A Guide to Life at USC as an LGBT+ Student
By Adriana Bernal Martinez ‘20
When coming to college, we’re eager to find our people. People we share interests with, and most importantly, people that will accept us. Although USC takes pride (pun intended) in calling itself one of the most LGBT-friendly campuses in the nation, it’s not merely because of the student body’s progressive mindset. It’s because of its bountiful resources for LGBT+ students. USC’s LGBT Resource Center is open to the public every weekday, ready for you to come visit whenever. Located in the second floor of the Student Union Building with plenty of resourceful assets for USC students to take advantage of, here is just a little bit of what the LGBT Resource Center has to offer:
1) A home away from home at the Lavender Lounge
The Lavender Lounge is a warm and welcoming space within the LGBT Resource Center (STU 202B). You can walk in at most hours of the day and find someone there, and even if not, you can always make friends with one of the several purple plushies (there’s a stuffed unicorn in there called Bob that is always looking for more cuddly humans to be held by). Beyond the friendly faces, you can find free printing, coffee and snacks at all times as well as a working Smart HDTV and walls we can write on. Forgot your phone charger and don’t wanna go off campus? The Lounge’s got plenty of phone chargers you can borrow while you eat some free ramen. Come by and check it out!
2) Tons of LGBT-oriented clubs
Beyond going to the Lavender Lounge, you can always go to the weekly meetings of general clubs alike the Queer & Ally Student Assembly, Transgender Advocacy Board, Queer People of Color or the First-Year Advocacy Board. If you’d like to keep it professional and go to a club that’s still LGBT-focused and within your school, there’s the School of Cinematic Arts’ Queer Cut, QuEST (Queers in Engineering, Science and Technology) and SpectrumSC (Marshall School of Business’ LGBT+ organization). With as many clubs available as there are under the umbrella of the LGBT Resource Center, it’s not difficult to get overwhelmed by the amount of new people you might be meeting in them. But no worries! A lot of people that are in QuASA are also in Queer Cut and likewise. So, if you go to one, you’ll most likely find a familiar face happy to see you at the next one.
3) Chances to get away
No time for more extracurricular commitments? No worries! The LGBT Resource Center offers plenty of opportunities to connect with those in the community without having the obligation of joining an organization. You can go on overnight retreats like Queer Rising (the topic for the retreat this year focuses around violence and criminality in and against the queer community), which is coming up in November, or if a queer person of faith, attend the Spirituality & Sexuality retreat in the spring semester. Whatever your interests and whatever your time schedule, the Center hopes to provide you with plentiful opportunities to make friends within it.
4) Living amongst your people
A lot of people are unaware of this particular living arrangement. The Rainbow Floor is the only form of USC housing that’s geared specifically towards the LGBT+ community and offers gender-neutral housing. Beyond that, it’s a special interest community that provides educational and support opportunities regarding the community and earns you the title of Rainbow Scholar. If you’re not quite sure where you want to live yet next year or perhaps are a prospective student looking for all gender inclusive housing options, I’d recommend checking it out.
5) Making a friend that sticks by you
Notice the use of a friend rather than friends. Although the Center offers many chances to socialize and get to know fellow people in the community in USC, it also offers a particular Peer Mentoring program. Anyone can join as either a mentor or a mentee - doesn’t matter whether you’re a first-year or third-year student - and instantly have that one person to rely on with all questions regarding life at USC as an LGBT+ student, how to get involved, and even far more personal concerns when struggling with identities. Or, if you feel secure enough to lend a helping hand to someone else, you could also apply as a mentor to guide someone else and help them navigate whatever it is they may be going through.
More about the USC LGBT Resource Center & what it has to offer you!
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