Miami University Joins Efforts To Welcome LGBTQ Students And Faculty

BY KAROLINA ULASEVICH, ANNIE EDWARDS & KRISTIN STRATMAN
Miami University journalism students

On Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day was celebrated nationwide.

Miami University and the city of Oxford are raising awareness to bring unity to our local LGBTQ residents by celebrating as well.

Central Quad was decorated with rainbow flags bearing the names of members in the LGBTQ community and their allies. The flags stretched all the way up to Upham Hall Arch where students could walk through a coming out doorway.

National Coming Out Day gives students the opportunity to express their sexual identities and to show pride in the LGBTQ movement.

Hannah Thompson, associate director of LGBTQ services at Miami, said that Miami has been advocating for almost two decades, but has not been as successful with making everyone feel included.

“Ohio is a place where there are not equal rights for LGBTQ+ population, so I think that we have to keep that in mind,” Thompson said. “And then I think historically, this hasn’t necessarily been the most queer-friendly campus, so I think that has followed the university.”

For faculty identifying as LGBTQ, their time spent on campus isn’t always easy.

Matthew Jones, visiting assistant professor, said that Miami students could do more to promote a culture of acceptance on campus and in the greater Oxford community.

“In the larger community and on campus, as an ‘out’ faculty member who reads as pretty queer, I walk down the street and it’s pretty obvious I’m a gay man,” Jones said. “Students have said homophobic things to me from the front porches of the frat houses that are over across from the library, is that on Campus Avenue, I think? I’ve had experiences like that, but then I’ve also had really wonderful experiences where both straight and queer students are you know like, really happy to see me.”

For the past 18 years, Miami University has attempted to build efforts to unite students and the LGBTQ community right here on campus. The Oxford community members and the surrounding towns are hoping to unify the community as a whole with the revival of the Oxford PFLAG chapter. All parties are working towards closing the door of oppression and discrimination once and for all.

As an ally and an Oxford resident, Sabrina Jewell plays an instrumental role in increasing PFLAG’s visibility, having spent her childhood providing a safe haven to those oppressed.

“I have many friends who are LGBTQ,” Jewell said. “I do not have a family member, I was just recently asked about that and I had friends, we had family friends and they would join us for Christmas and different holidays because their families didn’t accept them and my parents were always pretty open and embracing.”

Two-thirds of LGBTQ individuals are willing to talk to family and friends, according to the Not-In-Our Town initiative.

Top photo: This report was project by Miami University's Oxford Weekly News team. -- Contributed photo