Being Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Questioning (LGBTQ) at W&L

Coming to college is a big transition. Finding a community of peers eases that transition and can be a crucial part of feeling at home on campus.

As a first-year student, you will meet our LGBTQ Peer Counselors, have an opportunity to visit the LGBTQ students and allies group table at the Student Activities Fair, and of course enjoy activities year round.

For more information about Washington & Lee University's LGBTQ community contact Jake Reeves (jreeves@wlu.edu) Asst. Dir. of Inclusion and Engagement for LGBTQ+ Support or go to the LGBTQ Resource Center's website. And welcome to campus and to our community!

Campus Resources

  • LGBTQ Resource Center (located at 19 University Place, 2nd floor): Provides a safe space for students to socialize, study, and access resources.
  • Finding Our Truth: A weekly peer support group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning undergraduate and law students intended to help provide support and to help students build friendships and a sense of community. Contact: Rallie Snowden, LCSW, 540-458-4888, rsnowden@wlu.edu.
  • LGBTQ Peer Counselors: A Peer Counseling program aimed at providing confidential, nonjudgmental support. 
  • Queer Liberation Alliance: An LGBTQ and Allies student group designed to promote a friendly and supportive environment on campus through educational and social activities. Email: QueerLiberationAllianceLeadership@mail.wlu.edu / Instagram: @wluqla
  • University Counseling (located in Early Fielding): There are four counselors in the University Counseling Center; who have expertise in supporting LGBTQ students. You can schedule an appointment with any counselor by calling 540-458-8590 or email counseling@wlu.edu.
  • Office of Inclusion and Engagement (located in Elrod Commons): Director: Tammy Futrell, Dean for Diversity, Inclusion and Student Engagement
  • Safe Zone Training: Educational training offered to faculty, staff, and students on LGBTQ issues and how to be an ally

Other Resources

  • Confidential HIV testing at Student Health Center 540-458-8401 or Rockbridge County Health Department 540-463-3185
  • Equality Virginia
  • Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
  • PFLAG -PFLAG is the United States' first and largest organization uniting parents, families, and allies with people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+). PFLAG (pronounced P-flag) is no longer an acronym, but just the name of the organization. Prior to 2014, the acronym stood for Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (later broadened to Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays). In 2014 the membership of the organization voted to officially change the name to PFLAG to reflect the decades of fully inclusive work it had been doing in the LGBTQ+ community.
  • GLSEN - (pronounced glisten; formerly the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) an American education organization working to end discrimination, harassment, and bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression and to prompt LGBT cultural inclusion and awareness in K-12 schools
  • OUT Media - LGBTQ+ newsmedia conglomorate. Includes:
  • The Trevor Helpline: 1-866-4-U-TREVOR (1-866-488-7386)
  • The Gay, Lesbian , Bisexual, Transgender National Hotline: 1-888-THE-GLNH (1-888-843-4564)
  • The GLBT National Youth Talkline (provides phone and email peer counseling through age 25): 1-800-246-7743