Welcome new and returning students. My name is Caryl Adams and I am the new sex columnist for The News Record. In addition to writing, I am a fifth-year student in Health Promotion and Education, emphasizing in Community Health. In addition, I am a peer educator in the University of Cincinnati Wellness Center and also involved in GenderBloc, Friday Night Live, Eta Sigma Gamma, Just Conversations and RAPPORT.
Human sexuality is my passion and I hope to learn as much as I can over my lifetime. I look forward to an exciting year as your sex columnist.
For my first column, I'd like to point out the many resources available for incoming students of all sexual orientations. Entering UC and moving to a new city may induce stress for many students and queer students face a variety of additional challenges. Coming out and the ramifications of doing so present the need for safe spaces across campus and in the surrounding community. The Women's Center, located in 571 Steger Student Life Center, houses the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning (LGBTQ) coordinator.
Not only is the Women's Center a safe space for students, the coordinator is approachable and aims to meet the needs of all. The purpose of the LGBTQ sect of the Women's Center is to provide resources, support, references, social and political outreach to the UC community.
Campus events throughout the year include National Coming Out Day, Visibility Week, Safe Zone Training and the LGBTQ Meet and Greet. The Meet and Greet is typically held during Welcome Week and is a great opportunity for new and returning students to meet the coordinator, Women's Center staff, student groups and supportive allies across campus.
There are also many LGBTQ student groups affiliated with the Women's Center and each group has a different purpose within the queer community.
"The Alliance serves social needs, [the group] Equality UC deals with political LGBTQ issues, and GenderBloc works on radical activism. There are also support groups, such as Girls Like Us and Men 4 Men," said Emma Southard, a queer-identified student who just finished her first year at UC. Southard recommends joining student groups because they provide support. "Because I have taken on such an active role on campus I feel a real sense of community among queer students."
The LGBTQ student groups are open to all members of the community, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Other ways to be an ally, without joining a group, include using informed language and being open to discussion. A barrier to effective support is a lack of knowledge about the appropriate vocabulary used to discuss queer issues. Students, faculty and staff will "learn that language if they attend any of the educational events," according to Southard.
There are also many offices on campus that have been Safe Zone trained. Stickers with a declaration of support and an inverted pink triangle are used to identify Safe Zone certified faculty and staff members that are supportive allies of the LGBTQ community. The Office of Residence Life, University Judicial Affairs, the UC Wellness Center and the Counseling Center are a few of the Safe Zone certified offices within the university community.
In addition to campus resources, the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Cincinnati, located in Northside, provides support for the queer community. The Center, which is run by volunteers, hosts a variety of programs and events. To get involved with the Center, visit glbtcentercincinnati.com or call 513-591-0200.
Another broad resource for young people includes YouthResource.com. The site is affiliated with Advocates for Youth, a national organization actively disseminating sexual health information to young people. YouthResource is created and run by queer-identified youth and provides interactive support.
Contact Caryl with any questions, concerns or column requests at adamsc4@email.uc.edu.
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