Visit here for this month's Events

Safe Zone Trainings: Creating a
More Inclusive Campus Climate for All

Support can come in many ways.

Whether you're a student that just needs to talk or a faculty member that has a question... the GSC is here to help. We emphasize confidentiality and all the GSC staff members have a wide range of knowledge and expertise to help brainstorm and problem solve. We will not disclose anything to anyone else unless there is threat to harm of self and others.

Anyone can make an individual appointment with any of the GSC staff members. You can contact them directly by e-mail or phone. If you don't have a preference, you can contact the main office at lgbtqa@uic.edu or
(312) 413-8619. We do have one staff member that is fluent in Spanish if that is a need.

Queer and Undocumented

In this recent Undocumented Student Movement, there have been a lot of student organizers who are undocumented and LGBTQA identified. They have publically shared their stories of "coming out" of the closet as being gay and undocumented. Here is the UIC resource web page for undocumented students.

Here at the Gender and Sexuality Center the staff is always trying to stay up to date on how we can be better allies to those undocumented students and their families. We continue our own professional development by attending seminars, workshops, or webinars on undocument students and some specific issues and challenges. We have one staff member who is bilingual in Spanish.

Mental Health Counseling

We support holistic and LGBTQ affirming mental health that can then lead to healthy behaviors. We partner often and have a liaison with the UIC Counseling Center. However, we also understand students have limited number of visits with the Counseling Center as well as they might want to see a professional therapist off-campus. Here are a few possibilities:

• Remember, the UIC Counseling Center also offers small group support groups with no visit number limitations.
• Howard Brown Health Center; To request counseling services at Howard Brown Health Center, please call 773-388-1600. A Patient Services Representative will schedule a short 10-15 minute phone interview that fits your schedule--often on the same day as your inquiry. During the call, a counselor will gather basic information about why you are seeking therapy, and what type of therapist and appointment time would best meet your needs. If we have a therapist that matches your needs, that therapist will contact you to arrange a first appointment. If not, the counselor will recontact you and offer referrals to places/counselors that might be a good match. Victims of domestic violence should call 773-388-8882 for immediate assistance. Discounted fees are available to clients with documented need. Howard Brown is a member of numerous mental health networks, accepting a variety of insurance plans. If we do not have counselors that accept your insurance plan, we will be glad to offer referrals to other therapists in your area that do.(Retrieved from www.howardbrown.org on October 12, 2012).
• Center on Halsted; Center on Halsted’s team of clinicians - staff, graduate students and both volunteer and contractual therapists – helps meet the mental health needs of Chicago's LGBTQ, queer and questioning community members and caring allies – just as we have done for more than 30 years. We offer a number of different mental health services and opportunities for community members including psychotherapy for individuals and couples, group counseling and referrals. If you are interested in our counseling services, please contact us at 773-472-6469, ext. 460 or email mentalhealth@centeronhalsted.org for more information. Se habla español (Retrieved from www.centeronhalsted.org on October 12, 2012).

Transgender, Genderqueer, and Gender Non-Conforming Support

Do you identify under the broad umbrella of transgender? This includes, but is not limited to, transgender female, transgender male, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming. The GSC can help in a few ways:

• Providing resources and support for a legal name change; connecting you with the Transformative Justice Law Project (TJLP)
• Being an advocate or liaison between you and an instructor or an employer
• Informally discussing personal, professional, and/or academic issues that might stem from transphobia or cisgender privilege
• Connecting you with other transgender identified students; the Gender Umbrella Society meets Fridays, from 11:00-11:45 a.m., room 183 BSB
• Transitioning resources
• Providing information for signicifant others, friends, families, and allies (SOFFAs)

Religious and Spiritual Support

Do you identify as LGBTQ or ally and also have a religious or spiritual affiliation? The GSC partners with UIC's Agape House ministry to organize Sexy Spirit program, where people can talk about what it means to be LGBTQ and religious. This is a safe space andwhile the Agape House is Presbyterian, Rev. Kurt Esslinger Lee can talk broadly as well about the Christian faith. We also have allies at the UIC Levine Hillel Center and often do programming around LGBTQ and Judaism. In the spring of 2012, LGBTQA Jewish students and staff from across Chicago came together to discuss how to better support each other.

If you encounter someone on the UIC campus who religiously attacks you based on your gender identity, gender expression, and/or your sexual orientation, please let the GSC know at lgbtqa@uic.edu or by phone at 312-413-8619.

Gender and Sexuality Center Spaces (181 and 183 BSB)

We also support our LGBTQA communities by having a physical space for people to study, discuss, hold meetings, eat their lunches, use the computers, and watch TV. It is open Monday-Thursday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Friday, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

We have a small computer lab and a refrigerator for student, faculty, and staff use.

Program Coordinator Moises Villada supervises this space. He can be reached at moises@uic.edu or at
(312) 413-3036.