2022 LSU Gumbo - Book - Page 101
LSU started its first College of Agriculture-backed
LGBTQ+ club, Tigers for Cultivating Change, which
serves as a safe space for members to come together,
network, and increase LGBTQ+ visibility within the
agricultural community.
TCC is part of the Cultivating Change Foundation,
which was founded in 2015 with the aim of starting a
conversation to acknowledge and value the presence
of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals in
the agricultural industry.
According to the foundation’s website, the mission is
“valuing and elevating LGBTQ+ agriculturists through
advocacy, education and community” and aims to do
so through several strategies taking place across the
nation.
Lindsey Kelly, director of alumni relations and
career development for the College of Agriculture,
was a leading factor in the start of TCC. She says it is
important for LGBTQ+ students to get the support
and acceptance necessary for their agricultural careers.
“I am excited to see the enthusiasm of members
who finally feel like they have found a home in this
organization, and I am thankful that our College
of Agriculture leadership have placed a priority on
promoting inclusion and diversity in agriculture,” Kelly
said.
The College of Agriculture sent a mass email to
agriculture students on Jan. 28 advertising a “Meet
& Greet Social” for students who are interested
in agricultural sciences and are in the LGBTQ+
community or are allies. Following the appointment of
three officers, the new LSU club entered its beginning
stages.
Animal Science and Technology sophomore Ash
Dalton is president of TCC and is excited about its
future and expansion. After a few tabling sessions
for the club in Free Speech Alley, he gathered 67
prospective members.
“With anything LGBT within the state, there’s no
advertising for it because of fear, so you can never find
anything,” Dalton said.
Dalton says he notices many LGBTQ+ clubs are
often advertised on the down-low out of fear of
discrimination or homophobia, especially in the South.
With the backing of the agriculture department and
support from the university, he is confident TCC won’t
back down from fear.
All of the club’s officers are completing training
from an LSU course that informs participants on how
to create a safe space for students in distress and how
to properly communicate with and help their peers.
Animal Science sophomore Zach Bonser is the vice
president of TCC and believes representation isn’t
where it should be. He wants there to be a safe space
on campus for people who identify with the LGBTQ+
community within the College of Agriculture.
“You see a lot of people just being blatantly
homophobic, not accepting or even disregarding
people’s sexuality and not celebrating it,” Bonser said.
“We just want to be a place where people can feel seen,
hang out and see people like them.”
Bonser feels the South is “not exactly a hub” for
those identifying with the queer community, which
adds to the significance of TCC and its mission to
provide a welcoming community for both those within
the community and their allies, he said.
“Expect big things in the future, because we have a
lot of things cooking,” Bonser said.
101