Statement of Support for the LGBTQIA+ Community

The Parental Rights in Education Bill, known by its critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” Bill, along with a number of legal actions in various states that are hostile to the LGBTQIA+ community, have inspired us at the CSUDH Writing Center to reflect on how we can create a more welcoming, safe, and inclusive space for queer students, faculty, and staff. If the bill goes into effect (July 1st), it would prohibit the discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels or in a specified manner. Such a bill sends a dangerous message about the value of certain identities.

As leaders in Texas, Florida, and other state governments wage war on the LGBTQIA+ community, we want to do our part to ensure that the Writing Center is a sanctuary for queer and questioning Toros. We want our humble space to provide support to queer voices instead of silencing them. While we are bound to maintain student privacy by legal mandates outlined by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), we are also committed to an ethos of inclusivity and sensitivity to the individual needs of everyone who comes to the Center. We prioritize privacy in all of our interactions with writers in the Center, so anything you share in the Writing Center will be handled with sensitivity and discretion.

As a writing center, we acknowledge that we need to better support marginalized voices and experiences. Anyone who uses the Center should feel supported, empowered, and safe. Although we recognize that a statement of support is only a small and temporary response to the fear these bills are causing, we want to reiterate our continued support for the LGBTQIA+ community. We want to reaffirm to all Toros that we are committed to supporting queer students, staff, and faculty. We will provide continued education to our staff, as well as revisit our mission and philosophy to explore ways that we can expand on and reinforce our pedagogy of anti-oppression.

Furthermore, we are providing this brief tutorial to assist anyone who created a Writing Center account prior to a gender/name/pronoun transition or exploration, or for anyone new to creating an account with us. Below, you will find some important information we’d like to share regarding creating a Writing Center account at csudh.mywconline.net, as well as announce some new additions to the registration process:

When the system prompts you to enter your first and last name, we want to clarify that this name does not have to align with the name you have on file with the university

You now have the option to add a name under the new prompt “what name should we call you?”

We have also updated our prompt regarding adding your personal pronouns

It is of utmost importance to note that answering the “what name should we call you” question and adding your pronouns is completely optional. We care deeply about your safety and privacy and want to emphasize that you have complete agency over what information you choose to or not to share with us at all times.

If you already have an account with us, you may also alter any previously shared information:

Once you are logged into your account, click on the top left corner that says “Welcome, ‘Your Name’”

A drop-down menu should appear. Click the option that says: “Update profile and email options” and you should be directed to a page where you can modify your email, name, and other information
Click “Save changes” at the bottom of the page

We also want to hear from you—the CSUDH community—on how we can continue to build our critical consciousness as these issues, and the Toros affected by them, are important to us. Your voices matter. Your experiences matter. Your writing matters. Please reach out to us if you’d like to collaborate with us or if you have questions, suggestions, and guidance as we carry on in our journey of learning.

Email: writingcenter@csudh.edu

Instagram: @writingcenter_DH