The university won’t save us, but it is worth saving: LGBTQ+ campus organizing in an era of backlash

Legislative and judicial bodies across the United States are working to curtail the rights of LGBTQ+ people, including in higher education, as part of a broader campaign to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Grounded in the history of and contemporary research on LGBTQ+ organizing in U.S. higher education, this manuscript focuses on how LGBTQ+ people and allies can cultivate community care and work toward equity in the current era of backlash. The author frames this manuscript as a scholarly personal narrative that examines the unique roles of students, alumni, staff, and faculty in creating change, told against the backdrop of his alma mater’s (The University of Texas at Austin) queer history and his own experience as an organizer, researcher, and teacher.