Campus Pride releases this statement today regarding the presence of ROTC programs on college campuses in the face of continued anti-transgender discrimination:

Campus Pride stands with organizations like the National Center for Transgender Equality and students at college campuses across the country who have raised awareness of continued discrimination against transgender people in the United States armed forces.

In his state of the union address, President Obama called on colleges and universities to reopen their campuses to ROTC programs now that the 1993 "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law has been repealed. Though Campus Pride acknowledges the positive impact DADT repeal will have on our country and on the lives of untold numbers of young lesbian, gay and bisexual people currently serving in either the armed services or in ROTC programs, we must recognize that there are still others who are barred from serving their country openly and with integrity.

Students, faculty and staff at colleges and universities across the nation who truly value the equality and dignity of all their students are taking a continued stand to keep ROTC programs at bay until all Americans can serve. Campus Pride praises their efforts, leadership and vision.

More information:
"The job is not done: US military still discriminates", National Center for Transgender Equality, 1/25/2011
Joint Statement re: DADT and transgender people, SLDN and National Center for Transgender Equality, July 2010
"Obama to end ‘Don’t Ask’ this year", Washington Blade, 1/26/2011
"Despite Obama’s Call, No Rush in R.O.T.C.’s Return to Campus", New York Times, 1/27/2011

OPEN. That’s the name of Clark University’s LGBTQA organization that I lead. It’s not an acronym at all, so recently we put it up to vote; “Open People Exclude No one” was the answer to our inquiry. Great thinking, but it seems like something’s missing.

OPEN. Open-minded, open to everyone, out in the open, open up, open-ended, our doors are always open, open arms, open up the closet, open to discussion, open to interpretation. “OPEN” packs a punch; it’s short, sweet, encompassing.

As for me, the many ambitions of OPEN keep me busy. My name is Hillary Gleason, and I’m an undergraduate student at Clark University in Worcester, MA. I’m a Junior, double majoring in Women’s and Gender Studies as well as Psychology. I’m a Point Scholar, CU’s OPEN President, a queer theory enthusiast, and a gay woman. I’m fascinated by the gender continuum in all of its fluidity and expressions. I’m a proud queer feminist and trust me—it’s a full-time job...

Hello! My name is Ash, and I found my way to the Campus Q-Team by way of Campus Pride's 2009 Leadership Camp. Just short of 2 weeks after camp ended, I'm home again, staring squarely into my third and final year as both a graduate student, and an officer in my campus LGBTQ student group. I'm a master's student in printmaking at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas, where I live with my partner (...and two cats. And a rabbit. They'll be hopping in and out of video backgrounds, so it seems like you should know). As president of That Gay Group in our tenth year on campus, I went to camp hoping to find an innovative meeting idea or two, maybe some exciting team-building activities--and I did, for what it's worth--but I got immensely more than I had any idea I could expect from the experience. My first several videos here will be focused on the Leadership Camp Experience, with more to come soon on all things queer and Kansan. If you'd like to know more about me, please feel free to send me a message here, or check out my YouTube channel (which you can reach by clicking on the video here). In the meantime--glad to meet you, and thanks for watching!

Vlog about the first day at Campus Pride's LGBTQ leadership camp--with more to follow, shortly!