Queerating (Creating) Harmony: Intentional and Inclusive Campus Queer Academic and Social Spaces

Abstract

The creation of affirming spaces is imperative because queer students must find affinity to unpack and deconstruct the various intersections of sexuality, gender, race, and other intersectional identities that are a part of their transformational lives. This article discusses the use of the word queerating, which is an action that focuses on agency (self-identity), advocacy (self-empowerment), action (self-engagement), and actualization (self-efficacy). As ethno-autobiographers, the authors share their administrative and teaching journeys through personal vignettes, research on the history of queer spaces, and the psycho-social development of queer college students. The articles also discuss the practices, procedures, protocols, and policies necessary to queerate college spaces.