Towson University champions LGBTQ+ inclusion and health with monthly Pride Ride events.
Towson University recently introduced Pride Ride, a program to support inclusivity of LGBTQ+ students. Gabrielle Guynan, the assistant director of Fitness — formerly at Towson and now the assistant director of Fitness and Wellness at Duke University — and Sydney O’Rourke, the coordinator of Fitness Programs, organized this event due to the lack of pride celebrations aside from Pride month. Rather than being a one off event during June, Pride Rides repeat monthly to foster a community of celebrating both pride and fitness.
This new event was created due to O’Rourke reaching out to Towson’s Center of Student Diversity. “Me and the coordinator from that department came up with this idea together to provide students that belong to the LGBTQ+ community a way to connect with Campus Recreation,” she explained.
Building a Safe Space
“We decorate the studios with pride decorations,” said Guynan. “The playlists for the classes are either identifying LGBTQ+ artists or allies, and then we make sure that we have kind of some positive and welcoming messaging at the start intended to build community amongst each other and that sense of belonging in the space.”
Pride Ride is intended to create a safe space for those who may not feel comfortable entering traditional fitness spaces. “Belonging comes from trust, and we’re only going to build trust by allowing them through the door by showing that we celebrate them,” explained Guynan.
Getting students into the front door of fitness spaces is the first hurdle to overcome, so creating a welcoming environment from the beginning is a crucial step to get students excited about fitness.
“This could be the very first thing that they do in the world of campus recreation,” added O’Rourke. “This could open the door to many more possibilities down the line for them.”
Maintaining A Community
Both Guynan and O’Rourke emphasized how pushing boundaries and creating workout sessions tailored for specific demographics — such as LGBTQ+ or neurodiverse people — aids in fostering a community of health and belonging. “These genuine connections are going to be the foundation for people to want to come back and continue to expand in their recreation journey, their fitness journey and feel comfortable,” said O’Rourke.
Towson’s effort to foster LGBTQ+ pride campus-wide has ultimately been successful as the university has been ranked a five out of five on the Campus Pride Index. Campus Recreation is hopeful this metric is one potential students will take into consideration when choosing their college.
By spreading a message of love and acceptance through fitness, Pride Rides empowers everyone who attends and facilitates them. The event allows for the creation of genuine bonds and emphasizes the importance of health while simultaneously celebrating LGBTQ+ students.
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