Overview:
Paul Quinn College, an HBCU, has a lack of resources and support for LGBTQIA+ students due to its affiliation with the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Alumni and current students have shared their experiences of feeling unwelcome and excluded, and there is a lack of a physical community for LGBTQIA+ students. Other HBCUs, such as Huston-Tilloston University and Texas Southern University, have resources available to support their queer students, but Paul Quinn College does not have the same resources. The college has a mandatory chapel session that may be challenging for queer students, and there is no club for LGBTQIA+ students.
The beauty of June is that it marks the halfway point of the year, especially for those in higher education. Spring classes have ended, graduation season is coming to a close, and students are foregoing their khakis and polos for seasonal clothing of bikini tops, muscle tanks, and shorts. Professional plans have halted in favor of summer cruises and day parties.
Pride Is More Than a Month
Most synonymous with the warm weather-inspired emotional renaissance and vibrant energy of summer is the 30-day celebration of Pride Month.
The month of June serves not just as a reminder but as a celebration of all of the unique and brave souls who shared their true identity with the world. Pride Month is a way to honor those who fought for queer rights tooth and nail, from Stonewall to Obergefell v Hodges. Most importantly, it is a celebration of the beauty and freedom of the members of the LGBTQ+ community- a testament that those who live freely because they choose to live in truth, rather than behind the constraints of outdated norms and prejudices.
Allyship or Avoiding the Community?
However, before we can all bar hop and walk freely in the parades we have to recognize that the allyship of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, plus (LGBTQIA+) is not a monolithic celebration of a month. It is a year-long commitment to protecting those who face discrimination merely because of their sexual identity and sexual orientation. Allyship is something that desperately needs to be addressed in the very institutions specifically designed to selflessly serve the Black community: HBCUs.
HBCUs serve as the cornerstone safe havens for intellectuals in our community seeking authentic and unapologetic Black lenses when receiving higher education. Behind the historical walls and the lush quads are students seeking a deeper understanding of life alongside people who look exactly like them.
So, what does this representation mean for students who are members of the LGBTQIA+ communities? What does inclusion mean to them? Not all students are openly expressing their identity as members of this community, but that doesn’t make it impossible to support them. What does being seen and heard truly mean for their experiences?
The HBCU Experience Reconsidered: Student Stories
I was able to sit down with alumni, current staff, and even one student who braved the Paul Quinn journey since our Summer Bridge experience of 2023. It is extremely important to note that Paul Quinn College does have an Anti-Discrimination Policy located on its site.
Leslie Rivas, a recent 2024 graduate of the college and now a full-time employee, sat with me to discuss her own experiences of the institution. She maintained that the group of Queer students that she hung around with dealt with natural gravitation because there were only so many of them.
As it pertains to any homophobic experiences, Ms. Rivas didn’t mention any. However, she did mention that there was tension with certain staff members and that more could be done for students and staff involved.
“Sometimes we put a lot of emphasis on LGBTQ people being comfortable and being who they are,” Rivas shared. “And I feel that for an environment like that to be available to them, we also have to be aware of the people who are just not comfortable around that. Bring awareness to both parties, and I feel like that conversation alone would change the dynamics between the two groups.”
Arreis Thompson is a transgender man who goes by he/his pronouns. At present, he may be the only transgender student in the school. Thompson has been on his transitioning journey for nearly four years, and is currently seeking to get his gender marker permanently switched from female to male.
This is how Thompson responded when asked if he viewed Paul Quinn College as having the necessary resources to support the members of its student body who identify as LGBTQIA+.
“The short answer is no. There are a lot more things that can be down to view their queer students and their queer community because it is getting bigger as we speak. I feel like a lot of schools at least have a club, and that was not even thought about because we are a Christian college.”
With AME values shaping campus life, some PQC students are left wondering if there’s space for queer identity alongside traditional Christian ethics.
The Religion Question
Historically speaking, Paul Quinn College is an African Methodist Episcopal (AME) school, complete with the Richard Allen Chapel resting on the highest point of the campus. On April 4, 1872, the school was founded by a group of AME preachers, and the classes were held in churches.
Currently, students are required to attend mandatory Chapel sessions on Friday, where different pastors speak to students regardless of their religious beliefs or values. Thus, to walk across the stage in the spring, students must have passed the Chapel course for their entire four years at the institution.
As far as clubs go, I spoke with Raymond Weeks, Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of Academic Affairs, to get some insight on whether it would be possible to create a physical community for LGBTQIA+ students. Weeks explained that social clubs are not allowed on the campus. This is the root source of problems for students who would like to create an LGBTQIA+ club at PQC: they simply aren’t allowed to.
Upon hearing that information, Thompson replied with, “We have to take a Christian Ethics course to even graduate, so I am just confused as to why it is so hard to have a club or committee.”
When Identity Gets Ignored
Thompson is a staunch advocate for the importance of LGBTQIA+ visibility and education. He explained that during his on-campus internship, his deadname was repeatedly brought up in a staff meeting as a joke.
A deadname is defined as the name a transgender or non-binary person was given at birth but no longer uses as a part of their present identity. The use of such names is inappropriate and disrespectful to the individual it once belonged to.
Despite the fact that Thompson corrected the person, they became extremely defensive and upset. Even more disturbing, this incident nearly affected Thompson’s process of being accepted by the college’s Corporate Work Program.
“I would like Paul Quinn as a whole to be open-minded. We’re all here to learn something new. So if you could take anything in, it’s to learn something new about everybody,” Thompson urges. “Learn something new about the people that you’ve never even met before, the people that you’ve never heard of, the people that have different lifestyles from yours. Be open-minded.”
Learning Out Loud: Educators Trying to Bridge the Gap
The beauty of Paul Quinn College is that not everyone feels the same as the staff member Thompson spoke about in his internship.
Adrienne Wilson, Director of TRIO Upward Bound Program, is an alumnus of the former school, Bishop College. Bishop College sat on the grounds of the current Paul Quinn College location.
When asked if she believes that the AME affiliation has anything to do with the lack of organizational resources for Queer students, Ms. Wilson acknowledged that it did but added that isn’t what Christ is for.
“However, in a church-oriented institution and AME, you still have to be God-like. And according to his word and works, He doesn’t leave anybody behind. According to God, everyone is his child.”
“However, in a church-oriented institution and AME, you still have to be God-like. And according to his word and works, He doesn’t leave anybody behind. According to God, everyone is his child.”
Adrienne Wilson, Director of trio upward bound program
Wilson also explained that she herself is still learning, and that she tries to do her due diligence to ensure that she is being a mentor to her students or merely a shoulder to cry on when and if they need it.
And while it is important to maintain that no LGBTQIA+ experience is universal and uniform, institutions must be able to address the fact that they are no longer serving students who fit into one category. They are serving students with a myriad of sexual identities and orientations.
Outdated Norms versus Pushing Inclusive Reforms
Still, what is possible with the majority of HBCUs that have historical ties with the Black church? You can’t help but wonder if the religious affiliations of these institutions have anything to do with the fact that schools don’t outwardly address the topic of queer students. Historically, Black churches and denominations have been against the LGBTQIA+ community.
The late Atlanta-based pastor of New Birth Church, Eddie Long, famously had sermons condemning same-sex marriages. So much so, he oversaw numerous “conversion seminars” to “pray the gay away.” Gospel singer Kim Burrell has repeatedly been in the press due to her homophobic remarks. From her infamous video of “Let God Be True Quickly,” to her referring to sexuality as “perverted homosexual spirit.”
On the other hand, in Austin, Huston-Tilloston University provides students with a document that has the necessary resources available to their queer students. Resources like Waterloo Counseling Center, the Bisexual Network of Austin, and the National Black Justice Coalition are just some of the resources listed for students.
Over in Houston, Texas Southern University has an entire page dedicated to ensuring students are supported and affirmed in their identities. The website has sections for discussing using students’ chosen name, user experiences of LGBTQIA+-friendly organizations for work for post-grad, numerous local resources, and even features a helpful guide for fitting your style into a corporate dress code.
While Huston-Tilloston University does have affiliations with the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ, Texas Southern does not have any affiliations with any religious denominations. Keep in mind that Huston-Tilloston has a much smaller budget and number of students compared to Texas Southern University, yet they still figured out how to support their students with their resources.
Since there is no realistic expectation that HBCUs will divest from, in some cases, their century-long religious affiliations any time soon, one can only hope that they find better ways to manage what are now unrealistic versions of conformity.
Zahiyah Carter is a Gen Z writer based in Dallas. Her work focuses on topics that matter most to young people, from social issues and pop culture to technology and beyond.
