Utah students launch new 'Pride Center' after closure of LGBT Resource Center due to anti-DEI law
Students at the University of Utah are starting a new 'Pride Center' after an anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) law went into effect.
'Just because we have lost a battle doesn’t mean we’ve lost a war,' an LGBT activist reportedly stated.
Students at the University of Utah are starting a new “Pride Center” after an anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) law went into effect.
In compliance with the anti-DEI H.B. 261, the University of Utah and other state colleges have had to make various changes to their school functions.
[RELATED: Utah anti-DEI law goes into effect]
The law went into effect on July 1 and has made DEI initiatives illegal in higher education schools are prohibited “from taking certain actions and engaging in discriminatory practices.” This includes hiring an employee or admitting a student because of their race, gender, or personal identification.
The university has been making changes to its applicable departments this summer, including the closure of the LGBT Resource Center. According to the university’s website, “student resources and support programs previously managed by the LGBT Resource Center will now be administered by the Center for Student Access and Resources.”
Student activist Ien Zielinski told The Daily Utah Chronicle that the “Student Pride Center is that we can fill the void left by the closing of the LGBTQ+ Resource Center by creating a safe space for queer students and marginalized people on campus.”
“We’re partnering with some wonderful companies and industries that are going to provide some pamphlets and stuff talking about what resources are offered out there into the actual job world,” he added. “Just because we have lost a battle doesn’t mean we’ve lost a war.”
The university’s “administrative guidance” on student-led groups states, “Because of this close relationship [between the school and student groups], sponsored organizations should comply with HB 261.”
The Daily Utah Chronicle also reports that the center will operate out of the Marriott Library three days a week during the fall semester and will rely on private donations and volunteers.
Campus Reform has contacted the University of Utah for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
