Contacting the Center
Q: My school is supposed to reopen for in-person learning soon. Is the Cortland LGBTQ Center going to reopen, too? Will you still come to our schools to visit our LGBTQ groups? If not, how can we talk to you if we have questions?
A: I appreciate your question, and I wish I had a more definitive answer for you. With our understanding of COVID-19 changing as scientists complete more research, and with positive test rates in flux throughout the country, it’s hard to say for sure how anything will look this fall.
We don’t yet have a timeline for when the Cortland LGBTQ Center will reopen to in-person visitors. While we’re closed, though, we remain available for you remotely. Our staff is committed to finding creative ways to provide resources and connection.
For LGBTQ students in 7-12th grade, we have a virtual meeting every week from 3-4pm on Wednesdays. Monthly, we have a group for trans and gender diverse folks ages 13-20 (GEAR Teens) and another group for trans and gender diverse folks 18+ (GEAR Adults). We also have a Women’s Book Club for those 18+. To get connected to any of these meetings, you simply need to email me (sadams@familycs.org) and ask to join. We use Zoom and Google Meet for our meetings, and we’re open to trying different dates and times to try to accommodate as many schedules as possible.
As for visiting schools, we’ll have to follow the lead of teachers and administrators. We’re committed to being available for questions, but we want to ensure we’re keeping public health in mind and following guidelines. That might mean we provide support virtually for a while longer.
If you have questions, there are still a number of ways to get answers. If you think your question would help lots of people, you can submit it to this column via my email. Or, if your question is more personal, you can email or call (607-756-8970 ext. 253) to set up a time to talk over the phone or via Zoom or similar service.
While it sounds like you’re likely a student, I also want everyone to know that we’re here for the entire community—LGBTQ people, their friends and families, and anyone who has questions about how to better support the LGBTQ members of our community. All are welcome to reach out for support and resources.
Stay well out there friends!