• Transgender Day of Visibility: Exploring the Intersections of Disability and Identity with torrin a. greathouse

• Join the Pride Center, Student Disability Services, the Commission for LGBT People, and the Commission for Disability in celebrating International Transgender Day of Visibility by welcoming critically acclaimed poet, torrin a. greathouse, for a virtual reading from her debut full-length collection, Wound from the Mouth of a Wound, on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 from 4–5pm EDT. The poetry reading will be followed by a Q&A that will explore the intersections of identity and disability. Registration is required. Live captioning will be provided, and other accommodations are available upon request. For more information about disability-related accommodations, please contact Sara Conrad at sconrad@utk.edu.
  When: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 4–5pm
  Where: Virtual Event – Register at tiny.utk.edu/torrinagreathouse

  Spring 2020 Discussion Groups

  Looking to connect with other students? Questioning your sexuality and/or gender identity, and want to talk it out with other students with similar experiences? Check out one of our peer-led discussion groups! These are closed spaces for those who identify and/or are questioning. Allies, please do not attend out of respect for the group.
  • Asexual/Aromantic Group, facilitated by Cynthia (she/her/hers, cellis35@vols.utk.edu)
    When: Wednesdays, 4 pm–5 pm
    Where: The Pride Center
  • Bi/Pan Group, facilitated by Sean (he/him/his, sburke10@vols.utk.edu)
    When: Wednesdays, 8 pm–9 pm
    Where: HSS 204
  • Trans/Non-Binary Group, facilitated by James (they/them/theirs, lperlow@vols.utk.edu)
    When: Tuesdays, 5:30 pm–6:45 pm
    Where: HSS 69
  If you have any questions about a group, feel free to get in touch with the group leader with the provided information.

  Interested in starting a new identity-focused group? Email us at pridecenter@utk.edu.

• Grey Mangan, ex-officio representative for SGA, discusses UTK’s Princeton Review high ranking in LGBTQ+ unfriendliness. Read his article here. 

The Tickle College of Engineering at UTK is currently conducting an internal search to hire an Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Engagement. Information to apply can be found here. (Posted 9/10/18)

The Commission for LGBT People (CFLGBT) has created a survey in response the LGBTQ+ open forums that were held in Fall 2017. The CFLGBT seeks to understand the perspectives, needs, and experiences of LGBTQ+ employees at UT in order to (1) develop and implement programming to better meet the needs of LGBTQ+ employees at UT, and (2) advise Chancellor Davenport on how to begin addressing the needs of LGBTQ+ employees at UT. All responses are confidential and will be used solely for the two purposes outlined above.

Please see the link below to complete the survey, and share widely throughout your units. Also, please note the survey can be completed anonymously if the individual desires.

https://goo.gl/forms/crrvmDbYEYNBCVcq1

The It Gets Better Project highlighted the University of Tennessee’s efforts to re-establish our Pride Center. Check out the video here!

The LGBT Commission at the University of Tennessee invites you to an LGBTQ+ Faculty & Staff Fall Social on Thursday, October 5^th from 5-7PM at Sunspot on Cumberland Avenue. This event will be an opportunity to connect with other LGBTQ+ professionals across campus and network with local community members and LGBT organizations. We hope you will meet new people, catch up with old friends, and learn more about what your LGBTQ+ colleagues have been up to! Light appetizers will be provided and you can enjoy happy hour specials like $2 off drafts after 6PM.

Please share this opportunity with your network of LGBTQ+ professionals at UT! Family members are welcome.

Sunspot is located at 2200 Cumberland Avenue and there is free parking immediately behind the building.

Questions or concerns can be directed to Shannon Herron at shannon@utk.edu. 

Follow event details on Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/yb47nkom

Standing Up Against Rallies of Hate

In light of previous and anticipated white supremacist rallies in our community, the Commission for LGBT People have crafted the following statement of opposition:

We, the Commission for LGBT People of the University of Tennessee, stand for inclusion, equity, and diversity on our campus and in our community.  We stand together in opposition to ideologies that threaten, promote, and engage explicit, implicit, and systemic oppression, hate, and violence on our campus and in our community.  We are committed to promoting student, faculty, and staff safety, well-being, and inclusion, through active advocacy efforts with campus administrators and community partners. Vol Means All.

Diversity Commissions & Council Kick-Off!

The Commission for LGBT People joined the Commission for Women, Commission for Blacks, and Council for Diversity and Interculturalism for a kick-off event on August 9, 2017 with Chancellor Davenport. Thank you to all who attended, and we look forward to a great year ahead!

(Commission & Council members with Chancellor Davenport)

(CFLGBT co-chair, Danielle Burton)

Pride Center Coordinator: Open Forums

Open forums for the Pride Center Coordinator candidates will be held in Dunford 100 on 8/11 from 12:45-1:45 pm, 8/17 from 12:45-1:45 pm, and 8/18 from 1-2 pm. Visit the Pride Center’s facebook page for more information here.

Pride Center Open House!

The Pride Center is hosting an open house on August 24, 2017. Come out and visit LGBTQ+ students, staff, faculty, and friends and see the new renovations of the Pride Center!

Pride Center seeking new Coordinator

Check it out! The Pride Center is seeking a coordinator. Please see the job description and application here.

LGBTQ+ Course Offering Fall 2017

Calling all students! Want to take a course with Donna Braquet on LGBTQ+ History? Check it out:

Commissioner Spotlight

Check out this article about commissioner Shannon Herron. He continues to do great things for Knoxville’s LGBTQ+ community as the president of All Out Knoxville!

End-of-the-year Celebration!

The Pride Center ambassadors and student assistants were honored at the May 2017 CFLGBT meeting. The Commission recognized them for their hard work and dedication to LGBTQ+ students for the 2016-2017 academic year.

The Commission also recognized co-chairs Michael Porter and Tamara Griffin for their two years of leadership and commitment to the CFLGBT. Incoming co-chairs Dr. Jennifer Jabson and Danielle Burton honored them with a gift.

Thank you to all!

(Dr. Danny Glassmann, Co-chairs Tamara Griffin & Michael Porter, and Dr. Joe Miles with Pride Center ambassadors and student assistants).

(Michael Porter, Danielle Burton, Tamara Griffin, and Dr. Jennifer Jabson)

Trans* Talk Tuesdays

Drop in for a peer led discussion and support group for trans*, trans* questioning, and gender non-conforming students.

When: every Monday at 6 pm

Where: Pride Center

OUTstanding Seminar 2016: Let it All Out

Using Vulnerability and Expression to Build Alliances and Empower our Community

The OUTstanding Seminar is an annual conference exploring gender and sexual diversity. Keynote speakers this year are award-winning poets Kai Davis and Kit Yan.

When: October 22, 2016 : 8am-1pm

Where: University of Tennessee Panhellenic Building

Students, staff, faculty and community members are welcome. Register here!

Diversity Dialogue Town Hall Series

The Diversity Committee within the Division of Student Life is hosting a series of town halls on Oct. 18, Oct. 24, and Nov. 15. Please see the complete flyer here for details!

3rd Annual Collaborators for Change Diversity Summit: “Continuing the Conversation”

The Summit will be held on March 24, 2017.

Call for Proposals is now open and can be found here. Deadline for submissions is October 28, 2016.

Vol Vision 2020 Strategic Priority Diversity and Inclusion Working Group: 

Student Listening Sessions

LUNCH AND LEARN

An Open Discussion about Intersectionality: From Scholarship to Action

The directors of the Intersectionality Community of Scholars at UT will facilitate a conversation about the origins of intersectionality theory in the U.S., Black Feminism, current directions in the field, and the relationship between interdisciplinary scholarship, activism, and social justice.

When: October 19, 2016 at 12 p.m.

Where: Hodges Library Room 605

Facilitated by: Drs. Nora Berenstain and Patrick Grzanka

RECENT PUBLICATIONS OF FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

TLI’s recent publication of faculty spotlights:

Dr. Lettie Flores https://teaching.utk.edu/spotlight_flores/;

Jennifer Jabson_Tree: https://teaching.utk.edu/spotlight_jabsontree/;

Joel Anderson: https://teaching.utk.edu/spotlight_anderson/

Student Life ANNOUNCEMENTS Celebrate 10 Years of the Pride Center Celebrate our 10th year on this campus by visiting us for free swag (including orange AND gray long sleeve Vol Means All shirts) and rainbow cupcakes! We will have exclusive anniversary items, amidst our usual pronoun and flag buttons. Be sure to stop by and wish us a happy 10 years!When: Tuesday, February 25, 11 am–2 pm Where: HSS Plaza UPCOMING PRIDE CENTER EVENTS Pride Center Game Night Tired of the wear and tear of the world, and you just want to play games with your fellow LGBTQ+ peers? We have the event for you! The Pride Center is hosting a board game night! Bring a favorite game of your own, or rely on our wide selection of in-house board games. When: Thursday, February 20, 4–7 pm Where: Pride Center The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson Join the Pride Center for a screening of the Netflix original documentary The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson. From Netflix: “As she fights the tide of violence against trans women, activist Victoria Cruz probes the suspicious 1992 death of her friend, Marsha P. Johnson.” We will be screening the documentary and hold a short discussion afterward. When: Wednesday, February 26, 6–8:30 pm Where: Lindsey Young Auditorium, Hodges Library Black and LGBTQ+ at UT panel discussion Join Black members of the LGBTQ+ community as they share their experiences and struggles to find and build a community at UT. Following up on the Marsha P. Johnson documentary screening from the previous evening, we hope this panel serves as a space to discuss the next steps in advocacy and action in support of the Black LGTBQ+ community. When: Thursday, February 27, 6:30–8:30 pm Where: Student Union, 262 A/B UPCOMING CAMPUS EVENTS Black History Month at UT Check out the following link for a full calendar of events for Black History Month 2020 at UT! In a Speculative Light: The Arts of James Baldwin and Beauford Delaney Hosted by the University of Tennessee Humanities Center, this symposium will create new knowledge about Black art history and American late modernism for scholars working in literary studies, musicology, and the visual arts by looking closely, for the first time, at work by two men: writer James Baldwin and painter Beauford Delaney. Both were active and influential Black gay creatives in the Harlem Renaissance, but they differed in their conceptualizations of their identities. In addition to the symposium, there are several campus events happening. Click this for more info and the schedule of events!When: Thursday–Friday, February 20–21 Where: UT Student Union, Cumberland Avenue Smokey’s Pantry Are you in need of food? Near campus? You’re in the right place! Smokey’s Pantry focuses on providing a substantial supplement to the food needs of the campus community (which is defined as being all students, faculty, staff, and people who live, stay, or work near the university.)When: Tuesdays, 4–6 pm (recommended time for students is 5 pm to avoid a crowd); special appointments available for those who cannot make it. Where: Tyson House, across the street from the Golden Roast Latinx TV Storytelling and the New Latina Wave Mark your calendars for a talk by Mary Beltrán on “Latinx TV Storytelling and the New Latina Wave”! This talk draws on Dr. Beltrán’s forthcoming book that emphasizes the impact of Latina and Latino writers, directors, and producers. In the talk, she will focus on recent series such as Vida and One Day at a Timeto discuss the vibrancy and cultural and intersectional nuance of these shows and the new Latina showrunners who created them. Organized by the Cinema Studies Program. When: Thursday, February 27, 4:30 pm Where: McClung Tower, Room 1210 Carl Cowan Scholarship The Carl Cowan scholarship is available to any full-time student, either undergraduate or graduate, who demonstrates financial need and/or outstanding achievement and involvement. Two scholarships of $1,000 will be awarded for the 2020–21 academic year. To apply, please click here. All application materials are due to the Office of Multicultural Student Life by 4:30 pm on Friday, February 28, 2020. LGBTQ+ OPPORTUNITIES Victory Congressional Internship The LGBTQ Victory Institute invites students to apply to the Victory Congressional Internship, a paid summer intern opportunity in Washington, DC. Outstanding LGBTQ college students will be participating in an 8-week intensive leadership program, including a Congressional internship with an LGBTQ-friendly member of Congress. The program includes a generous stipend, housing in DC, placement in a congressional internship and travel to/from Washington, as well as travel and registration to the International LGBTQ Leaders Conference in December 2020.The Victory Congressional Internship is open to current undergraduate students of all genders, orientations, abilities, races, and political affiliations, including people with majors other than political science.Apply today! (click for link to application) Applications for this incredible paid summer internship opportunity are due by Monday, March 9, 2020! LGBTQ+ Engineering Student Research Recruitment Joshua Parmenter and Harley Cragun, students from Utah State University (USU) are working with Dr. Renee Galliher, professor of psychology, and Dr. Ryan Berke, professor of mechanical engineering, on conducting a research study on LGBTQ+ engineering students experiences within their undergraduate setting (this study was approved by the Utah State University IRB #9490). Individuals who participate in the study must be: 1) 18 years-of-age or older 2) identify as LGBTQ+, and 3) are currently enrolled in an engineering program (undergraduate or graduate level). Eligible participants will be asked to participate in an online survey asking questions regarding their experiences of being LGBTQ+ in an engineering program. Our research team is active in affirming the LGBTQ+ community and hope that our research can be used to further support LGBTQ+ students in engineering. If you have additional questions about our study, please email Dr. Renee Galliher (renee.galliher@usu.edu) or Dr. Ryan Berke (ryan.berke@usu.edu). Queer Latinx Research Study Sergio Gonzalez is a doctoral student at Claremont Graduate University (CGU) conducting a research study to gain a better understanding of the experiences of queer Latinx students at Predominantly White Institutions (PWI’s). The results of this study will serve to better explain how queer Latinx students make meaning of their identities at these institutions. To be eligible for this study students should be at least 18 years of age, be a current undergraduate at a PWI, self-identify as Latinx, and self-identify as queer. If you have interest in participating in this study, please email Sergio Gonzalez at sergio.gonzalez@cgu.edu Career Advising at the Pride Center Have questions about your resume, internship opportunities, or anything “career readiness”? Graduating soon and want to brainstorm your next steps? Cierra can help! Biweekly on Tuesdays, from 1:30–2:30 pm, she will help you round out your resume, or even start from scratch! When: Tuesdays, Feb. 18 and March 3, 1:30–2:30 pm Where: Pride Center Transgender Support Group The Transgender Support Group meets weekly at St. James Episcopal Church, which has an affirming congregation. However, they are a secular group. “We discuss topics important to the community, including access to resources and social justice, but we also share with each other about our lives and check in on each other’s well being. Feel free to share as little or as much as you’d like!” Contact Ezra at 815-312-8458 for more information. When: Every Thursday, 6 pm Where: The Library at St. James Episcopal Church LIBRARY PICK Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South “Giving voice to a population too rarely acknowledged, Sweet Tea collects more than sixty life stories from black gay men who were born, raised, and continue to live in the South. Author E. Patrick Johnson challenges stereotypes of the South as “backward” or “repressive” and offers a window into the ways black gay men negotiate their identities, build community, maintain friendship networks, and find sexual and life partners–often in spaces and activities that appear to be antigay. Ultimately, Sweet Tea validates the lives of these black gay men and reinforces the role of storytelling in both African American and southern cultures.” Excerpt from Goodreads. Speak with a Pride Center student assistant to check this title out! FOLLOW THE PRIDE CENTER

Pride Center Melrose Hall F-103 1616 Melrose Avenue University of Tennessee, Knoxville Knoxville, TN 37996 Phone: 865-974-7803