Northern Michigan University student Morgan Heavener shows the exhibit created by the Politics of Gender and Sexuality class at NMU that was on display at Friday’s Gender Fair. The event, which took place in the Northern Center, featured exhibits from a variety of organizations. (Journal photo by Christie Mastric)

By CHRISTIE MASTRIC

Journal Staff Writer

MARQUETTE — The Northern Center at Northern Michigan University was a particularly welcoming place on Friday as NMU hosted its annual Gender Fair.

The event featured student projects, tables staffed by student and community organizations, and conversation space. The focus, of course, was on gender and sexuality, intersectionality, and diversity, among other topics.

Morgan Heavener, a senior at NMU, made a poster about LGBTQ+ homelessness for the exhibit created by the Politics of Gender and Sexuality class. Heavener wanted to bring awareness to the issue — explaining how it starts, where it starts and what people can do.

“It truly impacts such a large percentage of teenagers, and it’s just kind of a vicious cycle once you get put into it, and it’s whether you get kicked out, you have no other choice but to run away, or you age out of the foster care system, there are so many different ways to end up in that position, and there really are no known resources that people can go to and turn to, especially if you’re getting kicked out of a family,” Heavener said. “You’re abandoned and left to your own devices, which is super scary.”

That situation, Heavener said, could result in mental and physical health issues, and makes a person vulnerable to physical assault.

Heavener mentioned the Trevor Project, which provides crisis services, advocacy, education and research for young LGBTQ+ people.

The National Runaway Safeline, as noted in the exhibit, is 800-786-2929.

Heavener stressed that organizations as well as individuals should learn about LGBTQ+ issues.

“Something huge is making sure your staff is trained and educated in how to respond to trauma, how to spot trauma, what we can do and providing safe spaces, helping people reach out to organizations and making sure those organizations are actually doing something helpful and they’re not doing the opposite, which has happened before,” Heavener said.

Heavener believes that LGBTQ+ homelessness happens a lot in high schools.

“People are forced to go live with their friends, but that only will last for so long,” Heavener said. “Not everyone will have a friend they can turn to to stay at their home for a while either, so it’s where do you go from there?”

There might be some hope in the homelessness issue.

Sections of Heavener’s exhibit allowed people to put push pins in two areas: whether they ever felt rejected or whether they’d been given an opportunity to intervene.

As of early Friday afternoon, there were more pins from people acknowledging they had the chance to get involved than from people who felt ostracized.

“I really did think it would be more even, but I’m happy that there are plenty of allies willing to support and become a safe place,” Heavener said.

Upper Peninsula Rainbow Pride also was represented at the fair. The organization puts on Pride Fest, but is starting to branch out with a larger event, said Mossy Schumann, cochair of the group.

Pride Fest 2023 is scheduled for 1 to 10:30 p.m. June 10 at Mattson Lower Harbor Park, in Marquette according to the group’s website. There will be food, merchandise, activities, a drag show and more.

“We’re also focusing on building community events as well, places to meet other LGBTQ people as well as chances to get involved with (the) community,” they said. These activities include game nights, hanging out with animals at the Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter, drag workshops and open-mic events.

The gender and sexuality studies minor program at NMU sponsored the Gender Fair to promote diversity and inclusion on campus and in the community.

Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.