Appalachian State University LGBT Life, 1999-2009
From 1999 to 2009, additional growth to Appalachian State University LGBT community occured, especially within the teaching faculty. New professors, such as Jill Ehnenn and Kim Hall, began regularly teaching LGBTQ-themed courses. Beginning in 2000, Hall, later joined by Ehnenn, also oversaw the Queer Film Series, which provided a variety of LGBT-themed feature films and documentaries during October, Gay History Month. Others integrated LGBT and feminist activism into their extracurricular activities. In 2005, ASU faculty and alumni created Boone Pride, a now annual pride event held each June.
In 2002, BGLAAD officers again requested an LGBT Center. In response, Vice Chancellor Greg Blimling charged a task force to study the campus needs with regards to LGBT students, faculty, and staff. After making the recommendations and a brief hiatus, the GLBT Task Force reconvened to pursue the recommendations' proposals. Members of various student organizations, such as SGA, BGLAAD, and later transACTION, participate as do teaching faculty and Student Development personnel. The Voices Project, Appalachian Allies program, a study on domestic partner benefits, and the LGBT Center resulted from the task force's efforts. [1] [2]
Although a campus member transitioned in the early 1990s, campus organizations, programs, and policies did not reflect the presence of transgender students, faculty, and staff until the mid-2000s. The formation of transACTION, a transgender-centered student organization, spread campus awareness. This new organization participates in educational programming and community functions such as ASU's Diversity Celebration and Boone Pride. In an effort to reflect its inclusivity of gender variance, BGLAAD changed its name to Sexuality and Gender Alliance, thereby reverting to its original acronym. The two groups co-exist and members participate in each others' functions. In 2008, the campus adapted to the growing awareness of transgender campus members by creating gender neutral private bathrooms, a gender identity and expression-inclusive EEO, and a trans-sensitive housing policy.
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