‘The LGBTQ resource center serves as more than a physical space.’
By Jake Markowitz
The LGBTQ Resource Center celebrated a historic moment this past weekend.
The resource center marked its 10-year anniversary on Oct. 29. In the past decade, it has provided a supportive environment in which students interact with others and experience diversity while serving the community.
A rededication and ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Oct. 28 to commemorate the resource center and the effect it has had on the LGBTQ and Iowa City communities. Following a performance from eastern Iowa’s GLBT chorus, the Quire, several speakers noted the importance of the center.
“The LGBTQ resource center serves as more than a physical space,” said Lena Hann, who served as the first manager of the resource center. “It serves as a place where relationships, conversations, and memories can be made.”
The University of Iowa made early initiatives for the LGBTQ community. Founded in 1970, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Allied Union of the UI is the oldest state university recognized and continuously funded group of its kind in the United States.
The UI was also the first school in the country to allow students to mark their pronoun of choice on official documents. The addition of the resource center was another historic moment in UI’s history, UI Provost Barry Butler said.
“This ceremony celebrates 10 years of success,” he said. “The University of Iowa has the opportunity to celebrate a lot of things. This is one of those special ones.”
While there was strong support for the LGBTQ community by the UI, until the resource center was built, members of the community didn’t have a safe space on campus to enjoy, Sean Finn said, a UI Student Government senator and the UI Trans Alliance president.
“It’s not just another generic meeting space like a room in the IMU,” Finn said. “It’s a home. It’s a house. The LGBTQ Resource Center was my introduction to finding a home at Iowa.”
While the center has successfully affected the UI campus, Finn said the use of the center could be improved and noted that students primarily come to the center for organizational meetings.
Finn said he hopes students begin to visit the center for more situations, such as using it as a study space. He was not the only one suggesting the importance of focusing on improving the center.
“It’s important to keep investing in the center,” UISG President Rachel Zuckerman said. “We need safe spaces like the LGBTQ Resource Center to help build the community.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was one of many events held over the weekend to celebrate the 10-year anniversary. A student and alumni lunch was set up, as well as a celebration reception and an open house for the resource center. However, the ribbon-cutting ceremony stood out from the weekend, Hann said.
“I didn’t prepare words because there aren’t enough words to explain how important this is,” Hann said. “The resource center serves as a testament to students’ efforts to be heard and seen.”
