From: Pat Cassidy Date: March 18, 2025 Subject: The Gayhound: Vol. 1 Issue 5
vol. 1 issue 5
MARCH 18, 2025
Greetings, Gayhounds & Friends!
Take a peek at the newsletter banner. See something new?! As of last week, we officially became a part of Loyola's brand new Thrive Center for Student Success! Some of you may have seen a similar update in last week's ALANA weekly email as we have joined forces (and teams :)) in this new endeavor!
What does this change mean and what will the Thrive Center do? It means that we will continue forward with our student support services(academic enrichment and intervention, mentorship, and incoming first-year programming), identity formation(cultural and identity-based student organizations, affinity groups, and community spaces), and traditions and events (think drag shows, BSA Fashion Show, Trans Day of Remembrance, Wazobia, etc.!). It also means that we will expand and deepen our services and programming for all students as a collective effort.
Our team is working hard to launch the new center (check out our Thrive Center website which went live yesterday!) so you'll likely be seeing more rolled out in the coming weeks. If you have any questions as we move along, please reach out or pop by to chat (3rd Floor of the Student Center - Office Suite 315)!
Also, happy National LGBTQ+ Health Awareness Week! We're celebrating all week long with events, information, and community gatherings. Be sure to check out the upcoming LGBTQ+ campus events section of the newsletter to see what's happening. We look forward to seeing you!
As always, we're here for you. So come on through!
Welcome back from Spring Break! As Trans Day of Visibility (March 31st) approaches, let’s uplift and celebrate the resilience of trans and nonbinary students by focusing on gender-affirming health and wellness. It does not matter whether you’re navigating hormone therapy, voice training, or looking for safe ways to bind or tuck, know that support and resources are available.
Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT)
Thinking about HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)? GAHT can help align your physical characteristics with your gender identity. Safe access and regular monitoring are key, affirming healthcare providers can guide you through the process.
Resources like Plume Health and Folx Health provide telehealth services for HRT tailored to the LGBTQ+ community.
Voice Training & Vocal Health for Trans Individuals
Your voice is part of your identity, and there are ways to safely modify it without strain or damage.
Resources like TransVoiceLessons and Yeson Voice Center offer exercises and medical guidance for trans and nonbinary individuals looking to explore vocal changes.
Loyola's very own Clinical Centers at Belvedere Square also provides gender affirming care for voice and communication. Reach out today to learn more.
Binding, Tucking & Packing Safety
Safe binding and tucking practices can help reduce discomfort and health risks. Wearing binders for too long, using unsafe materials, or improper tucking can cause long-term issues.
Trusted brands like gc2b and T-Kingdom provide safer binding options, while organizations like Point of Prideoffer free binder donation programs.
Stop by the Pride Resource Room for additional resources and information around save binding and tucking.
Surgical Recovery & Aftercare
If you’re considering gender-affirming surgery, recovery can take time, having a support system, affirming aftercare, and proper healing resources is crucial.
Recent DEI policy shifts mean that gender-affirming healthcare and student support may face new challenges. However, our Thrive Center for Student Success remains dedicated to:
Providing holistic student support for personal and professional growth
Empowering students through identity-affirming coaching
Advocating for inclusive resources and student success
Despite external changes, you belong here. You are seen, valued, and supported.
As we get closer to celebrate Trans Day of Visibility, let’s continue advocating for gender-affirming care, uplifting trans voices, and ensuring that every student at our Evergreen campus equally thrives.
Stay strong and empowered,
Juan Varon, Class of 2027 LGBTQ+ Health & Wellness Outreach Coordinator lgbtqwellness@loyola.edu
Hello Gayhounds & Friends!
Welcome Back! Below are some important headlines you may have missed over spring break.
Noteworthy News
Legal challenges and more anti-LGBTQ+ legislation proposed.
The Supreme Court will hear a case from Colorado to decide whether state and local governments can enforce laws banning conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ children.
Two public school districts and several parents have sued the state in a bid to undoanti-discrimination protections for gay and transgender people in Pennsylvania.
A Texas state bill could charge transgender people with“gender identity fraud,” making it illegal to identify as trans on official documents and potentially leading to jail time.
Transgender women participating in sports continue to cause nationwide controversy.
CaliforniaGovernor Gavin Newsom says it’s “deeply unfair” for transgender girls and women to compete in female sports, breaking with mainstream Democrats.
Senate Democrats voted unanimously toblock a Republican-led bill that would prohibit federally funded schools from allowing transgender athletes to participate in women's sports.
Resources
Read these pieces!
NBC News: “What was the Lavender Menace? A look back at the lesbians who altered the women’s movement”
NYT Opinion: “How My Dad Reconciled His God and His Gay Son”
Vox: “Discrimination against trans-Olympians has roots in Nazi Germany”
A post-sabbatical exhibition by Professor Mary Beth Akre. This exhibition is the result of a huge amount of work, thought, and research, and includes a collaborative installation featuring the stories of many LGBTQIA+ folks in our community.
The LGBTQ+ Experience is excited to collaborate with a local Girl Scout troop for their cookie sale to promote the Girl Scouts' gender inclusive mission.
Join LNDL and Loyola's Thrive Center for Student Success for an intergalactic exploration of transgender sci-fi and fantasy books! Starting in LNDL's IDEA Space, students from NDMU's GQ and LUM's Spectrum student groups will read excerpts from trans sci-fi and fantasy novels. We will then head over to Loyola's Queer Little Library to check out their new collection of LGBTQ+ titles. Learn about new queer literary works and chat about some of your old favorites! Snacks and drinks will be provided.
SAGDAW is Loyola's annual LGBTQ+ Pride week. This week of events is a collaboration between LGBTQ+ Student Services, The LGBTQ+ Experience, and Spectrum. SAGDAW started in 2002 as a way for queer students to be visible on campus, educate the community on LGBTQ+ issues, and gather as a proud community.
Safe Zone at Loyola University Maryland fosters an affirming environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans & gender non-conforming, non-binary, queer, pansexual, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQPIA+) members of the University community and their allies. In support of the University's mission to promote intellectual excellence and ethical leadership in the Jesuit tradition, Safe Zone at Loyola:
Cultivates dialogue, understanding, and fellowship among all University community members around LGBTQ+ issues and contributions
Sponsors designated Safe Zones around campus that offer safety, support, and confidentiality for LGBTQ+ students and their allies
Offers training to faculty, staff, administrators, and students on how to fully welcome, support, and value LGBTQ+ people and perspectives in the University community
Becoming Safe Zone trained at Loyola is a three-step process. Training sessions should be completed in order and upon completion of Session 3, participants have the opportunity to sign a commitment to contributing to an affirming campus for LGBTQ+ members. When you see a Safe Zone decal on campus, it indicates that person completed the entirety of Loyola's Safe Zone program.
Spring 2025 Trainings
Session 1: LGBTQPIA+ Awareness
Fri., March 14th, 2-4pm (virtual)
Session 2: Allyship (must have completed Session 1)
Fri., March 28th, 2-4pm (virtual)
Session 3: Creating LGBTQPIA+ Affirming Spaces (must have completed Sessions 1 and 2)
All semester long, DEIJ-centered events will invite folks to connect, learn, and celebrate the diverse, intersectional identities and lived experiences of our Loyola community. Join ALANA Services, Campus Ministry, Karson Institute for Race, Peace, and Social Justice, LGBTQ+ Student Services, Messina, Office of Equity & Inclusion, Sellinger School Graduate Business Office, Sellinger School of Business, and the Women's Center in this wide array of programming!
