This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TCNJ chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

One of our Membership Chairs, Caroline Pollinger, and our Executive Chair, Maria Hourihan, have researched LGBTQ+ History Month.

History:

LGBTQ+ History Month was first celebrated in 1994 as LGBT History Month when Missouri Public School educator Rodney Wilson took initiative to educate his students on the legacy of the LGBTQ+ community.

Why October? October was selected as LGBTQ+ History month due to its weight in the academic school year, falling at a critical period of the academic calendar and creating space for discussion in schools. October is also historically significant, with National Coming Out Day (celebrated on October 11th) and the first march on Washington D.C. for Lesbian and Gay rights (1979).

LGBTQ+ History Month has grown to celebrate the history, achievements, identities, and experiences of the community.

Statistics and Impact:

2009 – President Barack Obama officially declared LGBTQ History Month as a national history month.
2025 is the 30th anniversary of LGBTQ+ History Month!
Now LGBTQ+ History Month is celebrated in different months in different countries globally, such as: the UK, Scotland, Wales, Romania, Hungary, Berlin, Australia, Northern Ireland, Haifa, Canada, Finland, Armenia, Netherlands, Italy, France, Cuba, Uganda, New Zealand, and Spain.

Get Involved On Campus:

- PRISM is TCNJ’s primary LGBTQ+ student organization. They hold weekly meetings as outlined on their website and host events on campus related to LGBTQ+ identity.
- Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Onyx
- A club focused on advocacy, community, and progress for LGBTQ+ individuals of diverse backgrounds.
- Instagram
Delta Lambda Phi
- DLP is an international social fraternity for gay, bisexual, transgender, and progressive individuals. TCNJ has an active chapter that hosts events and socializes with other TCNJ Greek Life.

Get Involved Off Campus:

Crisis and Informational Hotlines
- The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
- Youth Resource 2nd Floor Youth Helpline: 1-888-222-2228
- LGBT Resources Trevor Helpline: 1-866-4u-TREVOR
- LGBT National Helpline: 1-888-843-4564
Including Pronouns in Your E-Mail Signature
- Simply emailing individuals on and off campus with your pronouns in the signature linked to this website can help raise awareness for LGBTQ+ individuals: What Are Pronouns? Why Do They Matter? — Pronouns.org Resources on Personal Pronouns
- E.g. she/her/her, he/him/his, they/them/theirs, etc
Book Recommendations
- Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg: A classic novel about a working-class butch lesbian named Jess Goldberg in New York City during the 1970s.
- Angels in America by Tony Kushner: A Pulitzer Prize-winning play that deals with themes of sexuality, gender, and religion in the 1980s.
- Nobody Needs to Know by Pidgeon Pagonis: A memoir about the author’s experience as an intersex person and activist.
- Little Fish by Casey Plett: A quiet novel about a trans woman in Canada navigating love and memory.
- Orlando by Virginia Woolf: A biography that follows a nobleman who wakes as a woman, using this transformation to challenge gender roles and explore identity, sexuality, and social constructs.
The Trevor Project
- The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24
- Website | 866.488.7386

Additional TCNJ Resources:

TCNJ Preferred Name Policy & NameCoach
- TCNJ uses the Preferred Name Policy, allowing a preferred name to be added to your TCNJ digital identity and official records. Please consult this guide for instructions on how to use this. Once a preferred name is added to PAWS, other TCNJ sites, such as Canvas, will use your preferred name.
- TCNJ also provides NameCoach technology, a tool that gives students the ability to record the pronunciation of their names, provide the phonetic spelling of their names, and store their preferred pronouns.
- These resources can help ensure that pronoun and name changes are understood and implemented smoothly for students.
Gender Inclusive Housing
- TCNJ’s Gender Inclusive Housing program allows for co-ed rooming situations and provides alternative housing options for TCNJ’s LGBTQIA+ students, as well as for any general member of the student body who might be interested.
- Website | 609.771.2301
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
- CAPS provides group counseling, workshops, brief individual counseling, and referral services to TCNJ students. Services are confidential; no record of counseling appears on the student’s permanent academic record. Some groups cater specifically to LGBTQ+ individuals, while others focus on overarching mental health needs.
- Website | 609.771.2247
Sexual and Reproductive Health
- TCNJ Student Health Services offers general sexual and reproductive healthcare options. You can schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider through OWL. Walk-in hours are on weekdays from 8:30-4 pm in Eickhoff Hall 107.

Final Thoughts:

LGBTQ+ History Month serves as an important reminder to honor the resilience, achievements, and ongoing struggles of the LGBTQ+ community. By engaging with campus and community resources, we can continue fostering awareness, inclusion, and meaningful support for all identities.

Sourced Information and Other Resources to Look Into:

https://gsrc.illinois.edu/events/lgbtq-history-month

https://libguides.sunysccc.edu/c.php?g=1281574&p=9443848

https://www.advocate.com/news/how-lgbtq-history-month-start

LGBTQIA+ Resources | Division of Inclusive Excellence

Upcoming events!

Pumpkins, Pride, and Perspective: WILL Fall Social

10/22 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Bliss Annex 151

Come join us in learning about LGBTQ+ history while painting pumpkins and creating air-dry clay ghosts!