November 20th is Trans Day of Remembrance, a tradition that began in 1999 to honor the lives of trans people who were murdered in acts of hate violence. Trans Day of Remembrance and the week leading up to it, Trans…
Cacophony of Voices, Conservative Speakers, and Controversy on Campus
An event hosted by controversial conservative speaker Ben Shapiro caused chaos on campus earlier tonight. Approximately 600 people filled Ackerman Grand Ballroom to attend Shapiro’s talk, “The Rise of Campus Fascism,” in which Shapiro compared tactics and beliefs of “the…
California Legally Institutes a Third Gender Option
Graphic by Nick Griffin Senate Bill 179, signed by Governor Jerry Brown on October 15th, allows California residents to identify as “non-binary” on state IDs, driver licenses, and birth certificates. While most bills recently signed by Gov. Brown will go…
The Australian Same-Sex Marriage Debacle
As an Australian living in California, there are plenty of things about the American way of life that confuse me. Inches and miles? Baffling. Using Fahrenheit to measure temperature? Ridiculous. Overconsumption of foods with names like “The Heart Attack Burger”?…
A Reflection on National Coming Out Day
Friday, October 13, 2017 National Coming Out Day takes place on October 11th, the anniversary of the March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. The day was founded in 1988 as a celebration of coming out and a day…
Project 1 Hosts Fundraiser for Russian LGBTQ+ Refugees
In order to raise solidarity, funds, and action against the LGBT concentration camps in Chechnya, Russia, the UCLA LGBT Campus Resource Center hosted a fundraiser on Thursday, May 11, 2017. Organized by first-year political science major and French minor Gina…
University of Chicago Condemns “Trigger Warnings,” and Safe Spaces; Misunderstands What It’s Condemning
The prestigious University of Chicago issued a letter to its incoming freshmen stating that they will no longer condone the use of “intellectual safe spaces” or “‘trigger warnings.’” This letter, penned by Dean John “Jay” Ellison, is UChicago’s effort to fully…
To Live Proudly: Reflections on 2016 Pride in the Wake of the Orlando Massacre
Language warning: I use “queer” as a reflection of my own identity — this is a personal piece and not designed to force the term onto anyone in the LGBT community not comfortable with using it for themselves. A few…
Asian American “Apathy”
With the intensification of the Black Lives Matter movement across the U.S., I often find conflicting views of where exactly Asian Americans fit into conversations about social justice. Those outside of our community often criticize us for being apathetic. Within…
An Open Letter to Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest
Dear Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest, While usually I would applaud the efforts of people who seek to counter discrimination and safeguard the rights of regularly marginalized groups, I would draw the line where such efforts enter the realm of insulting,…