Gender & Sexuality Center

LOCATION: Amsler Campus Center, Room 324 
HOURS: Daily, 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM

MCLA has a rich history of uplifting and empowering it’s queer and women students through safe spaces like the Identity & Gender Equity Resource Center and the Women’s Center. Because we know that the fights for sexual, romantic, and gender equity are deeply intertwined and rooted in intersectionality, we now have a spacious and combined Gender and Sexuality Center which focuses on the many aspects of these fights.

Located on the 3rd floor of the Amsler Campus Center, the Gender and Sexuality Center provides a variety of resources and programs to foster both academic and personal growth for students across the sexual, romantic, and gender identity spectrum. It serves as a safe space for students of all genders and sexualities to cultivate community, learn, and grow together. We also aim to increase awareness and proficiency around the identities and issues facing women and queer communities both on campus and in our surrounding communities. We know that our work is never finished and that as our communities continue to grow and evolve, so will our fight, our knowledge, and our goals. We are committed to continually learning, growing, and creating a safe and welcoming space that uplifts community members to embrace, show up as, and thrive as their most authentic selves. 

Student Organizations

The Gender and Sexuality Center is home to a growing array of student-led organizations, including:

 

Queer Student Union Logo

Queer Student Union

a safe-space, student-run organization for LGBTQIA+ folks and allies

Femme Forward Coalition Logo

Femme Forward Coalition

a coalition of FLINTA (women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, trans, and agender) individuals exploring growth, healing, and activism in community

My Masculinity Dialogue Group Logo

My Masculinity Dialogue Group

a group of men, masculine, and nonbinary folks re-imagining masculinity through reflection, dialogue, and community

Resources

The Gender & Sexuality Center has a variety of resources to help students grow and thrive, both personally and academically, including:

 

GSC Library

GSC Library

Including a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts on LGBTQIA+ and feminist topics, students have an array of resources at their fingertips for academic or personal use.

pamphlets and bulletin boards in GSC

Information Resources

The GSC is dedicated to providing current and relevant information on a variety of topics and resources including physical and mental health, suicide prevention, sexual assault awareness and prevention, crisis hotlines, identity affirmation community resources, and more.

Affirmation Closet Logo

Affirmation Closet

This grassroots, student-created resource is an amazing space for students to both share and receive identity affirming clothing and accessories. MCLA students can donate unloved clothing that is clean and in good condition to be re-homed amongst the student population. This is an especially vital resource for queer, trans, and nonbinary students to find free and affirming clothing as they explore their identities.

Out ar MCLA Logo

a voluntary community of MCLA staff, faculty, and administrators who self-identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community - because visibility matters when it comes to feeling seen and finding your support network. Through this list, we hope that students who identify as members of the community will be able to find mentors who are also members of the community.

Grow & Learn with Us!

In addition to providing many opportunities to connect with community, find safe spaces, and accessing resources, the Gender & Sexuality Center is also committed to building strong ally communities to our LGBTQIA+ and women students and staff. MCLA offers a variety of opportunities for students, faculty, and staff alike to expand their knowledge and sharpen their allyship practices, and we encourage all to take advantage.

Safe Zone Logo

MCLA Safe Zone offers training to expand your allyship for all students, faculty, and staff.

We currently offer 4 workshop opportunities:

  • Safe Zone 1.0
  • Gender 101
  • Sexuality 101
  • Safe Zone 2.0

We are always looking to expand our offerings and our team. Reach out to join the team, to participate in workshop opportunities, or to learn more!

Students, faculty, & staff can sign up for upcoming trainings or request a special session for their department here!

Safe Zone Resource Guide

MCLA Safe Zone has created the ultimate resource guide to help you in your continued growth and allyship. Whether you are looking for resources to expand your knowledge of your own community or simply to get to know our communities better, we've got you covered.

  • LGBTQIA+ Organizations
  • Hotlines
  • Videos
  • Guides from other trusted organizations
  • Book, Movie, Show, and Social Media Recommendations
  • Allyship Vocabulary
  • Helpful Graphics

Feel free to reach out with recommendations for other resources to add or any questions!

Gender and Feminism Image

Make allyship and intersectionality a key part of your college career with the WGSS minor! This minor explores how gender and sexuality are socially, culturally, and historically constructed, negotiated, and contested; considers the feminist perspective in a variety of contexts; and approaches women, gender, and sexuality studies from an interdisciplinary perspective.

  • Consider traditional disciplines from a feminist perspective.
  • Develop an interdisciplinary understanding of women's experiences.
  • Study women's roles, images, and accomplishments.
  • Examine the ways in which gender is socially, culturally, and historically constructed.

Staff

The Gender and Sexuality Center is run by both professional and student staff who serve as an invaluable resource to the campus community.

Photo of Ara Phoenixx, a nonbinary human with blue hair, glasses, and a variety of jewelry. Ara wears a dark jumpsuit, is sitting at a desk, and is smiling.
Ara Phoenixx (they/them)
Program Coordinator for Gender & Sexuality

Office: Amsler Campus Center, Room 320

Email: ara.phoenixx@mcla.edu

Ara serves as the professional staff leader for the Gender & Sexuality Center, serving as a mentor for all LGBTQIA+ and women students, as an advisor for student-led affinity groups, and as a program coordinator for the GSC. They work closely in collaboration with the rest of the Institution for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging staff and student organizations, including the Multicultural Education Resource Center (MERC) to ensure that students feel seen, safe, and sovereign in all of their intersectional identities.