Pride Month 2024: A Month for Empowerment and Love
Boston University researchers, faculty, and professors provide their experiences in advocating for and celebrating those in the LGBTQ+ community.
By Lydia Lu
Pride Month was first officially recognized by the federal government in 2000 when President Bill Clinton commemorated decades of gay activism and acknowledged the significance of the 1969 Stonewall riots. The roots of the Gay Liberation Movement date back to the early 20th century, with the rise of gay rights groups like the Society for Human Rights. Over time, Pride Month has grown to celebrate and honor members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities.
This year, Pride Month parades across the nation feature themes such as Reflect. Empower. Unite” and “Beacon of Love.” Although the slogans vary, they all aim to highlight the journeys of LGBTQ+ individuals, acknowledge their past struggles, celebrate their present achievements, and foster a future of inclusivity and love for all. To recognize these themes, we have gathered a series of articles and resources from Boston University faculty, researchers, and staff members all advocating for LGBTQ+ equality and rights.
Do you know what the minority stress theory is? It describes how LGBTQ+ people systematically experience greater psychological distress, triggering stress pathways from the brain to the heart. BU researcher Jesse Moreira discusses the theory in their class at the College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College. During their time as an educator, Dr. Moreira began to question how future academic and medical professionals could become better trained to serve LGBTQ+ identifying patients. This curiosity led to a classroom study where they posed the question: “What’s something that you can do that costs little to nothing to make a difference?” These discussions helped students think critically about existing inequities and recognize their potential to influence these issues.“I needed them to see that they currently possess the ability to be effective in working with these populations,” Moreira says. “You don’t have to wait until you’re an MD to do public health outreach.” Read more about Moreira’s work and research here.
In academics, teachers play a vital role in developing students’ minds and critical thinking. Creating a classroom environment that is welcoming and inclusive to students of all identities and backgrounds is essential to their personal development and self-esteem. This is especially important in STEM fields, where LGBTQ+ students have often felt silenced or disillusioned. BU educators Sophie Godley, Jesse Moreira-Bouchard, and Shelly DeBiasse have all studied the impacts an open and authentic environment can have on their students. The results of their published study revealed that the majority of students had an overwhelmingly positive experience “queering the classroom.” Read more about each of their experiences and insights from the study here.
In recent decades, Black men within the LGBTQ+ community have received increased recognition and celebration. Despite this progress, Black LGBTQ+ individuals still face significant dangers outside of curated spaces. According to a 2021 report by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, seventy-nine percent of Black LGBTQ+ adults have reported victimization, including verbal insults or abuse. BU School of Social Work professor Daniel Jacobson López highlights this history of violence against Black queer men in his research and advocacy. He shares that Black queer men endure more abuse and violence throughout their life — and experience even more if they are viewed as feminine. There is still a long way to go in advocating for justice for Black individuals in the LGBTQ+ community. However, learning about their history of violence and discrimination is a crucial step toward creating equality for all. Read more from Professor López’s discussion with the newsroom, The 19th, here.
Ensuring equity and fairness extends beyond the classroom and into workplaces. Consider the research of BU professors Dr. Richard Primack and Dr. Pamela Templer, who conducted a survey shedding light on the disproportionate experiences of historically marginalized groups including scientists of color, women, and those who identify as disabled, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, pansexual, asexual, and other nonheterosexual (LGBQPA+) individuals. Their findings revealed that these groups collectively encounter an average of 50 percent more negative workplace experiences on average. Despite a seemingly positive work environment, these results underscore the need for workplaces to enhance inclusivity and foster environments that support all employees. Learn more about their survey and discussions with BU colleagues here.
In 2020, Boston University Diversity & Inclusion (BU D&I) established the LGBTQIA+ Faculty and Staff Community Network (FSCN). Members of Q, BU’s Queer Activist Collective, collaborated with the FSCN to create a university-wide platform connecting students with queer faculty and staff. On this platform, the BU Out List was born. This list, inspired by the success of a similar resource at BU’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, aims to connect and highlight the LGBTQIA+ community within the University. It serves as a community-building tool for faculty, staff, students, and the broader University community, and it encourages students to find LGBTQIA+ mentors and other resources. Check out the BU Out list here.
For additional commentary by Boston University experts, follow us on Twitter at @BUexperts. Follow Jesse Moreira-Bouchard on Twitter at @JDM_Physiology, Shelly DeBiasse at @myreddchair, Daniel Jacobson López at @danjlopez8, and Pamela Templer at @phtempler. For research updates from Boston University’s Sargent College, School of Public Health, School of Social Work, and College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Biology, follow @BUSargent, @BUSPH, @BUSSW, @BU_CAS, and @BU_Biology.
