UW-La Crosse ranked sixth in country for LGBTQ+ friendliness

A website has ranked the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse as one of the friendliest LGBTQ+ campuses in the country.

“I was a little surprised that we would be ranked sixth nationally, director of the UW-L Pride Center Will Van Roosenbeek said of Affordable Colleges Online rankings. “We have done a lot of work on campus — 20-plus years UW-L been working on making it a better place for the LGBTQ+ community.”

Van Roosenbeek said they have succeeded in giving transgender or non-binary students options on what name to use, as well as having gender neutral bathrooms in most buildings on campus, as well as more support services. Van Roosenbeek, however, said their work still continues in one key area.

“We work well with our opposite residents’ life, trying to make living communities that are supportive for teh LGBTQ communitites,” Van Roosenbeek said. “If you can’t safen your own room, that makes the whole experience pretty awful.”

Van Roosenbeek has been with the Pride Center from the beginning and says the current political and cultural climate reminds him of why he does the work he does.

“We’re in a time where there’s a lot of negative talk and a lot of hate,” he said. “That makes our office even more important because students are stressed about the world around them and what’s happening and what does that mean for them in the future.”

The top school from the Affordable College Online rankings was California-Riverside. UW-Eau Claire was ranked 10th and UW-Madison was 31st.

The website wrote this about UW-L:

Students attending the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse will become part of a vibrant and diverse community. As such, UW has taken steps to foster a safe learning environment for all attending students. The UW Pride Center not only provides this environment for LGBTQ+ students, but also seeks to spread awareness for LGBTQ+ issues and how they pertain to campus life and culture. The Pride Center works with a variety of organizations around campus, including Rainbow Unity (RU), a group that provides students with the opportunity to discuss healthy living habits, develop close relationships, and participate in a variety of group activities, including tie dye and slack lining.”