What began as a proposal for a small lounge space has developed into a new resource center for LGBTQ students, faculty, staff and their allies on campus.
On Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the ETSU Pride Center held its open house in room 215 of the D.P. Culp Student Center.
The open house was one of many grand reopening events for the newly renovated Culp Center, of which the Pride Center is a new addition. The event was an opportunity for people to see the space and for the center to get the word out about its opening. During the event, faculty and students sat on sofas and chairs in a lounge area filled with colorful artwork and decorations while enjoying free food, stickers and pins.
Bethany Novotny, ETSU assistant professor of human services, who will serve as the center’s interim director until it gets off the ground, helped organize the event.
“This is just an opportunity for people to gather in community, which is really what the space is about,” Novotny said. “Just being able to utilize a safe space with people together.”
For over a year, Novotny and a group of students worked on a proposal for the creation of a “Lavender Lounge” to serve as a safe space for LGBTQ students on campus. They presented it to Counseling Center Interim Dean Janna Scarborough in fall 2019, and it was approved by January 2020.
Novotny’s graduate assistant Tiffany Angaran said although they originally proposed a small lounge space, the university decided they wanted to create a center that would include the lounge space, as well as community outreach, student resources and research.
“I know that the students are really excited about this, and that some of them haven’t felt like there is a safe place, like a dedicated safe place for them,” Angaran said. “And I think this is going to be an opportunity for them to feel like they matter and that we’re seeing them and making a space for them.”
Being involved in the proposal process allowed Angaran to realize a passion for advocacy.
“I am bisexual, and I think this for me means again, a safe place,” Angaran said. “And being involved in the advocacy part of it – I have such a fire for advocacy – so this has been able to be a realization of my passion, and that’s really cool.”
ETSU graduate student Hudson Smith was involved later in the proposal process, working on the final stages and deciding how to present the proposal to administration. On Wednesday, Smith visited the center in support of their proposal coming to life.
“I think to me, this is really just a sign that the campus is welcoming to people of different gender and sexual identities,” Smith said. “And it’s sort of an affirming place to gather and grow, and just a sign of support, and so to me that’s really meaningful having this space set aside.”
ETSU freshman Gracie Carter, who also attended the open house, thinks the center shows ETSU’s openness and inclusivity.
“I think this is a great center for everybody at ETSU,” Carter said. “It’s really a great sign of where we’re going, especially with higher education inclusivity.”
People working in the center will be trained so they know how to respond to students in crisis. The center will not provide counseling, but they will let students know what resources they have available. The room will be near the counseling center, which will move into the building over the summer. Additionally, the center will have an office in the Carrier Center for programming.
Novotney said the center will be open during the same open hours as the Culp Center.
“I’ve been able to work with diverse students across the campus in the four years that I’ve been here,” Novotny said. “And I work specifically with LGBTQ students and used to run the trans group on campus – the trans support group – and what I believe that the space means that the LGBTQ+ students on campus belong here, and that they matter and that the university is taking a step to recognize them and to provide support and resources, and that’s a bold statement, and it’s a positive statement to make.”
A website for the center is currently being made. For more information about the center and its resources, email novotny@etsu.edu or stop by room 215 in the Culp Center.
