Rebecca (who asked that their last name not be disclosed) studied journalism at in the late 90s and early 00s and recently shared their story as part of LGBTQ+ History Month.
Rebecca entered as an architecture major in 1998, but they found themself spending more time creating designs and illustrations for Student Media publications in Taylor Hall than in the architecture studios on the building’s fourth floor. So, they switched their major to journalism, gaining a vast amount of experience in a short time.
“I got to experience some incredible things,” they said. “I was able to start my own comic strip. I was able to do my own reporting. I covered the 2004 presidential election ... I was able to lead cultural magazines and actually help develop messaging for the local art scene. I was on the staff of several magazines.”
Despite the good, at the time, did not have the support for LGBTQ+ students, faculty and staff that it does today. And as a trans woman, Rebecca experienced a hostile environment, including an assault which eventually led to their decision to leave the university.
“It was a hostile environment,” they said, “and what I’ve put forth in every job I’ve had is to reduce the suffering of my community.”
Today, they use what they learned at to advocate for trans issues. Based in Chicago, Rebecca has been able to connect with LGBTQ+ podcasters and other small organizations to set up Twitch channels to elevate their voices and develop media management plans to help sell products to advertisers — “doing a lot of the heavy lifting so they can focus on the front-end work,” Rebecca says. That’s one of the things that has stuck with Rebecca since their days at : “It takes a lot of bodies for that face (on TV) to do the work.”
As a behind-the-scenes player in LGBTQ+ issues, the work is real, hard and tiring, Rebecca says, and the only reward so far is that “the floodwaters stay far enough back for another day.” They currently are focused on making phone calls and organizing communities to fight Ohio House Bill 454, which would prohibit offering minors any kind of gender affirming treatment.
Rebecca encourages today’s media, communication and design students to stick up for themselves and the truth in this era of rampant disinformation. In doing so, they can help ensure better representation of voices for LGBTQ+ communities
“You learned how to access the actual truth,” they said. “Do your research. Go forward. be an advocate. Edward R. Murrow did not roll over for lies. He was an advocate. He stood against people telling lies and the falsehoods that underlaid them. The biggest thing is to stand up for yourself.”