As such, LGBTQ+ Pride Month is celebrated in the U.S. every June to honor the Stonewall riots.

The month allows us time to reflect on the history and progress of this movement, as well as the contributions made by LGBTQ+ Americans. At the University of Louisville, we have many points of pride to celebrate our LGBTQ+ community, this month and beyond.   

Last year, for example, UofL was named among America’s “Best of the Best” LGBTQ-friendly universities for the sixth year, earning five out of five stars from the Campus Pride Index. UofL was recognized for attributes such as counseling and health, student life, recruitment and retention efforts and institutional commitment.

That commitment was amplified in 2007, when UofL became the first university in Kentucky to offer health insurance benefits to LGBTQ+ employees and the first school to open an office for LGBTQ+ services.

Since then, UofL has also established the country’s first endowed chair in LGBT Studies, created an LGBT studies minor and added gender identity and expression to the campus nondiscrimination policy.

Further, UofL was the first school in the South to open a themed housing community for students interested in LGBT issues and social justice, and offered the South’s first LGBT-themed study-abroad experience.

In 2013, ���Ǵڳ�’s LGBT Center opened a satellite office on the Health Sciences Center campus and began a multi-year effort to infuse the medical school curriculum with new LGBT competencies from the Association of American Medical Colleges. This UofL curriculum initiated a national movement for LGBT medical education throughout the United States and Canada by demonstrating successful implementation of the competencies. 

���Ǵڳ�’s has since broken enrollment records and is a big step toward achieving health equity.

But our work doesn’t stop there. The institution has also led research efforts to bring Kentucky’s relatively unexplored LGBTQ history to the forefront. This work to preserve Kentucky’s LGBTQ history was recently done in association with the Fairness Campaign and .

These efforts simply scratch the surface of the work UofL is doing to promote an . We also host a Cardinal OUTlook day for prospective LGBTQ+ students, offer LGBTQ-inclusive career services, boast LGBTQ clubs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, offer a name change option for transgender employees and students, provide LGBTQ student scholarships and more.

Our work is not done. We will continue to build on our efforts as part of our strategic plan – approved in August 2019 – that strives to position UofL as a great place to learn, work and in which to invest because we celebrate diversity, foster equity and strive for inclusion.

UofL earned five out of five stars from the Campus Pride Index, a national nonprofit organization that rates colleges and universities according to their support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.  

UofL earned a five out of five for the following inclusion factors:

• Sexual orientation score
• Gender identify/expression score
• LGBTQ support and institutional commitment
• LGBTQ student life
• LGBTQ counseling and health
• LGBTQ recruitment and retention efforts

UofL earned a four or four and a half out of five for the following inclusion factors:

• LGBTQ policy inclusion
• LGBTQ academic life
• LGBTQ housing and residence life
• LGBTQ campus safety

Some of ���Ǵڳ�’s signature LGTBQ-friendly initiatives include offering an LGBT Studies minor program, the School of Medicine’s curriculum inclusion efforts (which have become a national benchmark for other institutions), the LGBT Center’s robust programming, LGBTQ-inclusive career services, LGBTQ clubs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, trans-inclusive healthcare, free and anonymous HIV/STI testing and LGBTQ student scholarships.

The LGBT Center marked its 10^th anniversary in 2017.

Campus Pride acknowledges ���Ǵڳ�’s goal to foster and sustain an environment of inclusiveness. The organization’s synopsis states, “One of the five critical areas of the University of Louisville’s 2020 Plan is Diversity, Opportunity, and Social Justice. UofL is committed to creating a challenging intellectual climate enhanced by our many human differences, and this serves as the foundational objective of the programs and services provided by the Office for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Services. The Office supports the 2020 plan by working to strengthen and sustain an inclusive campus, one that welcomes people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions through support, educational resources, and advocacy. The office works in partnership with other diversity efforts on campus supporting the Vice Provost for Diversity and International Affairs.”

UofL supports that 2020 plan by:

• Maintaining a “safe zone” gathering space where students, faculty and staff—regardless of their identity or orientation–can make positive connections with staff and peers
• Providing a hub for LGBT student organizations
• Promoting student/employee retention and success through personal support, advising and by connecting them with services and resources
• Developing and facilitating education and training for the campus community
• Reaching out to prospective and new students, faculty, and staff to make them feel welcome and connected to campus

UofL is one of only three Kentucky institutions on this year’s list. The 2020 “Best of the Best” listing is based on the data provided annually through CPI related to policies, programs and practices. The research is analyzed by the Campus Pride research team. .

The rankings include:

• Top 30 LGBTQ-friendly college ranking by Campus Pride Index. UofL has been one of the organization’s top schools for the last four years, earning five out of five stars on the index.
• on its top 10 list of best campuses for LGBTQ students.
• Ranked 24^th by on its list of LGBTQ-friendly and affordable colleges in the U.S.

“These awards are a direct result of ���Ǵڳ�’s commitment to building an inclusive and LGBTQ-friendly environment on campus and in our community,” said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. “I am so proud of our efforts and look forward to seeing how we continue to grow in the future.”

Brian Buford, executive director of The LGBT Center, says these accolades are well-deserved, but the university’s work is not finished.

“There is still a lot to do to remove barriers for LGBTQ students and make sure they have all the resources they need. But I do think that honors like these tell us we are heading in the right direction and that the hard work and investment has made a difference,” Buford said. “Especially in a southern state, being recognized for LGBTQ inclusion is a big deal and also during a time when we are seeing protections rolled back at the national level.”

Buford said the university’s widespread dedication to inclusiveness and recently-implemented initiatives contributed to this year’s awards. For example, the Human Resources Department implemented changes that allow employees to change their gender-marker, the Housing and Residence Life staff opened a new residence area that caters to LGBTQ students, the Speed School of Engineering created trans-friendly restrooms and the university is adding new courses to the LGBT Studies minor each year.

“All these advances really add up to create a welcoming space,” Buford said.

UofL earned five out of five stars in the Campus Pride Index, released this week by Campus Pride, a national nonprofit organization that rates colleges and universities according to their support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.

Additionally, UofL is the only public institution in the south to be recognized by the organization. 

In order to be in the Top 25 listing, an institution had to score the highest percentages in the LGBTQ-friendly benchmarks for policies, programs and practices.

The Campus Pride Index is designed to help campuses learn ways to improve their LGBT campus life and shape the educational experience to be more inclusive, welcoming and respectful. It also provides students a tool for finding inclusive schools.

Brian Buford, assistant provost for diversity and director of the LGBT Center, commended work happening university-wide in support of LGBTQ students, including a LGBT Studies minor program, the School of Medicine’s curriculum infusion efforts, and LGBT meeting space at the J.B. Speed School of Engineering.

The Campus Pride Index cited several reasons for ���Ǵڳ�’s high ranking, including having an LGBT Center that offers a variety of programs for the campus community, LGBTQ inclusive career services, LGBTQ clubs at the undergraduate and graduate level, trans-inclusive healthcare, free and anonymous HIV/STI testing, and LGBTQ student scholarships

“As we celebrate the , this is a great affirmation that our campus is on the right track,” said Buford. “We have a new vision for the next five years that is pretty exciting and will take us even further in becoming the school of choice for LGBT students.”