'The straights said DEI is gone': University of Cincinnati revives queer welcome after DEI ban

A coalition of LGBT student groups at the University of Cincinnati (UC) revived their “Big Queer Welcome” over the weekend, aiming to connect new and returning “queer” students with the wider Cincinnati LGBT community.

The event was previously led by the campus LGBTQ Center, which is no longer available due to the passage in Ohio of Senate Bill 1, according to The News Record. 

 ”The straights said DEI is gone. The gays said: BIG QUEER WELCOME” Alliance Cincinnati Instagram account said in a post announcing the event. Other posts feature a photo of a the Ohio Statehouse building with a large X over it and a call to “JOIN THE REVOLUTION.” 

“This event is about making sure no LGBTQ student comes to UC feeling alone,” said Mel Searle, vice president of Alliance Cincinnati, a campus social club for queer individuals. “We want every new Bearcat to know they belong here, that they matter, and that their identity should be celebrated.”

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“We’re building this from the ground up,” Searle added. “And we need our community’s help to make it possible.”

Celebrations were held Aug. 24 at the Niehoff Urban Studio. At the event, art exhibits, drag performances, group dances, and an outdoor show each drew crowds.

Alliance Cincinnati held the event without financial assistance from the university administration in order to get around the restrictions put in place by Senate Bill 1, according to WVXU.

By shifting funding away from university-controlled DEI offices and into student fee accounts, organizers found a way to keep the “Big Queer Welcome” alive. Their workaround highlights how student groups are doing anything possible to continue community-building traditions in the face of state-level bans.

Ohio Senate Bill 1 bans Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and offices at public universities and forbids mandatory DEI training. Campus Reform has reported that universities like Ohio State began dismantling DEI offices even before it was signed into law.

For its part, UC’s president issued a statement in February, announcing that the school would start removing DEI initiatives in the wake of federal action against the controversial policy.

[RELATED: University of Denver drops DEI programs after DOJ warns of unlawful discrimination]

“I write to you today to share some challenging truths about the future of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at the University of Cincinnati,” UC President Neville G. Pinto said on Feb. 21. “As you are no doubt aware, the federal government has effectively outlawed DEI programs and practices within government entities, including public universities nationwide.”

Despite the policy changes in the state, however, UC College of Medicine students recently recited an oath emphasizing DEI values, including promoting “equity” and acknowledging historical injustices. 

The oath follows a federal civil rights complaint alleging the school’s “Underrepresented in Medicine” program discriminates based on race, restricting eligibility to specific minority groups.

Campus Reform has contacted the University of Cincinnati for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.