New center creates space for LGBTQ community on campus: ‘There’s a space that is for me’

The LGBTQ community has a new home on LSU’s campus.

The LGBTQ+ Center, located in Coates Hall room 175, opened in February and “serves as a connecting point for LGBTQ+ people,” according to Daniela Chu-Rodriguez, the assistant director for the Women’s Center and the LGBTQ+ Project. 

Students can study, relax, spend time with friends and access resources at the center, Chu-Rodriguez said.

Resources include books focusing on LGBTQ stories and flyers offering a variety of assistance and support from student employees who are knowledgeable in LGBTQ issues. In addition, the center will host a variety of programming throughout the semester in collaboration with LGBTQ student organizations, community partners and LGBTQ faculty and staff.

The center seeks to aid the LGBTQ community on campus by “building a sustainable, safe and open environment for students, faculty and staff, developing and promoting inclusive initiatives and promoting the advancement of gender equity through services and programs,” Chu-Rodriguez said.

“The LGBTQ+ Center celebrates LGBTQ+ identities,” Chu-Rodriguez said. 

The center was established to continue the work of the LGBTQ+ Project, which provides resources to students, faculty and staff through the Office of Multicultural Affairs. 

It’s a quiet place for students to do homework or study, equipped with comfortable couches and blankets to create a calming environment where students can relax. 

“It’s a nice place to come and chill with like-minded and accepting people,” said Layla Harmons, a student worker at the LGBTQ+ Center and a political communications sophomore. “We also share resources within the community as well, so if you’re just interested in coming in to learn and have access to resources and a supporting community, that would be here.”

Karlie Derise, a sophomore marketing major and another student worker at the LGBTQ+ Center, encourages students to come and said it’s a great space for people in the community.

“They have a safe place to go if they have a bad day or just need some quiet time or they want to meet other people,” Derise said. “They know that if they come here that it’s a judgment-free zone and that they can really just be themselves over here.”   

Inari Owens, an English literature junior, has enjoyed coming to the center.

 “It’s a really nice place to study, and it’s quiet compared to a lot of other places on campus,” Owens said. “It just makes me feel very included to know that there’s a space that is for me.”

The center is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s closed on Tuesdays. Students who want to learn more about future LGBTQ+ Center programs and resources can visit the Women’s Center and LGBTQ+ Project’s social media and website. 

In addition to the center’s offerings, the Women’s Center and the LGBTQ+ Project will be hosting a Trans Day of Celebration clothing and accessory swap on March 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m at the Women’s Center. Attendees can shop and swap new or gently used clothes and accessories.