Queer Student Cultural Center
Encyclopedia
The Queer Student Cultural Center is the current incarnation of the coming out
, gay
, lesbian
, bisexual, transgender
, genderqueer
, intersex
, and allied communities organization of the University of Minnesota
campuses that has been active since May 1969 (under various names).. This pre-stonewall history makes it the oldest collegiate-run student organization for gays and lesbians in the United States.
Community (Dave McPartlin), the co-presidents of the University Bisexual Community (Jage Miller and Jonas Ducat) and a co-facilitator of the University Lesbians (Susanna de Campos Salles) overseen by adviser Doug Halverson. The group was later renamed The Queer Student Cultural Center in 1998.
Approved by the Minnesota Student Association and then University President, Nils Hasselmo, and Vice-President of Student Affairs, Marvalene Hughes, the Association was one of the earlier student groups to get University funding to combat homophobia and tackle issues specific to GLBT students. The group was created to become a 'cultural center' but did not take the name until several years afterwards for fear that inclusion of the word 'culture' would prevent them from security minority status and University status.
The University Bi Community formed as an offshoot of the University Gay Community by Dave McPartlin in 1991, along with the University People of Color and University International Students as a way to reach the growing needs of the student population. Co-chaired leadership of the University Bi Community was taken on by Jage Miller and Jonas Ducat immediately after its inception.
In 1982, the University Gay Community and University Lesbians were formed as two separate groups from their predecessor group entitled "Fight Repression of Erotic Expression (FREE), founded by Koreen Phelps and Stephen Ihrig on May 18, 1969. This group began after the duo started teaching a free University course on the West Bank on The Homosexual Revolution, causing it to become the first queer student group in America.
In 1971, an original officer of FREE, Jack Baker
, was the first openly gay man elected student body president at a major university. By winning this election he became the first openly gay man to win any public office in the U.S. In 1970, Jack Baker and Mike McConnell also became the first gay couple to seek legal marriage and were featured in Life magazine. Jack was also re-elected in 1972.
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, bisexual, transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
, genderqueer
Genderqueer
Genderqueer is a catch-all term for gender identities other than man and woman, thus outside of the gender binary and heteronormativity...
, intersex
Intersex
Intersex, in humans and other animals, is the presence of intermediate or atypical combinations of physical features that usually distinguish female from male...
, and allied communities organization of the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota system
The University of Minnesota is a large university with several campuses spread throughout the U.S. state of Minnesota. There are five primary campuses in the Twin Cities, Duluth, Crookston, Morris, and Rochester. A campus was open in Waseca for a time. The university also operates several...
campuses that has been active since May 1969 (under various names).. This pre-stonewall history makes it the oldest collegiate-run student organization for gays and lesbians in the United States.
History
Upon its creation, QSCC was named "The Association of GLBT Student Organizations and Their Friends" upon its inception in 1994 at the U of MN. The group was created by Dave McPartlin and founded by the President of the University GayCommunity (Dave McPartlin), the co-presidents of the University Bisexual Community (Jage Miller and Jonas Ducat) and a co-facilitator of the University Lesbians (Susanna de Campos Salles) overseen by adviser Doug Halverson. The group was later renamed The Queer Student Cultural Center in 1998.
Approved by the Minnesota Student Association and then University President, Nils Hasselmo, and Vice-President of Student Affairs, Marvalene Hughes, the Association was one of the earlier student groups to get University funding to combat homophobia and tackle issues specific to GLBT students. The group was created to become a 'cultural center' but did not take the name until several years afterwards for fear that inclusion of the word 'culture' would prevent them from security minority status and University status.
The University Bi Community formed as an offshoot of the University Gay Community by Dave McPartlin in 1991, along with the University People of Color and University International Students as a way to reach the growing needs of the student population. Co-chaired leadership of the University Bi Community was taken on by Jage Miller and Jonas Ducat immediately after its inception.
In 1982, the University Gay Community and University Lesbians were formed as two separate groups from their predecessor group entitled "Fight Repression of Erotic Expression (FREE), founded by Koreen Phelps and Stephen Ihrig on May 18, 1969. This group began after the duo started teaching a free University course on the West Bank on The Homosexual Revolution, causing it to become the first queer student group in America.
In 1971, an original officer of FREE, Jack Baker
Jack Baker (activist)
Jack Baker is an American LGBT activist in the state of Minnesota. He and his partner, James Michael McConnell, were the first American gay couple to seek a marriage license and the first gay couple to establish a legal relationship via adult adoption.-Student activism:On May 18, 1969, , the...
, was the first openly gay man elected student body president at a major university. By winning this election he became the first openly gay man to win any public office in the U.S. In 1970, Jack Baker and Mike McConnell also became the first gay couple to seek legal marriage and were featured in Life magazine. Jack was also re-elected in 1972.
Important Influences
QSCC/ULGC/FREE has helped accomplish many historically important things for the GLBT community including:- Electing the first openly gay Student Body President, Jack BakerJack Baker (activist)Jack Baker is an American LGBT activist in the state of Minnesota. He and his partner, James Michael McConnell, were the first American gay couple to seek a marriage license and the first gay couple to establish a legal relationship via adult adoption.-Student activism:On May 18, 1969, , the...
in 1970 - Challenging the homophobia of the student body president in 1989 and requesting his removal.
- Spearheading the removal of ROTC on campus in 1989
- First Lesbian Student Body President, Suzanne Denevan, elected in 1990
- National recognition by sports department of 'Gay Day' in 1990
- University recognition of GLBT needs by granting office space and funding in 1990
Names over the years
- 1969: Fight Repression of Erotic Expression (FREE).
- 1972: Minnesota Gay Activists.
- 1973: University Community Gay Association.
- 1977: Minnesota Lesbian Gay Community.
- 1982: separated into University Lesbians and University Gay Community.
- 1991: Association of Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Student Organizations and Their Friends (AGLBSOTF) formed from the groups:
- University Gay Community.
- University Lesbians.
- University Bisexual Community.
- Delta Lambda Phi Fraternity.
- GLBT International Students.
- GLB Medical Students.
- GLBT Students of Color.
- Heterosexuals Unafraid of Gays (HUGS).
- 1998: Queer Student Cultural Center (QSCC).
External links
- Queer Student Cultural Center
- University of Minnesota GLBTA Programs Office
- Minnesota Daily story on funding cut in 2004
- "Hillel Homepage" Who is he? He is she. Me is who: Lessons from Transgender Jews Program presented by Hillel in cooperation with QSCC