LGBTQIA+ Resource Center

To practice the use of gender-neutral and diverse pronouns, visit the Practice with Pronouns website.

Queer People of Color (QPOC) DePaul

Queer People of Color (QPOC) DePaul is a student organization that seeks to unite and provide a social space for individuals at DePaul University who identify as queer people of color. QPOC was developed with the guidance of LGBTQA Student Services recognizing that it is important to address the multiple intersecting identities that queer people of color possess. Meetings consist of members sharing experiences through informal conversations, film screenings, and community building exercises. QPOC DePaul welcomes people from all backgrounds with an interest in learning about minority identities and backgrounds with an open mind.

Follow QPOC on Instagram @QPOCDPU.

Spectrum DePaul

Spectrum is an LGBTQIA+ student organization at DePaul. Weekly meetings provide a range of activities including discussions about current issues in the LGBTQIA+ community, guest speakers, off-campus events, and more! 

Follow Spectrum on Instagram @SpectrumDePaul. 

• If you have not undergone a legal name change, or are in the middle of the legal name change process:

  1. You can abbreviate your name to a first initial in DePaul’s systems without a government-issued document. Follow the Personal Information Change link to abbreviate your name to a first initial. For the documentation field, provide current valid identification.

  2. You can also elect to add a preferred name to your Campus Connect profile. The preferred name applies to first name only and will be utilized in most university's information systems including Campus Connect pages, Class Roster, D2L and Directory Information. For more information, please see the Preferred Name Information Page. Add a preferred name in Campus Connect at the following location: Campus Connect > Student Center > Personal Information > Names.
     
     

• If you have not undergone a legal gender marker change, you can change your gender marker to "unspecified" in DePaul systems, using the Personal Information Change link. For the documentation field, provide current valid identification.
  
  

• If you have undergone a legal name and/or gender marker change, you can change your primary/legal name and/or gender marker via the Personal Information Change link as well. Updated identification is required.
  
  

• Name change in DeHUB:

  1. Log onto https://dehub.campusgroups.com and login using your Campus Connect username and password

  2. Click on the gears symbol in the top right corner and select “Manage Account”

  3. You can change your first name to your preferred name and that will be reflected throughout the rest of the website

• Public Safety Office
• Dean of Students Office
• Office of Gender Equity/Title IX
• Human Dignity & Bias Response Team
• Office of Health Promotion & Wellness (for sexual and relationship violence prevention information and programs)

Lincoln Park Campus All-Gender Neutral Restrooms

Loop Campus All-Gender Neutral Restrooms 

The Department of Housing & Residence Life (DePaul Housing) offers all-gender housing to students who are interested in living on campus. Visit the DePaul Housing’s All-Gender Housing webpage for more information.  

Trans-focused resources

Workplace discrimination is a significant issue faced by the LGBTQIA+ community. When applying for jobs and considering potential employers, there are many things for LGBTQIA+ people to consider. In the United States, each state has separate legislation regarding LGBTQIA+ people and workplace discrimination. Some states do not have any protections where others have passed anti-discrimination legislation protecting only sexual orientation and still others include both sexual orientation and gender identity. Differentiating the states that have full protection from those that have no anti-discrimination laws in place is made easier with maps and charts that break down the laws for each state and explain in simple terms. The Movement Advancing Project features an interactive map delineating these differences on its website.

Testing the Inclusive Climate of a Potential Workplace

Below are several areas to investigate that will allow you to get a sense of how LGBTQIA-inclusive a potential employer is:

• Does this employer/company have health insurance coverage that is supportive of LGBTQIA+ people? Does that coverage extend to same-sex spouses, partners, etc.? Does that coverage include resources for transgender people who are transitioning?

• Does this company have a non-discrimination policy inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity? Even if the state you are in does not have protective legislation, individual companies/organizations may have inclusive policies.

• Is there an "employee resource" or "affinity" group that focuses on LGBTQIA+ issues?

When do I come out in the job application process? 

Whether in your resume or in the job interview itself, the decision of when and/or whether to come out in the job search process is one that often raises a lot of anxiety and questions. Should I say anything about my sexual orientation/gender identity? If so, when? How could I come out without taking away from the focus of the interview?

Coming Out on a Resume

If you choose to use your resume as a platform for disclosing your sexual orientation and/or gender identity, there are several ways that you can do so. One of the easiest is to highlight how you have served the LGBTQIA+ community, either in the workplace, through volunteer work, or in academia.

• The key to coming out in your resume is using whatever experiences you have with the LGBTQIA+ community to highlight your skills and abilities.

• Focus on including transferable skills so that no matter where your experience comes from, your new potential employer can see how your skills will fit into their workplace.

• An example would be including service to a campus LGBTQIA+ group as a way of learning time management, multi-tasking, and event planning.

• From the perspective of a potential employer, serving the LGBTQIA+ community does not necessarily mean that you yourself are a member of that community.

Coming Out in the Interview

When it comes to the interview itself, you are faced with a whole new set of options and many of them change depending on if you have already alluded to your connection to the LGBTQIA+ community. Some examples of how to bring up the topic during an interview include:

• Tie your past experiences with your unique skill set and present that to the interviewer. I.e., "While I was involved with my school’s LGBTQIA+ group I was able to cultivate my ability to multi-task while learning valuable time management skills.” 

• When given the chance to ask questions of your own, ask your interviewer if the company/organization has a group that focuses on creating an inclusive environment for LGBTQIA+ employees and if you could be a part of it if such a group exists.

• If you are applying for a position that includes benefits, ask if the benefits package is inclusive of LGBTQIA+ people/families.

Resources for Transgender Individuals 

In the interactive map, one of the features allows for people to see which states include anti-discrimination laws that protect not only sexual orientation, but also gender identity. The two are often confused, but the difference between them is an important one because transgender individuals are often faced with separate list of issues and questions that are unique from those faced by people discriminated against based on sexual orientation.

While there are more complex answers to many of these questions, here is a quick overview of some of the common questions for people who are interested in transitioning and transgender issues in the workplace.

• If I have changed my name, which name should I use on my resume? Can I include job experiences that I obtained under my birth name? Often this decision comes down to where in the transition and legal name change process someone is. The name you decide to use in the process is up to you, but be aware that some jobs require background or reference checks and in those situations the name you give needs to match your legal records.

• Does the organization/employer’s health benefits package include gender-affirming coverage? If you are interested in medical transition, this is an important question to ask or research when looking at a potential employer. Many insurance packages do not cover gender-affirming procedures, i.e., hormones and/or surgeries. Some packages do, but will only cover certain aspects of the transitioning process, making it that much more important to ask what would be covered if you worked for that company.

These are only two of the common questions that arise for transgender individuals when looking at potential employers. Lambda Legal compiled court cases, legal answers, and general advice designed to help transgender individuals navigate the application process and understand their legal rights in the workplace.

DePaul University’s annual celebration honoring the radical work of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Riveria, who were pivotal movement makers centering the often ignored voices of the trans and non-binary community. Each May, we celebrate these voices by bringing a trailblazer within the LGBTQIA+ Community to reflect on the work of Johnson and Riviera and how it informs their work today.

The Annual Drag Show is organized by Spectrum DePaul, an LGBTQIA+ student organization on campus. The event highlights the dynamic and diverse drag performances located in Chicago.

This is an annual welcome event that takes place at the beginning of the academic year in collaboration with LGBTQ Studies. The event serves as the perfect time for LGBTQIA+ organizations to also introduce themselves to the DePaul community.

Gender? is a weekly discussion group for DePaul students who would like to discuss gender and build community in a trans, non-binary, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming focused space. The group is open throughout the year. Please email LGBTQAServices@depaul.edu for meeting days and times.