Find Your Community: NYU’s LGBTQ+ Clubs

Make Friends from the Start

The adjustment from high school to college can be a challenge. For Mya Chin, a Psychology major, joining an LGBTQ+ Center club during her first semester helped ease the transition. “I was a first-year student when I found Gemstones. Immediately, it became the third space I had always longed for,” she says. “Gemstones events served as a safe space from the biphobia and stigmatization that I encountered in other communities. I felt such a deep sense of belonging with people I had met for the very first time. The community quickly became family to me because I could finally be accepted and understood without needing to justify who I am.” Today, she’s the club’s copresident.

Cassie Rendlesham, a Professional Studies major focusing on education and psychology, had a similarly transformative experience. She’s the president of CampGrrl, a club for queer students of marginalized genders. “CampGrrl was one of the first communities where I felt I could be my full authentic self while also having people who were similar to me all in one room,” Cassie shares. “I didn’t grow up in a town that was the most open to the LGBTQ+ community. So, having a small group that fit what I was looking for and who I am allowed me to feel accepted for the first time in my life.”

Something for Everyone

All are welcome at NYU’s LGBTQ+ Center-affiliated clubs. Want to learn more about activism and community building? Join Queer Union. Have questions about religion or spirituality? Check out QFaith. Some clubs give students the chance to learn about specific topics, while others simply offer students a space to unwind and grow together.

“CampGrrl has allowed me to grow as a person by giving others what I wanted when I first got here: a community or their first home,” affirms Cassie. “Now, as president of CampGrrl, I have continued to put forward the idea that this could be people’s first time seeing a community like this. So, I love being able to encourage and help our new e-board members do events that they are passionate about and that truly center our club members.”

Meet the 10 LGBTQ+ Center Clubs

Whatever you’re looking for, LGBTQ+ Center clubs are a hub for inclusive connection. “These clubs unlock a community that is there for you when you need it. All you have to do is walk in,” says Mya. “Come for a cup of freshly brewed tea and stay for the community that awaits in the lounge. The friends you make at these clubs become family.”

And that sense extends beyond weekly meetings. Because these groups share a home at the LGBTQ+ Center, they frequently collaborate to bring the wider community together. “A lot of the clubs at the Center get together for major events like Queer Prom and Queernival,” adds Cassie. “I always recommend them to students since they are big events that exude queer joy and showcase the deep-rooted values of our clubs.”

Currently, the NYU LGBTQ+ Center houses 10 student-led clubs:

Aces & Aros
For exploring asexual and aromantic experiences across the spectrum.

Brown Sugar Brilliance
Centering the experiences of Black LGBTQ+ communities.

CampGrrl
Cultivating conversations centering lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer women, as well as nonbinary people.

Gemstones
For community-building and discussions around bisexuality, pansexuality, and queerness.

New Masculinities
An inclusive community dedicated to the redefinition and exploration of masculinity.

QFaith
A multifaith space for exploring the intersections of LGBTQ+ identities, religion, spiritual beliefs, and faith.

Queer Grads
A dedicated space for graduate students to connect, build community, and engage with LGBTQ+ topics.

Queer Union
Focused on queer activism, education, and community building

SHADES
Centering the experiences of LGBTQ+ people of color.

T-Party
Focusing on the experiences of transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people.