Celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month at USC
The fall semester is in full swing—and so is USC’s celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month! October will be full of festivities and conversations for the whole campus community.
Ongoing and Upcoming Events
The university’s major celebratory event will take place on Thursday, October 17 in the heart of USC’s University Park Campus. A partnership between the LGBTQ+ Student Center and our Student Equity and Inclusion Programs, the LGBTQ+ Spirit Day & LGBTQ+ History Month Celebration will include screen printing and other engaging activities.
In addition, the LGBTQ+ Student Center has a robust list of activities—such as Exploring and Discovering Our Chosen Family and Stitch Away the Stress—as well as special events this month for International Lesbian Day, Ace Week, and more. Check out the full calendar:
USC’s arts and humanities initiative, Visions and Voices, will host a discussion of queer narratives in science fiction called “Radical Imagination: Queer Stories through Sci-Fi Storytelling” on October 3. The event is free to all. Furthermore, USC Libraries is currently highlighting its digital collection of 4,200 posters and demonstration signs spanning over 60 years of activism. Check them out on their website.
Find news and information about how USC is celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month on our We Are SC website.
A Home Away from Home
Of course, USC’s commitment to celebrating diversity across the spectra of gender and sexuality extends far beyond October. USC’s LGBTQ+ Student Center has its roots in 1970, when a group of students, staff and faculty started the Gay Liberation Forum, which was the university’s first LGBT social movement. Since then, the center has been recognized nationally for its critical advocacy and support.
The LGBTQ+ Student Center is both a physical space on the fourth floor of our Student Union (with the best pillow collection on campus!) and a resource hub for the LGBTQ+ community. Among the many things it does—including lots of dynamic programming—it provides a space for weekly affinity group meetings, it has Embedded Counselors that provide mental health support services, and it serves as a home away from home for queer and trans students.
Check it out on Instagram @usclgbtqplus.
More Ways to Find Community
There are many other ways for LGBTQ+ students to find community and access services, including:
Housing: USC Housing offers gender-inclusive housing, where students can live with roommates regardless of their gender identity or biological sex. The Rainbow Floor at Century Apartments sponsors programming to help students learn more about themselves and their LGBTQ+ identities, as well as foster inclusive friendships.
Health Care: USC offers gender-affirming health care services through Student Health and covered by the Student Health Insurance Plan.
Leadership Development: The Queer and Ally Student Assembly (QuASA) is one of USC Program Board’s Cultural Assemblies and the umbrella organization for Queer student groups at the university.
Student Organizations: USC has numerous LGBTQ+ student-run organizations—from intersectional identity clubs such as Queer People of Color (QPOC) to academic groups like Queers in Engineering, Science, and Technology (QuEST). Find a full list of recognized student organizations on engage.usc.edu.
An Inclusive Trojan Family
No matter your background or identity, the support you’ll find on campus extends beyond your four years as an undergraduate. For LGBTQ+ members of the Trojan Family, the USC Lambda LGBTQ+ Alumni Association organizes social activities, such as HomeComing Out Tailgate, and cultural events, such as the Don Thompson LGBTQ+ Film Festival. It also provides volunteer opportunities and funds scholarships for LGBTQ+ students, including incoming students.
At USC, we’re proud to have an inclusive environment where all members of our Trojan Family are empowered and inspired to be their best selves. Happy LGBTQ+ History Month!
Written by: Anne Aubert-Santelli, Associate Director - USC Office of Undergraduate Admission