The once brightly colored office on the third floor of the Students Services Building on Texas A&M University’s campus has been stripped of any and all reference to its former role as the LGBTQ+ Pride Center.
When Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 17 last June 17, Texas A&M — and all other state universities — began work immediately to cease all diversity, equity and inclusion programs; including those “designed or implemented in reference to race, color, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation,” according to the law.
As of Jan. 1, the space once occupied by the pride center has changed to the Student Life Center, and LGBTQ+ student organizations are left to pick up the pieces as they try to maintain the services and events once operated by the center.
Alex Gonce, a computer engineering senior and Draggieland showrunner for the Texas A&M Queer Empowerment Council (TAMU QEC), said they first heard the pride center might close shortly after SB 17 was passed.
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“At first it was denial, ‘No, they can’t be getting the pride center. It’s open to everyone, nothing about it is limiting, anyone can participate,’” Gonce said Monday. “I know it has been a safe space for me and a bunch of my friends and a bunch of [organization] members. I know it’s like their place on campus. So, not having that, as like a designated space, just feels like a loss.”
Events once hosted by the pride center such as Lavender Graduation — a graduation ceremony dedicated to LGBTQ+ students — and The Coming Out Monologues — where students shared their personal stories with an audience — meant a lot to students who often faced prejudice at the historically conservative university, Gonce said.
“A lot of our transgender members in the community, they can’t always go to graduation and have their chosen names spoken and they may get misgendered,” Gonce said. “So, Lavender Graduation was a space where they could be accepted, their real names could be read. There was that found family there, your friends were there supporting you and proud of all the work you had done.”
In a statement to The Eagle, Chuck Glenewinkel, the director of Student Affairs Division of Marketing & Communications, said the department will continue to provide services for all students while maintaining compliance with SB 17.
“The space will continue to be a welcoming environment for all Aggies,” Glenewinkel’s statement said. “Events and programs like Late Night and Craft & Cram will be transitioned to the new Student Life Center this semester. … Student Affairs and [the] Student Life Center will continue to explore avenues to provide needed services and resources for all Aggies.”
Glenewinkel also confirmed that events such as The Coming Out Monologues, Lavender Graduation and other LGBTQ+-oriented events will no longer be offered by the new Student Life Office.
“Some student organizations have expressed an interest in administering these programs moving forward,” he said in the statement. “The Division of Student Affairs offers support for all student organizations. …Student Affairs has staff available to provide guidance when requested.”
TAMU QEC has begun taking reservations for the Coming Out Monologues at Rudder Theatre and has started talking with the Aggie Mentorship Network to make sure the organization can keep other programs running, Gonce said.
As for events such as Draggieland, a yearly drag show put on by TAMU QEC, Gonce said organization leaders do not think SB 17 will interfere with events hosted by recognized student organizations.
“We’re been researching this since the bill passed,” Gonce said. “We are 99% sure, if not 100% sure, that the bill should not affect us. … [Draggieland] is our own program, we don’t get anything from the school. If anything, we’re paying the school to host it because we pay Rudder Theatre.”
According to SB 17, the requirements for closing the pride center do not apply to registered student organizations or academic course instruction by faculty.
The closure of the pride center has added to an already unfavorable reputation of Texas A&M within the queer community, Gonce said.
“Well, it definitely doesn’t help that view people have of A&M,” Gonce said. “I know when I came here, I reluctantly chose A&M. … One of the big things is, as much as student groups can do a lot of work, the pride center just [had] that department-level overview and outreach. It will definitely affect people’s view of A&M and their first resources when they come here.”
