VOLUME 65 | Spring 2021| Issue 3
AWARD WINNING STUDENT NEWS SOURCE AT COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSITY
Jessica DeMarco-Jacobson Editor-in-Chief
Vivian Duncan Office Manager
Joe Miller
EDITOR'S LETTER
Dear Readers,
Luka Steele
Pictured Riverside Theatre
I know many of you are fatigued by now as we reach the end of the semester and frantically write essays and study for final exams. I hope that all of you do well during finals season and that you have the chance to take a well-deserved break after it’s all over.
Faculty Adviser Visual Editor
Aaron George Layout Editor
Macy Frazier
Senior Copy Editor
Ashley Peterson Social Media Editor
EDITORS Destinee Williams REPORTERS Megan Glass Jonathan Stringfellow Spencer White VISUAL REPORTERS Tanasha Coleman Vinh Quang Huynh Robert Purchase Eddie Sampson
Contact For comments or inquiries: uproarcsu@gmail.com
4225 University Ave. Columbus, GA 31907
Special Thanks To Jovan Johnson, Johnnae Roberts, Christopher Walker, Jeremy Hobbs, and Dr. Brian Schwartz
As hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community have increased to an alarming level in the past two years, it’s especially important to continue fostering a safe environment for them through our journalism. We hope that these articles shed light on the positive events that are happening in our community and encourage people to attend them in the future. These Pride events help create a safe space by encouraging members of the LGBTQ+ community to come together and celebrate their identities. Additionally, they facilitate important conversations both for people that belong to the community and those who are allies to the community. On another note, I congratulate these Uproar staff members on graduating this semester: Ashley Peterson, Vivian Duncan, and Macy Frazier. I am glad to have worked with these three amazing women and to have become their friend over the years.
Disclaimer Opinions expressed in The Uproar are those of the editor or writer of the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of Columbus State University or its affiliates.
@UproarCSU @UproarCSU @UproarCSU
For our April issue, we decided to do a Campus Pride Month theme. Articles include Pride events that occurred both on and off campus, being out in the workplace, and how to change your preferred name on your CSU email.
With that being said, I would like to announce that I will be stepping down as Editor-in-Chief when the Fall semester begins. Destinee Williams will be taking my place. Destinee has been working with The Uproar for just over a year, and she has written some wonderful and thought-provoking articles. I and the rest of the senior staff have every bit of confidence in Destinee, and we are excited to see what she will accomplish as the new Editor-in-Chief. I hope you all enjoy our Campus Pride issue! Thank you for supporting our award-winning student-run newspaper!
C O N T E N T S •• VOL. 65 • SPRING 2021 • ISSUE 3 AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWS SOURCE AT COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSIT Y
4 | CELEBRATING THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IN COLUMBUS: COLGAY PRIDE In Columbus, there is an organization that provides advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community. This article tells of their Pride Festival.
By Spencer White
8 | REQUESTING A NAME CHANGE ON CSU PLATFORMS: HOW TO CHANGE YOUR PREFERRED NAME ON YOUR CSU ACCOUNT
On The Cover Students enjoying a Pride Month event by the Riverside Theatre by Vinh Huynh
For those looking to change their name, this article presents the instructions to do so within the CSU database.
These Stories found within these 12 pages
By Jessica DeMarco-Jacobson
5 | PRIDE EVENTS AT COLUMBUS 10 | PRIDE COLLAGE STATE UNIVERSITY: IN CELEBRATION The Uproar presents a collage of OF CSU'S HONORARY PRIDE MONTH illustrations depicting those on staff who are
Brief highlight of CSU's Pride Month celebration and the results of the events.
By Destinee Williams
6 | OUT @ WORK: A DISCUSSION ON BEING OPENLY QUEER IN THE WORKPLACE This is a look at what it means to be out as queer in the workplace, prompted by the Out @ Work event sponsored by the Center for Career Design and Diversity Programs & Services.
By Ashley Peterson
proud members of the LGBTQ+ community.
By Vinh Huynh, Ashley Peterson, Luka Steele
C U LT U R E
Celebrating the LGBTQ+ Community in Columbus:
Colgay Pride C
olgay Pride is an organization based out of Columbus that seeks to provide advocacy programs, fight discrimination, and promote diversity within the local LGBTQ+ community and otherwise. The organization officially began as an AIDS awareness campaign in 2007, and in 2014, Colgay Pride was made into an official organization. One of the organization’s biggest annual events is the summer LGBTQ+ Pride Festival. The event annually turns out hundreds of community members. Vendors and similar community organizations such as the NAACP regularly
set up information booths at this festival. The event aims to educate the public about issues that face the LGBTQ+ community. This year, Colgay Pride is anticipating over a thousand attendees for their annual Pride Festival. Executive Director Jeremy Hobbs says that the organization has
THROUGH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC OF THE LAST YEAR, COLGAY PRIDE HAS CONTINUED TO OPERATE AS MUCH AS IT CAN reserved two blocks on Broadway, as opposed to their usual one block, to allow room for social distancing. The 2021 Pride Festival will take place on June 4th and 5th in Uptown Columbus, on Broadway. The theme for this year’s festival is “We are Human.” Through the COVID-19 pandemic of the last year, Colgay Pride has continued to operate as much as it can. The organization has hosted regular Tuesday night support groups via Zoom in order to maintain social distancing guidelines. These support groups look to provide counseling with individual, specialized groups. Although many of the things that this organization does are in regards to very serious issues in the LGBTQ+ community, the group attempts to have fun as well. Hobbs said, “If there’s not a party associated, people won’t do it.” Because of this, many of the events that the organization puts on are made as fun as possible. Colgay Pride hosts multiple drag shows throughout the year that follow through with this goal. Hobbs says that events like these can “easily get 300 people to turn out.” Under the direction of Hobbs, Colgay Pride is making the Columbus community a more safe and inclusive place for LGBTQ+ residents. Hobbs reminds us: “Pride is not just about one month, it’s about a whole year.”
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VINH HUYNH
SPENCER WHITE
C U LT U R E
Pride Events at Columbus State University: In Celebration of CSU's Honorary A Pride Month s the semester ends and students prepare for finals, Columbus State University closes the semester by celebrating its students in the LGBTQ+ community. Although Pride month is traditionally recognized in June, CSU and Diversity Programs and Services celebrated Pride in April, creating a safe space for discussions about LGBTQ+ issues and topics.
“We are hoping to facilitate conversations surrounding people being their authentic selves wherever they are.” CSU’s honorary Pride Month included events that were entertaining and educational. The month kicked off with Pride Week, beginning on Monday, April 12, with “Dear Younger You.” During this event students could write letters to their younger selves, offering words of encouragement and a look into a better future where students feel more comfortable expressing themselves. “Our week of Pride events will help to inspire and create a safe atmosphere by letting our students know they
JESSICA DEMARCO-JACOBSON VINH HUYNH
belong and are welcome at CSU,” stated Johnnae Roberts, the student development coordinator. “We are hoping to facilitate conversations surrounding people being their authentic selves wherever they are,” she continued. During the event,“Bottled Up with Pride,” students could receive a monogrammed water bottle to show pride in their identity as members of the LGBTQ+ community. Diversity Programs and Services also hosted “Out in the WorkPlace,” which introduced a panel of CSU Alumni that shared their experiences as members of the community in a professional setting. On April 14, CSU hosted the “Color of Queens.” This event celebrated the creativity and self-expression of students, offering the opportunity to design masks and put on drag makeup. “Movie on the Green,” which took place on April 15, showcased the movie “Rent,” which tells the story of six individuals dealing with their sexuality, identity, love, and loss in the 1990s at the height of the AIDS crisis.
AARON GEORGE
DESTINEE WILLIAMS DESTINEE WILLIAMS
SPRING 2021
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C U LT U R E
Out @ Work ing
e b n o n o i A discuss e h t n i r e openly que e workplac
O
n Tuesday, April 13, the Center for Career Design and Diversity Programs & Services held a virtual event to discuss being ‘out’ as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in the workplace as part of CSU’s pride week. Director of Career Design Jovan Johnson and Diversity Programs & Services Coordinator Johnnae Roberts hosted the panel. The guest speakers for the panel were Dr. Timothy Bussey, Associate Director of Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Kenyon College in Ohio, and Ben Redding, a Columbus-based actor and producer. Johnson and Roberts asked these speakers about their experiences working while queer as well as how their work impacts the community. “You’d think that being in the theatre, it’s all been inclusive and wonderful [...] but you’d be surprised about the HR snafus that go on in a rehearsal room that probably would not exist in any other workplace in the world,” Redding said when asked about creating safe spaces. “In places where I’m managing people, I always try to make it about the work. Our personal selves always enhance the work, but I think when you make it about the work, it makes the playing field level. You expect the same thing out of everyone.” Dr. Bussey referenced a pride event that they organized, where they had to recognize that binary restroom options would not be acceptable, especially since knowing that they would be hosting nonbinary teens at the event.
"You’d think that being in the theatre, it’s all been inclusive and wonderful [...] but you’d be surprised..." 6 | The Uproar | SPRING 2021
“We had plenty of folks who were so excited - folks that didn’t even identify as nonbinary - that were thankful that we looked at the structural spaces of the festival and made sure they met the needs that everyone had,” they recalled. “We are talking about progress and not perfection, so we know we’re going to get critiques, and we want to accept them. Really use that in a way that can better inform what you’re doing not only in the moment and also in the future, too.” The speakers also addressed how to determine if a potential job space is queer friendly. In June of 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal ban on discrimination “based on sex” applies to LGBTQ+
CHRIS WALKER AND HIS HUSBAND CHARLIE WALKER
C U LT U R E
employees. Unfortunately, as Dr. Bussey pointed out, these laws do not always prevent bigotry from impacting careers. “Know your rights, as they pertain to the workplace but also so many other areas. Whether it’s housing, or healthcare, or something else,” they said. They suggested researching prospective employers ahead of time, even asking for a copy of their health insurance policies to learn what they cover. They also mentioned the Human Rights Campaign’s Workplace Equality Index, which shows different companies’ track records with protecting marginalized employees. However, not every workplace is represented in this index. “I’ve always had some kind of LGBTQ+ volunteer work on my resume,” Dr. Bussey said. “I know I don’t get some callbacks because of this, but it’s a way to filter out potentially ending up in those [toxic] situations. But of course, do what you have to do, and for other folks that solution is different. [...] If you see something in the workplace that is not right, speak up. If you’re working for a place that does not share your values and you have the ability to leave, consider that as an option. Obviously do what is safest for you, [...] but don’t feel like you are ever trapped or beholden to a workplace that doesn’t value the folks that are working there.”
"Sometimes I’m in a work situation, and I feel like I’m making myself small." Redding agreed while offering another perspective, explaining how employees may need to work within a system. “Sometimes I’m in a work situation, and I feel like I’m making myself small. It might feel like I’m minimizing myself, but in a way I feel like I’m navigating to a place that will get me more open. Like I might have to put up with this awful job for six weeks to get to the next thing, so I might have to be a smaller version of myself right now. In those moments you find other people who are doing the same things and you learn how to be bigger for each other.” For employees who suspect they are experiencing discrimination, Dr. Bussey suggested documenting the experience, reporting it to HR, and/or reaching out to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Additionally, the speakers discussed the misconception that queerness is a private matter that does not warrant discussion in the workplace. Dr. Bussey referenced how hiding one’s identity could have negative impacts, whether CHRIS WALKER
on work performance or mental and physical health. “We do know that there are a lot of benefits to people’s mental health when they are allowed to be simply out,” they said. “You are able to more fully bring yourself to your work. [...] Yes, we do leave certain things when we come into work, but when they relate to identity that could be really challenging.” For graduating seniors entering the workforce, Dr. Bussey suggested sharing pronouns as a way to test the waters for LGBTQ+ acceptance in the office. “Even with people that I work closely with on a regular basis, I still share my pronouns because my pronouns were something one day, and one day they changed,” they said. “Don’t take it for granted.”
"I think it allows students to see a different part of my identity that may not be as visual." Christopher Walker, Residence Life Coordinator for Riverpark Campus, said that coming out is a never ending process, and he keeps a photo of his husband prominently displayed on his desk at CSU, partly as a way to “keep that conversation fluid.” “I think it allows students to see a different part of my identity that may not be as visual,” Walker said. “I think having that visibility makes students a little more comfortable. [...] It’s almost like a sigh of relief, like I can trust this person with what I‘m about to say. Allies are so important to our community, but when they hear ‘husband’ and see a man’s picture on my desk they automatically have that allyship formed.” While Walker was unable to attend the Out @ Work event, he said that it was important to have these conversations, especially because it is not something that is learned in the classroom. He also mentioned that not every queer person is an expert on LGBTQ+ issues, and that he himself has learned a lot from students on the Riverpark campus. “Don’t feel like because this is one part of your identity, it has to be who you are as a person,” Walker said. “Just be you. Don’t put on a front. Don’t feel like you have to code switch yourself. Just use your voice and use your experience to the benefit of whoever you’re working with.” ASHLEY PETERSON
SPRING 2021
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ACADEMICS
Requesting a name change on CSU platforms:
How to change your preferred name on your CSU account
O
n Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020, CSU sent all students their weekly “5 Things You Need to Know Email,” which revealed that students could request a name change on CougarView without having to submit documentation.
Professors, was also one of the major proponents who advocated for students being able to change their preferred names. He has also pushed for students to be able to register their preferred pronouns in Banner and CougarView.
This change may assist transgender and non-binary students by helping them avoid seeing their deadnames, the name that a transgender or non-binary person was given at birth and no longer uses.
Schwartz, with the help of Dr. Mariko Izumi, Director of experiential learning, Dr. Ryan Lynch, Assistant Professor of History, and Dr. Judi Livington, head of the English department, tried to begin advocating for a preferred name option in Banner, the student records system, during the Fall 2019 semester. Schwartz was inspired by accounts of different universities across the country allowing their students to do the same.
Displaying someone’s deadname can be psychologically damaging and invalidating to a transgender or non-binary person, according to the University of Miami’s Health Department. If a student wishes to put a preferred name on their CSU account, they will need to go to the Student page on MyCSU. Then, they will need to click the Students Records tab, then Name Change, located under the Forms section. CSU also recommended that faculty create a new roster and address students according to their preferred names. This change came shortly after The Uproar’s former Editor-in-Chief and current Social Media Manager, Ashley Peterson, reached out to Director of University Relations Greg Hudgison via email. Peterson asked Hudgison if CSU had made any progress towards allowing students to change their preferred names. Dr. Brian Schwartz, professor of biology and president of CSU’s local chapter of American Association of University
8 | The Uproar | SPRING 2021
“I’ve had a lot of students over the years that go by a different name than the first name that is on our rosters,” said Schwartz in a Zoom interview. “When I realized school was going to be online, I realized that it was even more important for my students to [be able to use a preferred name feature].” Schwartz began pushing for the use of preferred names and pronouns again in the summer of 2020. Now, students are able to change their preferred names for CougarView and their CSU email address. Schwartz is currently working with the Center of Online Learning to add a preferred pronouns feature in CougarView as well. “Why should [students] have to deal with the added stress of people calling them by a name they don’t use and not really having a good chance to defend themselves from that?” concluded Schwartz.
JESSICA DEMARCO-JACOBSON
ACADEMICS
SPRING 2021
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VINH HUYNH, ASHLEY PETERSON, LUKA STEELE
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