June is Pride Month, and we want to highlight four notable LGBTQIA+ figures in education this month. These figures played integral roles in advancing the rights and opportunities for LGBTQIA+ college students, and their work continues to impact students and educators alike today.
Genny Beemyn, Ph.D.
Genny Beemyn is an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and inclusive college campuses, currently the director of The Stonewall Center at UMass Amherst — a lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, and asexual resource center. Beemyn was one of the first out nonbinary trans college administrators and they now coordinate the Trans Policy Clearinghouse for Campus Pride as well as teaching U.S. trans history and advocating for trans rights. Beemyn has written and edited many publications, including “Trans People in Higher Education,” “The SAGE Encyclopedia of Trans Studies,” and “Campus Queer: Addressing the Needs of LGBTQ+ College Students.” #lgbtqeducation
Read more about Genny Beemyn.
Dr. Kevin Nadal
Dr. Kevin Nadal is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at both John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Graduate Center at the City University of New York. He is one of the leading researchers in understanding the impacts of microaggressions, or subtle forms of discrimination, on the mental and physical health of people of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people; and other marginalized groups. He was the first openly gay President of the Asian American Psychological Association and the first person of color to serve as the Executive Director of the Center for LGBTQ Studies. He is a National Trustee of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) and a co-founder of the LGBTQ Scholars of Color National Network. #lgbtqeducation
Read more about Dr. Kevin Nadal.
Dr. Kaila Adia Story
Dr. Kaila Story is Associate Professor, Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, with a joint appointment in the Department of Pan-African Studies. She holds the Audre Lorde Chair in Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Dr. Story’s research examines the intersections of race and sexuality, with special attention to Black feminism, Black lesbians, and Black queer identity. Dr. Kaila Story is also the co-creator and co-producer of Strange Fruit: Musings on Politics, Pop Culture, and Black Gay Life.
Read more about Dr. Kaila Adia Story.
Kristen Eckstrand, M.D., Ph.D.
Kristen Eckstrand is an assistant professor at the Western Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She co-founded the Program for LGBTQ Health at Vanderbilt University and was also the founding chair of the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Advisory Committee on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Sex Development. Dr. Eckstrand served on the board of directors of GLMA: Health Professional Advancing LGBT Equality and as a member of the American Medical Association’s LGBT Advisory Committee and she has been honored for her excellence in diversity, equity, and inclusion by the University of Pittsburgh and Vanderbilt University administration.
Read more about Kristen Eckstrand.
Happy Pride Month
As we celebrate Pride Month, let us not forget the trailblazers who have worked tirelessly to make our educational institutions more inclusive and equitable for LGBTQIA+ students and educators. Do you know of any other notable LGBTQIA+ figures in education? Let us know in the comments! Happy Pride Month!
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