Grand Valley State University’s Rainbow Resource Center hosted its annual Trans Week of Visibility. The week was filled with events that ranged from informative to entertaining, including a concert by LGBTQ+ singer-songwriter Spencer LaJoye.
Trans Week of Visibility kicked off Tuesday, March 24 with a gathering of faculty and staff discussing their experiences as transgender employees. The panel was held at Kindschi Hall, and was sponsored by the LGBTQ+ Faculty/Staff Association at GVSU. According to CLAS Dean’s Office Assistant Kel Nemetz, a majority of attendees said the University is generally welcoming and inclusive toward trans identities.
One important point made during the discussion, Nemetz noted, was that transgender people are not a monolith, as each attendee described their own unique identity and experiences. Some areas of improvement mentioned during the meeting included a need for more gender-inclusive bathrooms on campus and institutional benefit policies that account for chosen families and polycules.
Wednesday, March 25, the Rainbow Resource Center had planned to host its annual assembly at the Cook Carillon Tower, but an announcement was made stating it had been cancelled. Normally, the event features a crowd adorned in pride flags, holding up signs and listening as speakers talk about their experiences and concerns as transgender members of the community.
Rainbow Resource Center Director DL McKinney explained the event was cancelled due to the heaviness of the political climate, and to provide students with a more relaxed, fun-centered activity. Instead of the assembly, students gathered to make art and protest signs.
“This year, we prioritized events that centered creativity and connection because trans and gender-expansive folks are more than just narratives of harm and pain,” McKinney said. “That meant leaning into art, music, community space and access to resources over anything that felt overly extractive or put pressure on people to educate or perform in certain spaces.”
Also on Wednesday, there was a concert headlined by Spencer LaJoye, a queer folk singer from the Midwest. The concert was free to the public, and was held at the Loosemore Auditorium in the DeVos Center.
Finally, Trans Week of Visibility concluded with Pride Prom, an LGBTQ+ dance that was held in the Kirkhof Center’s Grand River Room. The dance’s theme was “Under the Sea and Stars.” Other events scattered throughout the week included a children’s reading hour, trans rage break room and a party at club Hub07.
Center Assistant of the Rainbow Resource, Joey Grubbs-Hulst, explained the importance of celebrating Trans Week of Visibility.
“Trans people are everywhere, and we want to celebrate that,” said Grubbs-Hulst.
McKinney spoke on the importance of Trans Week of Visibility this particular year as opposed to others, citing the increase in anti-LGBTQ+ bills being proposed and the prevalence of transphobia.
“That’s why this week matters,” McKinney said. “It’s about creating intentional spaces for visibility that center joy and community, because living life joyfully and loudly is not optional. Celebrating trans lives pushes back on narratives that reduce us to politics or debate and reminds people that trans folks are here, making meaningful and powerful impacts on this world.”
