LGBTQ+ Resources
Campus Resources
- Safe Zone Website: UTC/Safe Zone
- Spectrum on Instagram (Queer Collective): @spectrumutc
- Center for Women and Gender Equity– Committed to creating a community of diverse and empowered students through core values of awareness and education on gender and social issues; activism and advocacy to engage our community in addressing gender equity and social issues and concerns; collaboration through support for social justice organizations and causes; leadership and creating a community of acceptance and celebration of diversity.
Phone: 423-425-5648
Location: University Center Room 350
Website: UTC/WaGE - Office of Multicultural Affairs - Committed to enhancing the academic, social, personal, and professional development of all students through support and activities. OMA also offers a vibrant, student-focused center on the 3rd floor of the University Center. Valuing diversity is an integral part of the college experience and the office works in partnership with faculty and staff to encourage that.
Phone: 423-425-5648
Location: University Center Room 350
Website: UTC/Multicultural - Counseling Center - A place where students can go for services to help handle day-to-day challenges while encouraging their personal growth and development. Services provided include personal, career and academic counseling and crisis intervention. Services are confidential and offered by professionally trained counselors and psychologists. Most services are free of charge, but there is a minimal charge for testing. Call or come by if you have questions.
Phone: 423-425-4438
Location: University Center Room 338
Website: UTC/Counseling Center - Dean of Students Office -The mission of the Office of the Dean of Students is to advance the mission of UTC and the Division of Student Affairs. We seek to enhance the collegiate experience through intentional programs and services that promote student learning, character development and leadership. The Office of the Dean of Students supports UTC values and traditions with a students-first commitment.
Phone: 423-425-4761
Location: University Center 399
Website: UTC/Dean of Students - Title IX Coordinator - Oversees UTC sexual misconduct and relationship violence prevention.
Phone: 423-425-4255
Location: University Center 399
Website: UTC/Title IX - Office of Equity and Inclusion - Works proactively to achieve institutional equity and diversity.
Phone: 423-425-5468
Location: 720 McCallie Ave., Second Floor
Website: UTC/Equity and Inclusion
Chattanooga and Community Resources
(Below are resources related to LGBTQ+ communities that may be helpful. If there are additional resources that may please let us know by emailing Sara Peters.)
- Tennessee Valley Pride: https://www.chattanoogapride.com
Tennessee Valley Pride, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation designed to celebrate diversity in Chattanooga and surrounding cities. Our goal is to combine the wonderful resources of the LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender] people of our area and reach out to the community with dignity and respect. The Board is committed to raising awareness, educating and strengthening the community, creating a safe environment and improving the human condition. - Transcenders Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/transcenders?sk=wall
The Tennessee Valley Transgender Support Group. Working with each other, through each other and for each other. We are "Transcenders". - PFLAG Chattanooga: https://www.pflag.org/chapter/pflag-chattanooga
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is a national non-profit organization with more than 200,000 members and supporters and more than 350 affiliates. This vast grassroots network is cultivated, resourced and serviced by the PFLAG national office in Washington, D.C., the national board of directors and 13 regional directors.
National Resources
(Below are resources related to LGBTQ+ communities that may be helpful. If there are additional resources that may please let us know by emailing Sara Peters.)
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): https://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights
Nonpartisan organization that brings lawsuits on topics such as discrimination, parenting and other areas that impact civil rights and constitutional law in order to achieve GLBT equality. - Bisexual Resource Center: biresource.net
Provides education about and support for bisexual issues - The Consortium of Higher Education Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Professionals:
http://lgbtcampus.org
The Consortium of Higher Education Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resources Professionals was born at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Creating Change Conference in San Diego in 1997, but the consortium had been working together informally for several years prior. The combined vision and mission of the consortium is to achieve higher education environments in which lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni have equity in every respect. Our goals are to support colleagues and develop curriculum to professionally enhance this work; to seek climate improvement on campuses; and to advocate for policy change, program development and establishment of LGBT Office/Centers. - Everyone is Gay: everyoneisgay.com
Everyone Is Gay works to improve the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning/queer (LGBTQ) youth using a three-pronged approach: providing honest advice to these youth while keeping them laughing; talking to students across the country to create caring, compassionate school environments; and working with parents of LGBTQ kids to help foster ongoing dialogue and deeper understanding. - Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD): glad.org
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of individuals and events in all media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. - Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN): glsen.org
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected, regardless of sexual orientation. We welcome as members any and all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or occupation, who share this philosophy. - Human Rights Campaign (HRC): hrc.org
The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay political organization and envisions an America where lesbian and gay people are ensured of their basic equal rights – and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community. HRC has more than 360,000 members, both gay and non-gay – all committed to making this vision a reality. With a national staff, volunteers and members throughout the country, HRC lobbies the federal government on gay, lesbian and AIDS issues; educates the public; participates in election campaigns; organizes volunteers; and provides expertise and training at the state and local levels. Founded in 1980, HRC maintains the largest full-time lobbying team in the nation devoted to issues of fairness for lesbian and gay Americans. - Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund (Lambda Legal): lambdalegal.org
Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men and people with HIV/AIDS through impact litigation, education and public policy work. Lambda carries out its legal work principally through test cases selected for the likelihood of their success in establishing positive legal precedents that will affect lesbians, gay men and people with HIV/AIDS. From our offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta, Lambda attorneys work on a wide range of cases, with a docket averaging more than 50 cases at any given time. - National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE): http://transequality.org/
The National Center for Transgender Equality is a social justice organization dedicated to advancing the equality of transgender people through advocacy, collaboration and empowerment. NCTE was founded in 2003 by transgender activists who saw the urgent need for a consistent voice in Washington, D.C. for transgender people. NCTE provides this presence by monitoring federal activity and communicating this activity to its members around the country, providing congressional education and establishing a center of expertise on transgender issues. NCTE also works to strengthen the transgender movement and individual investment in this movement by highlighting opportunities for coalition building, promoting available resources and providing technical assistance and training to trans people and their allies. NCTE also maintains a federal transgender activists’ network. They understand that many individuals and organizations are working to increase the civil rights of transgender people and providing needed resources and efforts. By maintaining a network of these activists, they can connect people looking for transgender-related information with sources that can best assist. - The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (The Task Force): thetaskforce.org
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is the nation’s oldest national LGBT social justice organization. The Task Force has worked to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people at the local, state and national levels since its inception in 1973. As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, the Task Force is creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society. The Task Force’s mission is to build the political power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community from the ground up. The Task Force does this by training activists, organizing broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation and by building the organizational capacity of our movement. The Policy Institute, the movement’s premier think tank, provides research and policy analysis to support the struggle for complete equality and to counter false information. As part of a broader social justice movement, they work to create a nation that respects the diversity of human expression and identity and creates opportunity for all. - National Youth Advocacy Coalition (NYAC): nyacyouth.org/
The mission of National Youth Advocacy Coalition is to advocate for and with young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender to end discrimination against these youth and to ensure their physical and emotional well-being. The National Youth Advocacy Coalition takes a comprehensive approach to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. The coalition strongly believes that to be effective in creating change at the national level, we also must work with and support local community-based work. The coalition stresses that the expertise required to strengthen the LGBT youth services movement can be found in young people and adults from around the country. - Outserve-Servicemembers Legal Defense Fund (SLDN): https://www.mightycause.com/organization/Outserve-Sldn
Outserve-SLDN is a non-partisan, non-profit legal services watchdog and policy organization dedicated to ending discrimination against and harassment of military personnel. - The Transgender Law and Policy Institute (TLPI): transgenderlaw.org
The Transgender Law and Policy Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to engaging in effective advocacy for transgender people. The TLPI brings experts and advocates together to work on law and policy initiatives designed to advance transgender equality. - Trevor Project: thetrevorproject.org
The Trevor Project provides crisis and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ youth through a hotline, online chat spaces and work on policy and research. - Trikone: http://www.trikone.org
Trikone is the leading group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender South Asians. Based in San Francisco, Trikone publishes a regular magazine.