Appalachian State University continues to disappoint its queer community. 

The university has intentionally hidden their deliberate railroading of LGBTQ+ supports from its students, faculty, and donors. They have imposed restrictions on all organizations and offices that were intended to advocate for and protect their own queer students.  PrideFest, originally scheduled for the first week of April, has effectively been changed to, “SpringFest.” This change of name is to diminish the literal pride of their students in their own identities. 

Condemned actions include:

• The cancellation of all Pride Week events involving drag performers,
  • Including the cancellation of a drag show on Tuesday, March 19, 2024; and
  • The changing of the name of “Pride Week” to “Spring Fest” without consulting with the Appalachian State University Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA), the
    Student Government Association (SGA), and the wider student body of the University as an institution; and
• The recent firings of at least four (4) Queer & Trans Staff and Faculty (QTSAF*), three of whom received no information as to the cause of this termination (three of these employees being members of the transgender, nonbinary, gender-expansive (TNBGE) community). This includes:
  • The firing of Jax Lastinger (they/them) on March 5th, 2024, without cause and without an immediate replacement. Jax was the former Director of DEI Educational Development and Campus Climate Strategies.
  • The firing of Sarah Hoffert (she/her) in October of 2023. Sarah was an Interpersonal Violence Specialist in Case Management.
    • *The Queer and Trans Staff and Faculty (QTSAF) group, founded in May 2021, is a gathering of folks across the queer and trans/LGBTQ+ spectrum at Appalachian State. [Their] goal is to provide community, support, and advocacy for queer and trans folks on campus and work to make [the] campus a more inclusive space.
    • Jax Lastinger and Sarah Hoffert were the founding members of this organization.
  • The firing of MB Bowen (they/them) in March of 2023. MB was a Title IX Investigator.
  • The firing of Kora Smith (she/they) in September of 2023. Kora was a Housekeeper in Housing.
• The recent firing of approximately 5-6 employees from the Title IX Office within the past year.
• The lack of appropriate staffing for the Henderson Springs LGBTQ+ Center, as evidenced by:
  • An outdated website with programs and organizations listed that are no longer running or have never run,
  • An outdated calendar with no events scheduled,
  • Outdated social media accounts with very few to no recent posts,
  • The delayed release of the “Spring Fest” schedule,
  • And the policing of language and promotion of events that involve terms like “queer” and/or “drag."
• The lack of appropriate healthcare for the TNBGE community, such as:
  • The lack of a qualified physician who may prescribe life-saving hormone replacement therapy (HRT) through the M. S. Shook Student Health Service Clinic, and
  • Inadequate access to hormone replacement therapy through the M. S. Shook Student Health Services Pharmacy.

Their actions have led to a climate of fear, anger, and anxiety in their queer community. We are continually gaslit, ignored, and dismissed when attempting to advocate in official avenues. We’re creating this petition to show the corrupt higher-ups that OUR VOICES MATTER AND WILL BE HEARD.

We plan to reclaim our pride at the fest this year. Please sign this petition to express your support for the LGBTQ+ community in Boone and to tell our leadership that their students matter more than their legislator’s opinions.

For clarification, many pride events are still on the schedule (for now).

Sign to let Appalachian State know that they can't get away with changing the name of PrideFest.

Follow-up information on the date, location, and time will be communicated with petitioners when the information becomes available.