Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Education and Support Services

5 students standing in courtyard talking.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
Education and Support Services (LGBTESS)

The mission of LGBTESS is to promote a safe, equitable, accessible, and affirming campus for Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, aromantic, and agender (2SLGBTQIA3+) students at the University of Oregon through resource navigation, education, community building, and event implementation.

Lavender Graduation Celebration 2026

Sunday, June 14 | 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | EMU Ballroom

Doors open and food served at 10:00 a.m. Program begins at 10:30 a.m.

Graduating 2SLGBTQIA3+ students who wish to be honored at the celebration should respond by end of day on May 25, 2026. Open to all graduating students.

Connect with LGBT+ Education and Support Services

SJ Wilhelm

SJ

Program Director, LGBT Education and Support Services

To schedule a meeting with SJ, please email sjwil@uoregon.edu.

Monday–Friday: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Located in Oregon Hall, Suite 380

 

Events

Art Exploration Camp for Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth

noon

Create art as a form of self-expression as you explore the visual arts in the galleries and studio of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in this...

Aug

17

Art Exploration Camp for Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth
August 17
noon

Create art as a form of self-expression as you explore the visual arts in the galleries and studio of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in this week-long afternoon art workshop for transgender and gender nonbinary youth in grades 5- 8. This week is supported by members of the transgender, non-binary, and queer community of artists, educators, students, and allies.

August 17-August 21, 2026, noon - 3:00 pm

Writer and Poet Saeed Jones

4:00 p.m.

The Oregon Humanities Center presents its 2026-27 endowed lectureship series centered on the theme of Reading.    We are used to thinking about...

Oct

13

Writer and Poet Saeed Jones
October 13
4:00 p.m.

The Oregon Humanities Center presents its 2026-27 endowed lectureship series centered on the theme of Reading.   

We are used to thinking about reading in relation to writing, musical scores, performances, and works of cinema and art. But as social animals, we read more broadly. We read the signs. We read the landscape. We read each others’ faces and body language. We “read the room.”  

Our speakers will consider how people observe, look for patterns, try to discern meaning. How does reading shape humanity, individually and collectively? What might taking an extended, intentional look at this activity—our constant reading—reveal? Using approaches honed by their disciplines, our invited speakerswill help us think about reading from a variety of directions.  

Saeed Jones is the author of the memoir How We Fight for Our Lives (Simon and Schuster), winner of the 2019 Kirkus Prize for Nonfiction and the poetry collection Prelude to Bruise (Coffee House Books), winner for the 2015 PEN/Joyce Osterweil Award for Poetry. His poetry and essays have appeared in the New Yorker, New York Times, Oxford American and GQ among other publications. His most recent book Alive at the End of the World (Coffee House Press) won the 2023 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Poetry.

Saeed Jones was the 2024-2025 artist-in-residence in the Media, Health and Medicine program at Harvard Medical School. His next book Home Out There, a memoir, is forthcoming from Washington Square Press. He cohosts the podcast Vibe Check with Sam Sanders and Zach Stafford.

Navigate Campus

We are committed to creating an equitable and accessible environment for students, whether that be via all-gender and gender-expansive housing options, name change processes, or all-gender restrooms.

 


 

Connect with Resources

Resources for 2SLGBTQIA3+ students encourage holistic well-being and academic success through mental, medical, and community care. Scholarships and other financial assistance are based on need and/or merit. Students are also invited to apply for LGBTESS-sponsored conferences. In addition to our programs and services, there are off-campus organizations dedicated to advocating and resourcing 2SLGBTQIA3+ folks.

 


 

Build Community

Our student-driven outreach teams celebrate, educate, empower, and support 2SLGBTQIA3+ students. Whether organizing events, developing new initiatives, or collaborating with campus organizations, one of the priorities of the LGBTESS staff is to support students in fostering community.

 


 

Support 2SLGBTQIA3+ Students

Effectively supporting 2SLGBTQIA3+ students is an on-going process which requires self-awareness, knowledge, and skills. LGBTESS hosts Queer+ Accomplice Coalition (QAC) training once a term to jump-start faculty and staff in this process and provides resources to support continued learning and advocacy practices.