Celebrate Pride Month with the Office of LGBTQ* Resources

By Ryan Girves
UK Now

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 11, 2024) — Pride Month, observed every June, honors the LGBTQ+ community and commemorates the Stonewall Riots of 1969, a pivotal event in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States. The month serves as a time to celebrate diversity and reflect on the progress made in securing rights and acceptance for LGBTQ+ individuals.

At the University of Kentucky, celebrating Pride Month underscores a commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive campus environment. By recognizing the contributions and struggles of the LGBTQ+ community, the university aims to educate and inspire students, faculty and staff to embrace diversity and advocate for equity.

“Celebrating Pride Month on campus gives a place for our students to feel seen and safe. It also gives us an opportunity to work with staff, faculty and administration on how we can better serve our LGBTQ+ student population by being better allies,” said Glenn Means, director of the Office of LGBTQ* Resources. “By bringing together allies and our community, we are stronger in advocating for inclusivity, equity and the continued conversation to create a world where we all feel safe to live our true authentic selves.”

While the university more widely celebrates Pride in April to give students the opportunity to participate during the academic school year, throughout the month of June, the Office of LGBTQ* Resources, housed in the Office for Student Success, will host and take part in various community events.

Events and resources include:

Office of LGBTQ* Resources Open House — 3-6 p.m. Wednesday, June 26. Drop in for snacks and to see the space.
Lexington Pride Festival — Saturday, June 29. The all-day event will take place at Central Bank Center in downtown Lexington.
Buddy Badge — Sign up for Buddy Badge to help identify a safe person and promote visibility,
Campus-Wide Safe Zone Workshop — These 90-minute workshops equip individuals to be more aware and active allies.

Through these educational programs, support services and advocacy, the university strives to empower the LGBTQ+ community and ensure that everyone at the university can live authentically and with pride.

“The UK Office of LGBTQ* Resources operates year-round to provide programming centered around our three core pillars: education, advocacy and community building,” Means said. “These are the foundations of our office and how we make sure we are doing everything we can to impact our students. The office is also open during the summer from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., serving as a drop-in for our students as well as anyone who needs resources. We also attend local Prides within Lexington and surrounding areas to make sure our presence is known. We want incoming students or employees of the university to know we exist, so if they ever need us, they can count on us to help them regarding the LGBTQ+ student experience.”

The Office of LGBTQ* Resources is located in the Dinkle-Mas Suite in the Gatton Student Center. Students who would like to stay up to date on information regarding the office follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

For more information visit the Office of LGBTQ* Resources web page.

For additional scholarly and practical resources supporting students, teachers, researchers and community members across the Commonwealth, visit the UK Libraries website.

At the University of Kentucky, students are at the center of all that we do. From the moment you become a Wildcat through graduation and beyond, the Office for Student Success is committed to supporting you. Comprised of five areas and 25 units, together, they have one vision — to help students live a life of meaning. Student Success works through an equitable, holistic and inclusive lens to design and deliver unparalleled services and support a diverse community of learners in achieving their wildest ambitions. In the Office for Student Success this is what we do — this is who we are. You can explore resources available to you here. If you have additional questions, you can reach a Student Success team member by calling the helpline 859-218-YouK (9685).