Sharing Our Stories

A KU AAI grant funded project led by The Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity and Film and Media Studies to tell QT stories and build community at KU and beyond

Sharing Our Stories is a partnership between Film and Media Studies and The Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity. The project is a continuation of a pilot program that occurred in the Fall semester of 2021 with various stakeholders across campus. This project entails Queer and Trans (QT) students interviewing Queer and Trans staff, faculty, and alum with the goals of:

  • Documenting, recording, and archiving QT stories and history

  • Building community across QT students, faculty, and staff

  • Student staff building skills in working with QT people and content through Film and Media Studies

  • Creating a sustainable on-demand bank of interviews for the community to view and engage with

  • Creating a curated collection of all individual interviews together

  • Creating programs that tell the stories of QT people throughout the year

AAI awards Sharing Our Stories Grant

KU's Achievement and Assessment Institute awards grant to fund the Sharing Our Stories project.
People holding various pride flags

Apply to Share Your Story

The grant staff invite Queer and Trans staff, faculty, alum, and graduate students to apply to share their stories via an interview. Priority deadline for application - February 12, 2023
Student with camera recording

Why is Sharing Our Stories important?

QT people experience disproportionate rates of violence, health disparities, community rejection, and more. This project is an attempt to combat societal messages and systemic oppression. Our hope is that through this project people will be able to see themselves at KU in ways that are affirming and supportive, as well as build community with QT people.

Sharing Our Stories Staff

QT Statistics from the 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health

45%
of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year
14%
of LGBTQ youth attempted suicide in the past year
89%
of LGBTQ youth reported seeing representation made them feel good about being LGBTQ

QT Statistics

73%
of LGBTQ youth reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety
82%
of all LGBTQ youth wanted access to mental health care
56%
of LGBTQ youth reported their mental health was poor most of the time or always during the pandemic

For on-campus support for Queer and Trans topics, visit: 

The Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity 

The Center for LGBTQ+ Research and Advocacy 

The Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

The Trevor Project