Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Alumni Association

Reaching Out

An e-Newsletter by the IU Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Alumni Association

Spring is Approaching! March, 2017
In This Issue
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Our Banners are Flying Proudly Near IUB's Auditorium

As spring approaches, we look forward to continue working together to fulfill our mission "to improve the quality of life for GLBT students, faculty, staff and alumni of Indiana University on all eight campuses." We are profoundly grateful for your steadfast support.

Mike Shumate, Past President

1. MBLGTACC Conference
    
   
 
Once again, IU students attended the annual Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Ally College Conference in Chicago during the weekend of February 17-19, organized by the Chicago Coalition of Queer and Allied Students. Our 20 IU students joined upwards of 2,300 other students from across the nation, making this year's MBLGTACC another successful conference. This year's conference celebrated its 25th anniversary and was hosted at the world famous Navy Pier. The conference featured nationally-recognized speakers and offered workshops regarding activism, health and wellness, student involvement, queer identities in education, and much more. It also offered the opportunity for students to be immersed - some for the first time - in a group of peers. The theme, "United in Solidarity," demonstrated the intersectionality and activism in our LGBTQ+ community and highlighted the message that we stand in solidarity with one another and celebrate in our own and in each other's identities.   
 
The GLBTAA believes this conference is much more than a gathering. It is a unique opportunity for our IU students to form community, share experiences and explore their own identities. Students who have attended the conference in the past have indicated that this experience was "transforming" in terms of their growth and personal development. Please see the conference's home page with a promotional video at:
 
2. Dignity, Law and Transgender Lives
Jody Herman (l) and Steve Sanders
 
The Maurer School of Law on February 15 hosted a program titled "Dignity, Law, and Transgender Lives."  Moderated by Maurer professor and GLBTAA board member Steve Sanders, the program featured ACLU lawyer Joshua Block and UCLA Williams Institute scholar Jody Herman. Block represents Gavin Grimm, a transgender Virginia high school boy whose discrimination case against his school district is scheduled to be heard in the U.S. Supreme Court on March 28. The participants discussed the Grimm case as well as other legal and political issues surrounding the quest for transgender equality. The program was co-sponsored by the GLBTAA.
 
Video of the full program is available at
On a related matter, Steve Sanders published an essay February 27 on the American Constitution Society Blog
https://www.acslaw.org/acsblog/why-the-supreme-court-should-dismiss-the-gavin-grimm-case   arguing that it would be better for the transgender equality movement for the Supreme Court to dismiss, rather than decide, the Grimm case.

Shortly before sending this Newsletter, the U.S. Supreme Court avoided ruling and sent the Grimm case back to the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-supreme-court-sidesteps-ruling-in-transgender-rights-case/ar-AAnTIb0?ocid=sf


3. Pride Day
Spirit of 76 Club Suite
 
We hosted our fourth annual IU GLBT Alumni Pride Day on January 19 and helped the IU Women's Basketball team secure a victory against Purdue (74-60) and return the Barn Burner Trophy back to the Hoosiers!  Indiana shot 50% overall causing Coach Teri Moren to comment, "I just thought offensively, we got some really good production from different people. I thought Tyra (Buss) was really good with the ball tonight and found the open person. I'm just really excited...This is what we needed, to come back and get on track."
 
Nearly a hundred alumni and friends gathered for a pre-game buffet in the new Spirit of 76 Club Suite in the south end of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, where we were greeted by Cindy Stone, vice president and co-founder of the GLBTAA, and Coach Moren.
 
"It was really exciting to have so many members of the women's community and our allies join us for the evening to celebrate with friends and family.  This program really has become one of our signature events each year to put the rainbow welcome mat out for all who support the work of the GLBT alumni group.   Former GLBTAA President Kim Davis provided the leadership ensuring the evening went very well.  And her planning committee of Sydney Ziegler and Sarah Perfetti contributed in numerous ways."
 
Coach Moren welcomed everyone and made comments, followed by a brief musical program presented by our own women's pride chorus, directed by Rebecca Keith and featuring alumnae of the Bloomington Feminist Chorus, past Pride Day singers, and other friends and allies. After an IU jersey and a pair of authentic candy-striped pants were given out as door prizes, everyone gathered in the new private seating area in the suite for viewing the game.
 
The event was perfect for a memorable, fun get-together. The victory against Purdue, of course, provided additional joy and cause for celebration. The GLBTAA is proud to host this annual event and show support for IU Athletics, particularly our LGBTQ athletes. This event helps reflect a positive light on IU's welcoming environment, where all our students can learn and reach for their aspirations on a level playing field and in a safe environment. The IDS did an article at

Women's Pride Chorus

4. GLBTAA Scholarship Campaign
   
Please continue to "spread the word" about our ground-breaking Campaign, which will help endow our GLBTAA Scholarship Program. We recently awarded three academic scholarship for the 2017 spring semester. Each recipient will be featured in one of our Newsletters. One of our recipients is featured in paragraph #5 below. After reviewing another heart-breaking story, we also recently awarded emergency funds to an IU Bloomington student. Since 2005, we have granted 78 scholarships (61 academic scholarships and 17 emergency scholarships) to IU students. Because of your generous support, we will be able to continue providing scholarships well into the future.   
      
Shane L. Windmeyer, MS '97, Executive Director and founder of Campus Pride, has commented about our Scholarship Program, particularly about our emergency grants: "IU remains one of the best campuses for GLBT support in the country. Crisis assistance funding, for example, is now a new benchmark for the Campus Pride Index, and the GLBTAA emergency scholarship is a great example. IU has definitely raised the bar nationally. I'm proud that IU has been a leader in that. IU has always stood as an institution of higher learning that embraces diversity."

We reached an important milestone in the Campaign during our recent Celebration Weekend! At the Neal-Marshall reception, we were presented with a $5,000 check from the IU Foundation by Dan Smith, President and CEO. Then, during the Grazie event, IU professor Bill Yarber presented us with a check getting us to $1 million!   
  
Contributions can be made online at Campaign Contributions  If you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact Mike Shumate at mikedshumate@gmail.com   or 858-922-6105; or IUAA Alumni Relations Officer Clarence Boone at 800-824-3044. Again, heartfelt gratitude to everyone for supporting our Campaign.
 
THANK YOU, IU alumni, faculty, staff, students, allies and our many friends! You have helped endow our Scholarship Program which will allow us to continue assisting our students for a very long time.
5. Academic Scholarship Recipient
 
Congratulations are extended to Nicholas D. Moore, one of our 2017 Spring Academic Scholarship recipients. Nicholas is a senior pursuing a BS in Marketing from IU Southeast. He aspires someday to do advocacy work for a nonprofit, national LGBTQ organization with the goal of "bettering peoples' lives, specifically the lives of LGBTQ persons."  His current involvement in LGBTQ activities is driven by this aspiration. Last year, he spearheaded the efforts to bring Representative Brain Sims to campus, including raising in excess of $10,000; coordinating the speaking arrangements; organizing a reception and post-speech dinner; arranging get-togethers with students; and other related details. The GLBTAA was a co-sponsor. Nicholas was a co-founder of the Jeffersonville Pride Festival, which launched the first Pride festival and parade in Southern Indiana this past summer. He has been a member of Spectrum, the student LGBTQ campus organization, every year he has been an IU student and currently is on the IU Southeast Chancellor's Advisory Council for Diversity. He writes for Red Pin Media. We're proud of you, Nicholas! 
 
6. Facebook

 

The GLBTAA has had a Facebook page for some time now, but some of you may not be aware of it.  If you haven't already done so, check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/iuglbtaa.  "Like" our page and follow our Facebook posts regarding news, updates and information about our events.

 

Like us on Facebook

7. GLBTAA Scholarships

 

GLBTAA Academic Scholarships  Academic Scholarships are awarded to IU students enrolled at any IU campus, who are academically strong, as well as active in promoting diversity, tolerance and social justice. Scholarships are awarded to students based upon academic achievement, career goals, financial need, leadership experience, community service and extracurricular activities. Involvement in activities promoting diversity and raising awareness of GLBT and related issues on the student's campus or in his or her community is carefully reviewed by the Board. The maximum award for an Academic Scholarship is $2,000 per semester. An individual student may not receive more than $4,000. The deadline for the Fall 2017 semester is April 15, 2017.

  

IU GLBTAA Emergency Scholarships
Emergency Scholarships are awarded to those students who experience the loss of financial support when they make the courageous decision to disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity to their families. Emergency Scholarships help to ensure that students need not choose between their education at IU and living life openly and honestly. Emergency Scholarships are awarded to students attending any IU campus. The maximum award for an Emergency Scholarship is $3,000 per semester, and a student may not receive more than $6,000.
  
You can learn more about the GLBTAA Scholarship Program and apply online at: http://alumni.indiana.edu/affiliates/glbt/supporting-community/scholarships.html
8. Membership

 

Encourage your friends to join the GLBTAA. They can visit our website here  and join.  There are no membership dues, and you do not have to be a member of the IUAA, or an IU degree-holder. We are approaching 1,600 members nation-wide, and we're growing! We appreciate your continued commitment! It is because of you that the GLBTAA is in existence, continues to grow and continues to serve our important mission on all eight of IU's campuses. If you are a member and wish to continue receiving our e-Newsletters, please make sure we have a current e-mail address for you.   You can visit https://alumni.indiana.edu/my-iu/index.html to see if your official record, including your e-mail address, is current.  Thank you for your support through your membership. We look forward to serving you now and in the years to come. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Clarence Boone, Alumni Relations Officer, at: boonec@indiana.edu or Mike Shumate at mikedshumate@gmail.com

 

If not already a member, please consider joining the IUAA by visiting https://alumni.indiana.edu/membership/index.html, by e-mailingiuaamemb@indiana.edu  or calling (800) 824-3044. By joining the IUAA, among many other things, you help fund the various GLBTAA programs, along with gaining access to IUAA member-only events.

 

If you would like to unsubscribe and terminate future communications from the GLBTAA, please respond to:  glbtaa@indiana.edu.