Fayetteville State University To Become Third HBCU With LGBT Center

There are 105 HBCU's in the United States (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) and only two of them have LGBT centers on their campuses.  And no, those schools aren't the elite ones like Howard or  Spelman, but Bowie State University and  North Carolina Central University.

I'm happy to hear that the pathetic lack of LGBT centers on HBCU campuses is starting to be addressed by this generation of TBLG college students seeking to make the HBCU campuses they matriculate on more conducive to their needs and less scary places to navigate. 

I talked to students at Florida A&M University during last year's OUT on the Hill.  One of their goals was getting an LGBT center established on their Tallahassee, FL campus as part of a package of reforms in the wake of the Robert Champion hazing death that shut down the FAMU Marching 100 band until this season.   

I'm also happy to report that a third HBCU, Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, NC will have the grand re-opening of an LGBT center on their campus fittingly on October 11, National Coming Out Day. 

The goals of the FSU Safezone Office is to raise cultural competence of faculty and staff on LGBTQ issues, provide visible support to the LGBTQ population on campus, educate students on issues facing LGBTQ people and retain LGBT students.

If Fayetteville State University sounds familiar to you long time TransGriot readers, it's because back in November 1995 it was the same HBCU that discriminated against #girllikeus Sharon Franklin Brown, who was working as a residence director of a women's dorm at the time when it was discovered she was a trans woman.    

Look like the campus climate at Fayetteville State University has come a long way since that less than honorable day

As I have said before and will happily state for the record again, HBCU's need to send the unmistakable message to their faculty, current and future students, alumni, and the communities they serve that discrimination against LGBT students on HBCU campuses will not be tolerated, policies and nondiscrimination statements to back it up, they have inclusive and welcoming campuses, and they are willing to include LGBT students in their ongoing missions to uplift the race through educational achievement.

Fayetteville Stae University has decided to do just that..