NIU Today

The Gender and Sexuality Resource Center (GSRC) will be hosting  Ally Training Program opportunities this summer and registration is now open. Ally training is a two-part workshop program designed to foster a welcoming and supportive campus environment for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) individuals by creating a visible network of allies. These workshops...

NIU students who choose to go by a name other than the one given to them at birth will soon be able to change their name on class rosters and Blackboard in a single step. Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 15, NIU will offer a way for students to specify the name they would like to be...

NIU’s Gender & Sexuality Resource Center (GSRC) has planned several events in celebration of 2016 LGBTQIA Awareness Month. Unless noted, all events are free and open to the public. The GSRC is located at 105 Normal Road, in the Arndt house. For more information, or to request accommodations, call (815) 753-GSRC (4772). Transgender Day of...

The Neptune Hall Council will present “Colors of the Rainbow” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, in Room 102 of Neptune Central. A panel discussion and Q-and-A is planned on LGBTQIA+ topics. Other activities include bracelet making, a documentary screening and a presentation on safe sex. Speakers are from the NIU Ally Program, the Center...

J Mase III, a black/trans/queer poet based in New York City, will visit the NIU campus to deliver a spoken word performance at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the Cavan Auditorium of Gabel Hall. As an educator, he has worked with thousands of community members in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada...

The Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality (CSWGS) might be the new kid on the block, but it arrived at NIU with a rich Huskie history. “Before this, we were just a program, which didn’t have the same institutional clout or recognition as other diversity centers,” said Kristen Myers, Presidential Teaching Professor...

NIU’s Gender & Sexuality Resource Center is planning several events in October to celebrate LGBTQIA History Month. For more information about any event, call (815) 753-4772 or email gsrc@niu.edu. Whose Story? The Impact of Privilege in Queer History Wednesday, Oct. 7 Join the GSRC and special guests to discuss what is known about the modern...

NIU’s Health Services recently engaged in additional training to ensure that staff are best-in-class and sensitive to the needs of NIU’s diverse population. Health Services staff received training on sensitivity for LGBTQ student needs at their spring staff development meeting. “NIU Health Services strives to provide quality care to LGBTQ students on campus through staff...

NIU’s 21st annual Pride Dinner is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 24, in the Capitol Room of the Holmes Student Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. Attire is business professional/casual. The dinner banquet serves as an end-of-the-year celebration and features the presentation of the Eychaner Award along with several other awards and recognitions. Eychaner...

Over the past academic year, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center and the Women’s Resource Center underwent a merger process, culminating with a new name and mission to reflect a unified center, inclusive of the diverse NIU campus. The center will now be known as the Gender & Sexuality Resource Center. The merger transition...

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, non-heterosexual and gender non-conforming identifying graduates completing their NIU education in December 2013, May 2014 or August 2014 will be honored Thursday, May 8, at the fifth annual Lavender Graduation. The ceremony is free to students and guests. Semi-formal dress is requested. The ceremony’s goal is to celebrate the graduates...

According to the American Psychological Association, people who identify as LGBT utilize mental health services more than their heterosexual counterparts. They also experience depression, anxiety, substance abuse and suicidality at disproportionate rates, and are more likely to be homeless, suffer abuse and experience feelings of loneliness. Forty-two percent of LGBT youth say their communities are...