Gender & Sexuality Student Services

The Rainbow Joy Celebration

UIS Connections — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 10:50:01 +0000

The Rainbow Joy Celebration

UIS Connections Fri, 09/19/2025 - 05:50

Join us on Sunday, October 26th, 2025 from 1pm-4pm in the Student Union Central Ballroom for an exciting Queertober event! The Rainbow Joy Celebration (co-sponsored by Gender and Sexuality Student Services, Halberd Books, and the CIAC) is a natural extension of The Book of Rainbow Joy, an anthology of art and poetry organized by Halberd Books for the express purpose of shining a light on the many ways the LGBTQIA+ community finds love, happiness, catharsis, and, yes, joy in the midst of turbulent times.

Featuring the authors and artists included in the book, we will have a full reading of the anthology followed by an open mic for artists at UIS and the Central Illinois community to showcase poetry, stories, art, and testimonies to the ways the LGBTQIA+ community have found, fostered, and finagled a good life lived in authentic ways. As part of the event, the CIAC will hold an item donation drive for banned or challenged books, school supplies, and sanitary products for distribution to local schools. Meet the artists, share your art, and celebrate the whole spectrum of the joy we can make together.

This event is open to the entire UIS campus and Springfield Area community.

For questions or accommodations, please contact gss@uis.edu or 217-206-8316.

When

Sun, Oct 26 2025, 1 - 4pm Google Outlook iCal

Department

Gender & Sexuality Student Services

Event Type

UIS Connection

Event URL

The Rainbow Joy Celebration

Location

Student Union Central Ballroom

Halloween Party

UIS Connections — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 10:50:01 +0000

Halloween Party

UIS Connections Fri, 09/19/2025 - 05:50

Calling all ghouls and goblins! Join us for our annual Halloween Party on Thursday, October 30th, 2025 from 4pm-6pm in the Diversity Center, Women’s Center, and GSSS lounges in the Student Life Building on the legacy side of campus.

There will be snacks, games, a photo booth, a costume contest, and MORE for ALL students to enjoy!

*Only open to UIS Students, Faculty, and Staff*

For questions or accommodations, please contact us at gss@uis.edu or 217-206-8316.

Sponsors: Diversity Center, Women's Center, GSSS

When

Thu, Oct 30 2025, 4 - 6pm Google Outlook iCal

Department

Women's Center

Gender & Sexuality Student Services

Diversity Center

Event Type

UIS Connection

Event URL

Halloween Party

Location

Student Life Building (Diversity Center, Women's Center, GSSS) on Legacy Campus

International Pronouns Day: Dress to Express

UIS Connections — Sat, 13 Sep 2025 10:50:01 +0000

International Pronouns Day: Dress to Express

UIS Connections Sat, 09/13/2025 - 05:50

GSSS invites you to come and celebrate International Pronouns Day with us on October 15, 20205! The event will be 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. in the Diversity Center Lounge (SLB 22). Bring any item(s) of clothing you would want to put pronouns on, and we will have prints that can be ironed on to clothes, and we will provide fabric paints/markers to decorate with.

Open to all UIS Students, Faculty, and Staff

For questions or accommodations, contact gss@uis.edu or 217-206-8316

When

Wed, Oct 15 2025, 3:30 - 5:30pm Google Outlook iCal

Department

Gender & Sexuality Student Services

Event Type

UIS Connection

Event URL

International Pronouns Day: Dress to Express

Location

Student Life Building Diversity Center Lounge (SLB 22)

Queertober Kickoff: Affirmation Station Open House

UIS Connections — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 10:50:02 +0000

Queertober Kickoff: Affirmation Station Open House

UIS Connections Sun, 09/07/2025 - 05:50

Free clothes, shoes, toiletries, and accessories available for all UIS students, as well as food, crafts, games, and much more. We encourage you to come out, browse around the Affirmation Station, eat some snacks, play games, & craft with friends to get into the fall mood. We will have staff helping you find the items you need and the activities you’re interested in. We are open during operating hours but this special event is for a guided tour and 1 on 1 assistance. Open to all UIS Students. For questions or accommodations, contact gss@uis.edu or 217-206-8316

When

Wed, Oct 1 2025, 3 - 5:30pm Google Outlook iCal

Department

Gender & Sexuality Student Services

Event Type

UIS Connection

Event URL

Queertober Kickoff: Affirmation Station Open House

Location

SLB 22

LGBTea Social

UIS Connections — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 10:50:02 +0000

LGBTea Social

UIS Connections Sun, 09/07/2025 - 05:50

Join us for our weekly LGBTea social gatherings at GSSS in the Diversity Center (SLB 22 - Legacy Campus) on Thursdays from 4PM-6PM for Fall 2025. LGBTea offers a comfortable, accepting, and non-judgmental social atmosphere for students with marginalized gender and/or sexual identities and allied peers. Students hang out, watch movies, listen to music, make plans for the weekend, and play games (Just to name a few!). We will have light snacks and refreshments and a raffle!

For questions or any specific accommodations, please contact us at gss@uis.edu or 217-206-8316.

*Open to all UIS students only

When

Thu, Dec 4 2025, 4 - 6pm Google Outlook iCal

Department

Gender & Sexuality Student Services

Event Type

UIS Connection

Event URL

LGBTea Social

Location

Diversity Center (SLB 22)

Affirmation Station Tabling Event

UIS Connections — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 10:50:01 +0000

Affirmation Station Tabling Event

UIS Connections Sat, 09/06/2025 - 05:50

The Affirmation Station at the Gender and Sexuality Student Services provides free clothing, shoes, accessories, school supplies, toiletries, and much more to students at UIS all year round. Come visit our table at the Student Union to learn more about what the Affirmation Station offers to UIS students. Open to all UIS students

When

Tue, Sep 23 2025, 1 - 3pm Google Outlook iCal

Department

Gender & Sexuality Student Services

Event Type

UIS Connection

Event URL

Affirmation Station Tabling Event

Location

Student Union North Entrance Table

Shades

UIS Connections — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 10:50:01 +0000

Shades

UIS Connections Sat, 09/06/2025 - 05:50

Join us for our weekly Shades event from 4 pm to 5:30 pm in the Diversity Center (SLB 22), located on the legacy side of campus, on most Wednesdays for Fall 2025. Shades is a discussion-based event series for all UIS students, faculty, and staff. The goal of this series is to create a safe and affirming space through which we can explore topics of identity and bring together QTPOC (Queer & Trans* People of Color) students and allies on campus. Light snacks and refreshments are provided and all attendees are entered into a prize raffle!

*Open to UIS students, faculty, and staff*

For questions and accommodations contact us at GSS@uis.edu or 217-206-8316

When

Wed, Dec 3 2025, 4 - 5:30pm Google Outlook iCal

Department

Gender & Sexuality Student Services

Event Type

UIS Connection

Event URL

Shades

Location

Diversity Center Lounge (SLB 22)

Fluidity Support Group

UIS Connections — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 10:50:01 +0000

Fluidity Support Group

UIS Connections Thu, 09/04/2025 - 05:50

Fluidity is a weekly support group where students across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum and allies discuss topics relevant to their experiences including campus, community and interpersonal situations. Students are able to participate in Fluidity as needed and does not require consistent, continuous attendance. Fluidity provides a safe and private space with peers for those exploring their sexual and/or gender identity. The group allows advocacy for its members and is a judgment-free zone. Fluidity will occur on Mondays from 2pm-3pm. The door will be closed at 2:15pm, 15 minutes after the group begins. Fluidity takes place in the GSSS Lounge, located within the Diversity Center in SLB 22. A discreet entrance is also available to the building on the East side of the Student Life Building.

For questions or specific accommodations, please contact us at gss@uis.edu or 217-206-8316.

*Open to all UIS students*

When

Mon, Dec 1 2025, 2 - 3pm Google Outlook iCal

Department

Gender & Sexuality Student Services

Event Type

UIS Connection

Event URL

Fluidity Support Group

Location

GSSS Lounge (SLB 22 - Legacy Campus)