How to Navigate College as a Queer Student
Being part of any minority group will change the way you experience life, and being queer is no different. College, especially, may seem daunting to you as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Here’s some advice and some things to look for that will help you navigate this journey!
Jump to: Common Challenges | Questions to Ask Before Applying | How to Apply | Resources | Summary
Common Challenges for Queer College Students
While you’re likely aware of the challenges for queer and trans students in your hometown, college is a new environment that may pose brand new challenges.. This section will help you be prepared for possibilities at your college as well as help you know how to support other members of your community. Before we get into it, though, we want to make sure you end up with a more positive impression of the college process as a queer student than anything else. Being able to get a higher education is a life-changing opportunity for a lot of reasons, but getting out of your hometown and meeting people from backgrounds and identities wildly different from yours is a huge one. Odds are that you’ll be interacting with students and faculty from cultures you might not know a lot about, and their experiences might align with yours in surprising ways. Keep that in mind throughout this article and your search!
Anti-trans legislation is a major issue being faced across the country. New restrictive policies reducing access to healthcare, safety, participation in sports, and more are being protested nationwide. Arizona, Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, New Hampshire, Texas, and South Dakota are just some of the states that have introduced legislation meant to reduce trans rights. If you’re considering colleges in these states, it’s important that you’re aware of some of the critical issues the local queer community is facing. Make sure to do research beforehand on what the state policies are as well as what your university says. Often, even in a more conservative-leaning state, college towns will still be a progressive pocket that may have more inclusive policies.
Not feeling _________ enough. It’s often a refreshing surprise to find yourself surrounded by other queer students on your college campus, but this can also have some unexpected drawbacks. Insecurity that you aren’t something—queer, trans, etc— enough can be a blow to your confidence and identity that you might not have been prepared for. Community-centered spaces are the best way to combat these feelings and to talk with others about their journeys and self-expression. Many universities have LGBTQ+ student groups where you can meet other students with similar identities as well as multicultural offices that can provide institutional or professional support.
Depending on your school, finding community can sometimes be a challenge. A safe space in which you can explore your identity is a must for queer college students, so if it isn’t easily accessible to you in person, it may be worth looking elsewhere to find community.. The good news is that there are thousands of online spaces meant to provide opportunities for queer students to make those connections. This can also introduce a degree of anonymity which might help if you’re anxious about being out.
While all of this may sound intimidating, we are in an era which is more accepting and open than ever before. Being aware of these topics should influence your decision, but we don’t want them to scare you off from higher education. Colleges are naturally spaces where conversations are being had about topics others may never have considered before, and this openness to learning can be a huge influence on many peoples’ attitudes. You’ll be in an environment where the default is respect and inclusion and there will be people–professors and students alike–who have had similar lived experiences to yours and who will identify with the same things you might. All of this can have a huge impact on any individual, and the kinds of support and freedom colleges offer might now be something you’ve experienced before. So keep these things in mind when picking your school but more importantly, be ready for your world to be changed!
Questions to Ask Before Applying
If you are still in the process of looking for colleges, there are lots of questions you can ask the schools you’re considering to get a fuller picture of what you should expect. Here are some things to consider when looking at schools: Do you see yourself represented there? Brochures, websites, and email blasts are all ways that colleges like to promote their diversity along with academic opportunities and more. If there aren’t signs that the college is thinking about queer students in this application, it could be a bad sign.
Do they mention queer centers on campus? This is particularly important to look for if you're visiting the campus or going on a tour. If there isn’t any mention, on campus or off, of queer students, consider if that’s a place you’ll feel comfortable.
Is there a queer student organization or student-led space? This is a great sign that the campus not only wants to provide for its LGBTQ+ students, but that those students are able to shape this space and their experience. These kinds of clubs very often host events throughout the year so can offer many ways to explore and celebrate pride on campus. You can also get great experience being involved in these clubs as a leader – skills like planning, budgeting, and fundraising are all valuable for any student.
Do anti-LGBTQ+ incidents occur frequently on campus? This might be the most important question. Unfortunately, there probably isn’t a single college in the country that hasn’t had at least one incident. The important factor is how administration and students have responded. If there has been quick action, policy change, punishment, and additional support for queer students, this is a good sign that the college is both responsive and committed to addressing and minimizing anti-queer behavior.
What are the anti-discrimination policies like? Assess whether the college’s non-discrimination statement includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Along with this, make sure that the school makes it easy to indicate your gender identity and chosen name within housing, classes, jobs, and more on campus. This also includes having gender-inclusive housing options as well as bathrooms across campus.
Are there queer academic programs? These could include majors like gender studies, LGBTQ+ studies, human sexuality, and more. If these majors aren’t offered, are there concentrations for other majors? Naturally you don’t have to major in these just because you’re a queer student, but the presence of these kinds of academics also indicates the campus’ culture of acceptance.
Is there queer-centered Greek Life? There are several organizations which have been founded on inclusivity. Even if you aren’t interested in participating in Greek life at all, it can still be good to know what kinds are on campus, as most fraternities and sororities are required to host public events, and knowing where you might find other queer students can be beneficial.
Is it a women’s college? Colleges which are historically all-women are very often LGBTQ+ friendly in addition to having a largely queer student body. There may be more well established support systems as well as a higher percentage of queer and trans faculty, which will also mean there could be a wider variety of classes focusing on certain intersections. If you do not identify as a woman or if you are a trans woman, you should check the school’s admissions policies. While many women’s colleges accept trans women and nonbinary or gender non-conforming people, each school will have a different policy. If you do not identify as a cis-woman and are concerned about fitting in, you should consider reaching out to a current student or alumnus to get a sense of the campus culture.
How to Apply
Once the college application process begins, you’ll have to decide if you want to disclose your identity to the schools you’re applying to. Some schools ask directly in the application about gender identity, sexuality, and pronouns. It is entirely up to you what you’re comfortable with disclosing, and this can absolutely be on a college-by-college basis. You can also center your personal essay around your identity if it’s something you want to talk more about. Share what is both comfortable and safe, and be aware that this information is likely only going to admissions. You may end up re-sharing after being admitted to housing, academic support, and/or the health center, depending on your needs. Lastly, if you’re worried about your parents, know that they don’t have to read every aspect of your application. If this is barring you from including your identity, but it’s something you want the school to know, you can also email or call admissions separately and explain the situation.
Resources
Whether it’s in the college search process or at the college itself, everyone needs some extra support. One of the best resources for your college search is Campus Pride, a website which has an index for LGBTQ+ friendly campuses as well as dates for college fairs. The site allows you to sort by region, type of school, sports offered, and more so you can really get the scoop on the schools you’re looking at.
Another great support system to take advantage of is the queer upperclass students at your college. At many schools, the queer clubs/safe spaces are advertised across campus on posters which include the email of a student you can contact with questions. These posters are a great thing to look for even when you’re just visiting as a prospective student, as they give you direct access to a student who may have been in your shoes and who is now comfortable enough to put their name and email out attached to the queer organization. They’ll be able to answer your questions and direct you to the best dormitories, teachers, and campus activities for queer students. So if you find an email like that, reach out!
Summary
Queer students have a significant presence on college campuses. A 2018 study found that 16.9% of students in America identify themselves as non-heterosexual. This doesn’t even include students who identify with the queer community through gender nonconformity, so you can imagine that this number is much higher. All this is to say that no matter what college you attend, you will not be alone. There are queer students across the country finding their places and voices at college, and you can absolutely be one of them.
