With the third name change since its creation in 1992, Carleton’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (GLBTQ) Centre became the Gender and Sexuality Resource Centre (GSRC) on May 13.
The name change was made formal with a motion passed at a Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) council meeting May 13.
GSRC programming co-ordinator Erica Butler moved the motion after a year-long dialogue between centre co-ordinators and students, she said.
“A lot of students felt that the GLBTQ acronym wasn’t inclusive of all people who identify as part of queer and trans communities,” said Butler. “[The centre co-ordinators] don’t want anyone feeling cut off from accessing services based on their sexual orientation or gender identity not being encompassed in the name.”
She said the name change will not cost the centre anything outside the existing budget. Butler designed the centre’s new logo, and the promotional items would have already needed rebranding to include the “Q” in the centre’s last acronym, she said at council.
Butler said the service centre has been on campus since 1992, first called the GLB Centre, then the GLBT Centre, and—up until May 13—the GLBTQ Centre.
Butler, a CUSA councillor for the faculty of arts and science, said the motion she introduced was affirmed by the CUSA executive and councillors.
“I think Erica really struck on gold,” CUSA Live facilitator Luke Smith said. Smith is also the GLBT liaison committee co-ordinator for the Ottawa Police.
“From the community side I know that it would be widely supported,” he said.
GSRC volunteers also supported the change.
“The Centre’s name needed to be changed to move away from the typical GLBTQ initialization,” said Riley Evans, a GSRC outreach assistant. “Many folks who fall under the Centre’s service area don’t identify with those words.”
“We’re here to provide resources to folks who are marginalized because of their gender or their sexuality, and that’s what the name says.”
