Engineering course at U. Mass. focuses on race, gender and sexuality

The University of Massachusetts Amherst is offering a “Queer Lights” course in the Spring in order to “literally cast light” on gender issues while students build “LGBTQA-themed electronic light displays.”

The course will be co-taught by a professor from the school’s engineering department and members of the “Stonewall Center,” an on-campus “LGBTQIA+ resource center.” Students who complete the course will be rewarded one academic credit from the taxpayer-funded university.

The course is labeled as an “Electrical and Computer Engineering” course, which would allow certain engineering students to receive credit towards their engineering degrees for taking the course, as well.

Students will cover a variety of topics in the “Queer Lights” course, including the intersection of race and gender issues, the campus climate for queer students, and the legal rights of queer students on campus.

According to a course description obtained by The Liberty Standard, students will meet once a week for 10 weeks to discuss LGBT rights and build light displays in the school’s craft center.

The Stonewall Center, which will be co-sponsoring the course, will also be overseeing a new “Spectrum LGBTQIA Residence Hall Floor” in the Fall for homosexual and transgendered students.

Campus Reform contacted the Stonewall Center to discuss the new “Queer Lights” course and ask about the connection between engineering and gay rights issues but no response was received by press time.

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