Amid President Donald Trump’s current attacks on transgender rights, a campus support group makes space for trans students to feel safe and heard.

The Trans Support Group headed by counselor Ellen Gooch is a support group on campus for transgender students at any stage of their transition to find resources and build community. 

“This is just a support group to provide a safe space, a confidential space for students to connect and create community. And to find resources on and off campus,” Gooch said. 

The group meets Fridays from 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the Counseling Services in Mary Walker Health Center, but Gooch noted that these times may change due to students’ schedules. They recommend students to call the counseling center 315.312.4416 or look at the counseling center’s website to find exact timing for when the group will meet.

The group has no agenda, Gooch said, but focuses on what the students need, having check-ins at the beginning of each meeting. Gooch noted that the group allows for resources to be shared to students and to each other. 

“The students know the safe spaces and non-safe spaces on campus,” Gooch said. “They are around campus way more than I am, so they are able to give insight. So, the students are a big resource to each other.”

With Trump’s executive orders stating that the government will only recognize two genders—male and female—and the defunding of federal money to support gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth under 19 years old, these resources on campus are more important than ever to make students feel safe and protected.

Juno Thielemann, an Oswego student, shared her fears about Trump’s current attacks. 

“After the executive orders that Trump tried to pass, it seems like many state legislatures have seen an opening to target trans people more explicitly,” Thielemann said.  “Every day it’s something new and I just have to hope that blue states like New York will hold out.”

Gooch assured that SUNY Oswego and New York is doing everything they can to protect all students.

“New York and SUNY are doing everything they can do…to protect all students. Not just transgender students, it’s our international students, things like that. In a way, we are very fortunate to be within the New York and the SUNY system,” Gooch said. 

Pride Alliance, a club on campus that provides a community for LGBTQ+ students and allies, also recognized New York’s efforts in protecting transgender people.

“While federal protections for gender and sexuality have been reduced, we are fortunate that New York State still maintains their protections for gender identity and expression through the NYS Human Rights Law,” Pride Alliance wrote via email. 

Gooch noted that students often feel safer on campus than at home because SUNY Oswego works hard to provide safety and awareness for transgender students.

Thielemann said that students and faculty have been welcoming, noting that people on campus use her preferred name and pronouns without reminders.

“Every so often I’ll see pride stickers, tables with pride flags to take and posters for events celebrating queer people,” Thielemann said. “Just knowing that the existence of queer and trans people is acknowledged here makes a difference, considering the government’s current attempts at erasing our history.”

Gooch and Pride Alliance both noted the impact gender neutral bathrooms and safe spaces on campus have impacted the community. Students coming together to share resources of where gender neutral bathrooms are around campus has been extremely helpful, Gooch said. 

“Having gender-neutral restrooms scattered around the school is nice,” Thielemann said. “With the current bills and rhetoric about restrooms, it can be stressful using either the men’s or women’s room without feeling like I’ll get confronted somehow. Gender-neutral restrooms remove that worry for me.”

Gooch is also the faculty member for the All-In Living Learning Community (LLC) which is on the second and third floor in Waterbury that provides community and an inclusive living space for queer students.  

Pride Alliance also noted that they will be celebrating graduating seniors with their Lavender Graduation with students preferred names and recognizing accomplishments students have made at Oswego. The ceremony will be on May 8 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Pride Alliance encouraged allies to come and cheer on fellow students. 

SUNY Oswego will continue to do everything they can do to continue to make students feel safe on campus, Gooch said. Resources can be found on the counseling services section on SUNY Oswego’s website.

Original design by Monica Helms