LGBT student movement

In the US the student movement began in secret in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1966, Stephen Donaldson and a few other students at Columbia University used the structure of the Mattachine Society to form an underground society called the Student Homophile League. That year, the group could not get university recognition due to the group not giving a list of names of the members to the school to protect them. This led to no funding or space for the group. This made it difficult to gain new members. Nevertheless, Donaldson found a way to get recognition by the university, and the group became the first recognized student gay rights group.[17]

After hearing about the SHL at Columbia, students at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY began inquiring about starting their own branch on campus. The Cornell Daily Sun reported that the administration would not stop a group from forming on campus, following a tradition of acknowledging contested groups on campus. Jearld Moldenhauer founded the group in 1968 and similar to the experience Donaldson faced at Columbia, students were hesitant to join, and membership remained low.[18]

Students at Cornell who joined SHL did so under pseudonyms. At the beginning there were more heterosexual students than homosexual students, partially to attract members but at the same time was used as a protection strategy. By spring 1969 group tensions were high and a split began to occur, as some members wanted to keep focus on civil liberties and others wanted the group to only focus on gay and lesbian issues. By 1971 the group became known as the Gay Liberation Front, which was associated with such groups on the Cornell campus as the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).[19]

Gay Straight Alliance Sign

In 1989 there were no known GSAs in any high school or junior high within the United States even though 97% of high school students[20] admitted to hearing anti-gay remarks in school and many LGBT students felt unsafe enough that they would skip classes. Then LGBT and straight students at private schools in Massachusetts joined together to create the first Gay–straight alliances. Even though the groups received much opposition, the groups popped up in more and more schools across the country. As of 2011, there are more than 4,000 GSAs in middle schools and high schools across the United States.[21]

The University of Arizona's LGBT student group, "Pride Alliance," has been active since the 1990s in providing visibility to LGBT students and faculty at the University.[22] Some of the students' activism also works to provide a safe and welcoming environment for LGBT students. This goal stems from studies showing that LGBT college students have higher levels of depression, bullying, and suicide. Campus-wide activism, at the University of Arizona and at many colleges, has focused on dealing with these issues with respect for the LGBT community.[23]

In 1972, the Gay Student Union (LGSU) formed at the Claremont Colleges, with meeting space provided at the Monsour Counseling Center. The union's name went through several changes: the Lesbian and Gay Student Union (LGSU) in 1982/83, and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Resource Center (LGBRC) in 1992, when dedicated space was provided at Walker Residence Hall. The space was referred to as The Closet and was actually a closet. In 1995, the LGBRC finally changed its name to the Queer Resource Center (QRC) and became an official center funded by all 7 colleges. Eventually, the GRC was provided with an entire staffed building on campus.[24]

A renewed interest in LGBT rights brought about the formation of the Florida Collegiate Pride Coalition in 2003 with chapter from Florida Gulf Coast University, University of Central Florida, University of Miami, and University of South Florida. The group holds an annual conference where multiple LGBT Social groups meet up, including people from out of state. In 2011, the group agreed to expand to help the LGBT members and allies network with college organizations to develop growth in its members personal and professional lives.[25] This forum of LGBT college and university students in Florida is known to work with Equality Florida.

Louisiana State University, the flagship University of Louisiana, has progressively increased the awareness of LGBT organizations throughout campus. Spectrum was an organization that began in 1977 by and for LSU students as the Gay and Lesbian Student Association. Originally students involved did not feel particularly accepted so, in turn, held their meetings at off-campus locations.[26] In 1999 a group of students felt unhappy with the mainly private nature of the LGBT movement so they formed the Spectrum Alliance. This became the public activism group that now holds over 100 members on LSU's campus.[27]

In the fall of 2014 LSU also added a program that allows students to minor in LGBT studies. It consists of an 18-hour curriculum pinpointing social sciences created by Dr. Elaine M. Maccio who teaches in social work - where the minor is also housed. The new found program allows students who desire to obtain a better understanding of LGBT ideals and activism now have the opportunity to do so for course credit.[28]

In 2012, the students at University of Notre Dame were able to get an official LGBT organization after requesting the addition of one 15 times. Notre Dame was the last of the top 20 universities in the United States to add an LGBT organization. The students at Notre Dame were able to get the group by assessing the environment on campus for the LGBT students and writing a review that was submitted to the president of the school. After five months of review, the president decided that allowing the organization went along with the school's policies to embrace inclusivity.[29]

Penn State LGBT Student Activists

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, The Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition was founded as an independent and youth-led statewide LGBT organization by Pennsylvania students in April 2011. As of 2012, PSEC is connected with over 70 student LGBT organizations across Pennsylvania. The coalition is focused on campus-community organizing for LGBT equality in Pennsylvania and resource development for educational institutions.[30]

Over the last several years a number of studies have been done on interventions and interactions among students and LGBT groups on college campuses. Numerous studies have concluded that the more interactions undergraduates have with the LGBT community on campus, the more accepting attitudes are in the following ways "1.Same-sex, consensual sex. 2. Same-sex relations between adults is not unnatural. 3. Vote for a gay presidential candidate. 4. Friends with a feminine man. 5. Friends with a masculine woman. 6. Knowledge of [gay and lesbian] issues important for a future career. 7. Comfortable with a [gay, lesbian] roommate."[31] Students who frequently interact and involve themselves with campus activities are likely to be more open to views different from their own.

Students who are present when an LGBT student is being harassed frequently will depend on the relation between the two. Meaning, that if the bystander knows the bullying victim or is known around campus themselves, it is more likely that they will intervene. However, intervention is less likely to occur when passive bystanders are present. Studies show that it is important for universities to foster initiatives that increase LGBT bystander interventions.[32]

Over the past decade, academic institutions have been making strides in aiding LGBT students on campus. These inclusive resources include the creation of gender- neutral housing and bathrooms, educational programming, and creating other initiatives to help foster equality. However, according to a 2010 study done at multiple institutions indicated from responses by LGBT students, that LGBT students were more likely to receive harassment and discrimination that heterosexuals. Therefore, resulting in lower education outcomes, low self- esteem, and wakened emotional, mental, and physical health.[33]

One of the ways that heterosexism is enabled on college campuses was through heterosexist language and communicated anti-gay sentiments towards LGBTQ people. One factor that effects the college climate they experience is how they choose or if they choose to disclose their identities. Resources have been created to help promote non-hostile environments are initiatives like The Transgender On-Campus NonDiscrimination Project (TONI). TONI is an online resource center for students, faculty, and staff alike to learn about and gather general information on transgender students in higher education.[34]

LGBTQ Resource Centers have been created on campus to help students have a welcoming space on campus. However, many argue that LGBTQ rights in the United States primarily focus on as gay and lesbian people. This leaves out those who identify as transgender and queer. According to a study on transgender centers on campuses, there are many events that relate to trans issues, but instead of being with these communities, the programming created is about the transgender community. Including and fostering the "practice and process" of inclusion should remain the primary focus rather than a "singular point of 'liberation'".[35]