Journal of College & University Student Housing Vol 49, No. 1 - 97

Designing an LLC for LGBTQ+ Students
that were typically not covered in the general education curriculum. An LGBTQ+ LLC
would present an opportunity to engage with their identity in a more intellectual way.
Besides engaging through academics, students also saw the LLC as a space for
addressing intersectionality and lived experiences on campus, particularly the intersections
of race and LGBTQ+ identities. They explained that many spaces on campus
were identity-focused but were focused on only one identity at a time. This brought up
feelings of not being " enough " to enter certain spaces. Students felt this LLC would
allow the exploration of other salient identities that students held through mentorship,
programming, and community engagement, thus providing a resource that did not
currently exist on campus.
That could also address intersectionality because the experiences of a White queer
person are very different than [those of] a queer person of color. So bringing in other
groups on campus but also being able to support students that have other identities
in addition to their sexuality or gender identity.
This student highlighted how an intersectional approach would better support students
in the LLC and how students felt the LLC would be distinct from an existing LGBTQ+
center on campus and other centers they believed were singularly identity-focused.
Safety and Well-Being Concerns
Safety was a significant concern among students: On one hand, living in a community
for LGBTQ+ students would provide a safe space, but, on the other hand, some students
felt that a space like this would be a potential target for bias and hate incidents.
Students felt that the LLC should be in a building that is central to campus rather than
being isolated.
I think it's important to be on central campus because it's the Pride LLC so they should
be proud to be an LLC, and it's really hard to do that if your LLC isn't in a place where
people will see it. But it also seems like it could be more prone to something, like any
kind of hate crime if it's farther away.
They also pointed out that a dedicated LLC would alleviate other concerns related
to safety and well-being, such as assigned roommates and access to gender-neutral
bathrooms. Overall, while a dedicated LLC would solve some concerns about safety,
other concerns arose during our conversations.
First, students wanted clear guidelines and an understanding of what being part of
the LLC would look like-not only the physical location, but also understanding who
has access to their information. Students were concerned that parents or guardians
who were unaware of their LGBTQ+ identity could see information on their student
profiles about their involvement in the LLC. They were also concerned about visits
from parents and guardians during events like family weekend. To combat this, they
suggested creating alternative methods of engagement for students who were not out.
94 The Journal of College and University Student Housing

Journal of College & University Student Housing Vol 49, No. 1

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Journal of College & University Student Housing Vol 49, No. 1