Let me start out with a little bit about myself. I am a student at Minnesota State University, Mankato. I recently graduated this May with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications: Public Relations and Spanish. I love college so much that I am staying for my Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership with an emphasis on university student affairs. I was a 2007 YP4 Fellow and will start an internship this summer with YP4. I LOVE activism and will fight for the rest of my life to put an end to all forms of oppression, discrimination and all the other nasty crap that puts people down!

For my blueprint, we (me and two other 2007 fellows from my university) worked with the administration to increase the operating budget for the campus LGBT Center. It took about a year for the administration to see the light and minor details are still being worked out, but they came through and listened! Stay tuned to see how it was done!

Finding our Allies

The campus LGBT Center was originally funded with money from student activity fees which is controlled by the student senate.

In our attempt to increase the LGBT Center’s operating budget, we began by researching our allies (and opponents) who held power over us (the student senate controls our budget). We mapped out our allies (or potential allies) and contacted them to voice our concerns. We discussed what the problem was (an almost nonexistent operating budget for the campus LGBT Center). We also helped elect fair-minded individuals to the student senate.

Next, we educated them as to why it was important to fully fund the LGBT Center and how the center positively affects the lives of ALL students, faculty and staff though the center’s programming, education and resources.

We went to the student senate meetings every week and spoke during the allotted open time to really make the senators aware of how big of a concern this really was.

The budget requests must first go through the Student Allocations Committee. SAC then takes these requests and can either accept or amend them with its own recommendations. As usual, SAC amended our request for a budget increase.

The departments and organizations requesting budget increases can either accept SAC’s recommendations or appeal to the student senate. We, of course, chose to appeal to our newly formed allies on the student senate.

We did lose the appeal, but were not defeated entirely. The decision came down to one vote. Had we not power mapped and found our allies, I think we would have lost our appeal by a landslide.

We were temporarily delayed but not stopped for good.

Appealing to a Higher Power—an Open Dialog with the Administration

First, we spoke with the administrator who oversaw the student senate to voice our concerns. Even if her hands were tied and she couldn’t help us, we still wanted the administration to be aware of our concerns.

Next, we spoke with her boss, and then his boss. This went on and on all the way to the top of the chain of command until we finally got to meet with the president of the university.

Rainbow-colored “I Support” petition cards were made, and the campus was canvassed. We received over 5,000 supporters on our campus of 14,000 students! This was really exciting considering apathy runs rampant on our campus, and student senate elections only draw roughly 2,000 students to the e-polls. Those individual cards provided a much stronger visual statement for the administration rather than names on a petition. We were prepared to dump all 5,000 support cards in the President’s Office if he didn’t hear us roar!

Fortunately, he did hear us roar and we did not have to litter his office with the support cards. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that the LGBT Center will be moved to a newly remodeled location in the student union once construction is complete. Also, it was announced that the former program coordinator of the LGBT Center would be promoted to Director. And finally, the major source of the LGBT Center’s budget would switch from student activity fees to a permanent source. The details are still being worked out, but the administration is very receptive.

Intersectionality - Team Work Doesn’t Seem Like Work!

Although all marginalized groups battle their own unique conflicts, they hold one struggle in common—oppression.

Right now our campus queer and ally student group, SAGE (Sexuality and Gender Equality), is working with the administration to get gender neutral bathrooms installed in every building on campus. Currently, only a handful of buildings have gender neutral bathroom facilities. Things are moving slowly (as expected), but are progressing beautifully. The administration sometimes needs a little help and hand-holding, but looking at the administration’s history of progressive policymaking, I am hopeful that they will make the right decisions! : -)

Joining with other minority and advocacy student groups has really helped the effort. SAGE is currently partnering with the Disabilities Awareness Group (DAG), the Nontraditional Student Association (NTSA) and the Muslim Student Association (MSA) on the gender neutral bathroom issue. These groups have been influential in the successful dialog with the administration.

DAG is on board with the idea, as gender neutral bathrooms are important for people that need assistance using the restroom but don't always have a same-gendered personal assistant. Also, for those that need the assistance of a wheelchair certainly need more room to maneuver in the restroom.

The NTSA is also on board for other important reasons. Many of our nontraditional students have children, and a gender neutral or "family style" bathroom would help out parents and families with small children.

The MSA is in support of gender neutral bathrooms, as there are certain prayers and traditions that must be done for practicing Muslims after using the bathroom. Peace and privacy are big concerns for the MSA while performing these prayers and traditions. Also, new gender neutral/family style bathrooms on campus will include foot washing stations for religious traditions.

To help this initiative, SAGE sponsored a screening of “Toilet Training,” a documentary that discusses the importance of having gender neutral bathrooms available for those of varying gender presentations, as well as many other people. The video was shown in the campus movie theatre and was followed by a panel with bathroom experts. (Students from student-led organizations :o)

The “Toilet Training” video was a part of GaYpril, a month of LGBT Center-sponsored events which included a drag show, state lobby day, a week-long LGBT history exhibit, keynote speakers and other video presentations such as “Get Real” and “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.”

An Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend

None of this could have been accomplished without the collaboration and support of other marginalized student groups. We are all fighting unique fights, but many of our struggles coincide with each other. It can be difficult to take those initial steps to create a partnership with other groups who seemingly have nothing in common with your group’s mission.

It wasn’t until hate mongers showed up on our campus toting large photos of aborted fetuses and sporting shirts and signs that read things like, “Abortion is Murder” and “Homosexuality is a Sin” and “Islam is a Lie,” that a partnership between Sexuality and Gender Equality and the Muslim Student Association. Hate brought us together and started what hopes to be a solid partnership for years to come.