings of this course perfectly. Higher education and student affairs practitioners should be well-versed in the history of higher education and how students from many different backgrounds historically have been barred from attending college.