The month-long celebration of LGBTQ+ voices and culture is also an opportunity to focus on how colleges and universities are supporting LGBTQ+ students. This month on the Quadcast, we will speak with David P. Rivera, PhD, an associate professor of counselor education at Queens College-City University of New York and special advisor to the Steve Fund. Dr. Rivera is also one of the editors of the new book, “Affirming LGBTQ+ Students in Higher Education,” who will speak about how institutions of higher learning can make practical and effective changes at many levels to better support LGBTQ+ students and, ultimately, improve the campus climate for all. Part of the discussion will include improving support for the mental health of LGTBQ+ students.
Here, we share a Q&A from the Mary Christie Quarterly with the University of Massachusetts first trans mental health clinicians on supporting trans students on that campus. Aspen Alterkun (they/them) and Bradley Landon (they/them) discuss unique challenges trans students faced during the pandemic.