Student promotes LGBTQ+ visibility

Student promotes LGBTQ+ visibility

After a summer spent in India, international political economy sophomore Julie Le was inspired to organize a photo shoot focused on LGBTQ+ Asian Americans. “In America, I identify as a queer Vietnamese female, but in India, people cannot do that without risking their livelihood. I thought about that for a...

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Students react to transgender military ban

Students react to transgender military ban

At the age of 16, Peng Peng Zheng, like any other male about to graduate from high school in Singapore, registered for the military. The problem for Zheng was that she privately identified as female. In Zheng’s home country, enlistment in the National Service is a requirement for all male...

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Acknowledging the problem, recognizing the progress

Acknowledging the problem, recognizing the progress

The tension in Emmett Orton’s voice heightened as he explained his experiences as an LGBT student at UTD. One evening, Orton, a psychology junior, was in the parking lot behind Hoblitzelle Hall when a man approached him and tried to talk to him. Orton got in his car and left...

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Roommate confusion

Roommate confusion

Editor’s Note: This article was updated to clarify ATEC junior Emily Wheeler visited the University Village Leasing Office and not the Galerstein Gender Center. After establishing the gender-inclusive housing option last semester, UTD staff are preparing for the fall semester by addressing any problems students have with their room assignments....

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UTD lab to assess state of LGBT rights in Texas

UTD lab to assess state of LGBT rights in Texas

A research lab on campus will conduct the first state-wide needs assessment of the LGBT community to provide sampling data for the state of Texas to determine if LBGT rights are being recognized and what the state can do to address the deficiencies. Professors Richard Scotch and Kara Sutton were...

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Mercury Midday News 01/26/17

Mercury Midday News 01/26/17

This week we discuss the role that the media plays in academia with Dr. Alex Piquero and the impact of Texas’s proposed “bathroom bill” with Student Government senators.

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SG, LGBTQ clubs look at proposed Texas law

SG, LGBTQ clubs look at proposed Texas law

Texas Republican Sen. Lois Kolkhorst and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have unveiled a “bathroom bill” in the Texas Legislature which forces individuals to use the bathroom corresponding the the gender on their birth certificate and creates harsher punishments for crimes committed in bathrooms. The bill covers government buildings and specifically...

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Transgender bathroom debate comes to campus

Transgender bathroom debate comes to campus

SG installs neutral bathroom signage, members of UTD LGBT community respond to national policies Student Government joined with a committee on campus to construct an initiative to update restroom signage across campus to be more inclusive of transgender needs. The UTD LGBTQ Education, Advocacy and Programming Committee helped SG with...

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Bathroom use debate ignores basic rights

Transgender people wrongly portrayed as dangerous in national discussion about using bathrooms corresponding to gender identity The reason many people are so frightened about allowing individuals to use restrooms corresponding to their gender identity rather than that listed on their birth certificates is, for the most part, based on a...

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Couple gets married in Lot T

Couple gets married in Lot T

Correction: In a previous version of this story Zack Gentry’s name was misspelled and he was incorrectly identified as a minister ordained by the State of Texas. The Mercury regrets this error.  Newlyweds met through dating app, decide to exchange vows in front of Rainbow Guards’ float As multiple student...

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