Finding Your People

Photography by Rylan Vanacore | Illustration by Maggie Wehler

Starting the next chapter of your life in a completely new place or environment is always scary and a bit overwhelming, especially when you are going somewhere that may not have resources that you need. This is the case for many members of the LGBTQ+ community entering college.

Luckily, RIT does provide a number of different resources for Queer students, however not many people know about them or how to access them.

The Q Center

For Queer students, coming into college and finding “your people” can be hard to navigate. At RIT, the Q Center is a great place to start!

Located on the second floor of  the Student  Alumni Union, the Q Center, according to their website, “are committed to promoting a campus community that is safe, equitable, and respectful of all members. [The] Center is a resource for the entire RIT community.”

Although it is geared toward providing a safe place for those who identify as LGBTQ+, the center welcomes all RIT students, and provides a number of resources for any and everybody.

The Q Center hosts a number of different events throughout the year to help build a community where students can feel comfortable and like they belong. This includes workshops, interactive programs, discussions and even a rainbow graduation!

The Q Center website also provides a significant amount of information and guidance for both parents and families, such as discussing different identities and pronouns. 

Locating Gender Neutral Bathrooms

Recently, there has been an emergence of more gender neutral bathrooms in public places, and RIT is no different. However, since they are scattered around campus, it’s helpful to know where they are located.

For starters, each floor in all of the residence halls has one neutral bathroom at the end of the hall. On the academic side, gender neutral bathrooms can be found in all of the dining places and most of the academic buildings, apart from Orange Hall, Thomas Gosnell Hall and Chester F Carlson Center for Imaging Science.

Additionally, www.maps.rit.edu provides a map of most of the gender neutral bathrooms on campus to make locating them a bit easier! 

Additional Resources

Furthermore, clubs are another great way to engage in the Queer community at RIT!

RIT has a wide variety of clubs for those who are a part of the LQBTQ+ community, along with allies. From OUTspoken – A Representative Student Organization who advocate for LQBTQ+ students on campus, to the RIT Drag Club, there is a club and community for everybody.

Finally, the Q Center has created a “Trans @ RIT” Guide to navigating the transition in a college setting. The document addresses a variety of different topics such as name changing, gender markers and additional campus resources. 

Adjusting to a new environment is daunting, especially when you are part of a community with limited resources typically available. However, with the strong Queer community that RIT has built, resources such as the Q Center, LGBTQ+ clubs and on-campus events, you can rest assured knowing that there is a group of people here to support you.