Residence reserving space for 2LGBTQIA+ students
When Jacq Brasseur moved into College West in 2012, it was hard coming out to one person, let alone to six new roommates.
This fall, a new housing option at the University of Regina will reduce that stress for 12 students who identify as 2LGBTQIA+ (two spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex or asexual).
Two six-bedroom apartments in the newly renovated College West residence have been designated for the Colourful Campus House initiative.
This program would have “made my university experience so much more stress-free, because I wouldn’t have had to worry about what my roommates were going to think or, ‘How do I come out to this group of strangers?’ ” said Brasseur, executive director of the UR Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity.
Through their work, Brasseur has heard “enough stories” about “not necessarily any kind of huge action of homophobia or transphobia at the hands of the university, but just kind of this fear or skepticism of ‘what if ?’ ”
The initiative, a partnership between UR Pride and U of R housing services, is about four months in the making.
“It was an easy decision to make,” said housing director Bettina Welsh.
“The University of Regina is about removing barriers for students and if there’s any sort of barriers for living on campus, we want to make sure that those are removed and that students are successful and feel safe here.”
Brasseur was glad to receive that response.
“I really kind of thought that I needed to convince them,” said Brasseur. “I had a three-page proposal with stats and research.
“I know in talking to my colleagues in pride centres (at) universities across the country, that’s not always what you get from a university institution. So for me it was really great to see just how invested the university was in the success of LGBTQ students.”
UR Pride had planned to sublet the apartments to students at a subsidized rate, but the U of R has taken on that aspect of the project, too.
Each applicant will be eligible for a $1,000 housing subsidy, to financially aid the students. Rent is $3,482 per semester, per student, in a six-bedroom apartment.
“The stories we hear a lot are students will come out to their families and then their families will cut them off financially and all of a sudden they’re left with huge rent bills,” said Brasseur.
“I think many students on campus navigate poverty, but I think that when we talk about LGBTQ students, I think that the cause of poverty is a lot different.”
The UR Pride Centre will field applications for the Colourful Campus House initiative.
They’ll be similar to the usual housing application, but with extra questions, including: What does a positive living space look like to you? and, Why do you want to live here?
Also, the student can state whether it’s OK to mention LGBTQ topics to their emergency contact, “so that we’re not outing students” to their families, who may not be aware of the student’s sexual or gender identity.
Students interested in applying for a residence spot in Colourful Campus House can visit urpride. ca/ housing, or call UR Pride Centre at 306-586-8811 ext. 207, or call housing services at 306-585-5281.