At Believe in Students, one of our seven guiding principles is to Value Learning, reflecting our commitment to grow together through curiosity, reflection, and shared exploration. One way we live this out is by observing and honoring cultural, community, and heritage moments throughout the year.
When we engage in these observances, our goal is to deepen understanding, honor lived experiences, and spark meaningful dialogue around identity, contribution, and equity. We aim to create spaces that invite connection, call us in rather than call us out, and remind us of the power of storytelling in how we learn, grow, and build community.
Sometimes that storytelling comes from members of our own team who choose to share pieces of their own experience. In the past, we’ve been grateful to feature reflections from senior leaders and staff alike. Today, we are honored to share a contribution from our Social Media Manager, Hope Sievers.
Pride is supposed to be a celebration. It’s in the name, Pride. It’s about uplifting our identities and living in the truth of who we are, despite what societal expectations tell us about what we “should” be.
It’s about acknowledging the Other and welcoming them in. If you don’t fit with what the world thinks you should be, join us, and we’ll celebrate who you are.
But members of our community will remind you: the first Pride was a riot. It was a messy fight against the power of the state for our right to exist. Post-Stonewall, early celebrations of Pride were considered “peaceful protests,” which is a stark contrast to the mainstream festivities we often see today.
Despite the commercialization of Pride bringing parts of the LGBTQ+ community more firmly into mainstream norms, laws being passed across the country are trying to erase others, namely trans and gender-nonconforming people. As a single example, in Iowa—my home state—trans and nonbinary people have been stripped of their civil rights.
Queer college students, especially those who are trans or gender-nonconforming, navigate the pressures of identity-based discrimination in addition to the challenges of higher education. This year, it was impossible to celebrate Pride without acknowledging that huge portions of the community are in danger across the country. A swath of propaganda and misinformation is stoking fear and distrust, making it harder for trans and other gender-nonconforming people to exist.
So, let’s set the record straight:
- Trans people have always existed.
- Trans people are more likely to be unsafe in public bathrooms than cis people.
- Trans people in sports is an incredibly nuanced conversation, and it’s filled with myths. Blanket bans don’t address real concerns and only further isolate young trans athletes.
- Trans and other LGBTQ+ youth are not okay.
- Anti-trans sentiment harms cis girls and disproportionately affects women of color.
Incoming laws trying to obscure these truths mean more LGBTQ+ students have to hide their identities from those around them, often including friends and loved ones. It’s dangerous and it’s exhausting—and they have to do it while juggling assignment deadlines and exam studies.
The necessity of having to hide for some brings about the counterculture of LGBTQ+ people living loud and Proud. If someone seems ‘too loud,’ it’s often because they’re signaling to those still in hiding that it’s possible to live proudly and safely. That visibility can be life-saving. They’re signalling to our hidden members of the community that there are people like them out there, and there’s hope they can live as their authentic selves one day too.
For LGBTQ+ students, having visible representation and inclusive practices can mean the difference between feeling isolated and knowing there’s somewhere they can belong.
As we close out Pride and look towards the rest of the year, if we have the means and opportunity to, we must support trans and gender-nonconforming people and speak out against laws that would harm them. We must push back against the harmful misinformation that fuels fear and directly impacts how LGBTQ+ students are treated on campus and in policy. You can use the resources above to dispel myths you hear in conversation or online.
At Believe in Students, we know that LGBTQ+ students—particularly those from marginalized backgrounds—often face higher rates of housing and food insecurity, mental health struggles, and financial barriers that can derail their education. That’s why we’re taking important steps this fall to bring more resources into the Philadelphia community.
In partnership with Brandywine Realty and Hospitality HQ, we’ll be opening Gather Food Hall to provide healthy, low-cost meals and help address food insecurity, with a focus on supporting local college students navigating these intersecting challenges. Too many LGBTQ+ students are asked to shrink themselves to fit in or go without basic support. At Believe in Students, we want them to know they’re seen, valued, and always welcome at our table.
Pride is a time for joy and celebration. But it is also a call to action. Let’s keep showing up for students—especially those pushed to the margins—and continue building spaces where every student feels safe, supported, and cared for.
And for those of you feeling lost or afraid, remember: queer people exist everywhere. You are not alone.