Point Park University has a new student run organization this fall semester. The Rainbow Club is a LGBTQ+ group for students; a first for Point Park. The club was started by Heather Marie, and she currently holds the position of the Resources Manager. Marie prefers to be called “Heather” as to her birth name, which will not be mentioned to protect her privacy.
Marie wants to build a community at Point Park for the LGBTQ+ students and that’s a huge reason why she started the Rainbow Club.
“The reason I started the Rainbow Club is because when I came out as trans last year, I got a lot of prejudice here at Point Park University. I have had people laugh at me, people stare at me.”
Marie believes that these people are afraid to accept themselves.  This is the reason why she wanted this club, she wants it to be a “safe space” for the LGBTQ+ at Point Park.
Marie identifies as being trans, but before identifying as trans in September of 2014 she came out as “gender non-conforming.”
Wearing a bright pink lip color she explains what gender non-conforming means, “My definition of gender non-conforming was that I felt like a woman, but there were parts of me that felt like a guy as well. “
“Some days I would dress as a guy, some days I would dress as a girl,” Marie explained.
It wasn’t until the second semester she came out as transgender.
“I pretty much came out to everyone actually,” She said.
When asked if her family knew about her being transgender she said “some members of my family do, some members of my family don’t.”
Pronouns are very important to transgender individuals, being referred to by the correct pronoun is a sign of respect and acceptance.
“I went to the student health center and I asked them a question and the woman went back and she was talking about me and she was using male pronouns. I was very insulted by that because as a student health center they should ask those kinds of questions.”
According to Marie Point Park is accepting of her and accommodating even allowing her to room with another female student. However she remembers one situation in particular.
“There was a security guard, he was like hey come here, and I went over to him and he was like what’s your name? I said my name’s Heather, and he was like no what’s your real name?”
Someone reported the security guard and she hasn’t seen him since.
“I am not what’s in-between my legs, I am my own person” Marie said.
The President of the Rainbow Club Silmari Muñoz, who identifies with being a lesbian, shared some of the events the club hopes to plan for the future.
“We want to do a lot, one thing we want to do is make a video just to bring awareness of what LGBTQ+ students want from the school, like changes the school can do to make us feel more comfortable. Another thing we want to do is we’re going to have a day where we we’re going to teach people how to register to vote.”
Muñoz said that she hopes Point Park will have more guideline set in stone when dealing with LGBTQ+ students. She believes that the Rainbow Club will help Point Park become more diverse and accepting.
Bunny Carger who identifies as bisexual, is the new vice president and has the same views.
“I’ve never gotten this involved in the LGBT community before, and I’m really excited for it.” Carger said.
“I think we have a lot of diversity, it’s just not as obvious as it could be. Right now you look around it doesn’t seem like it, but once you go to the Rainbow Club meetings you see people of all types,” Muñoz said.
Club meeting are Fridays from 5pm to 6pm in 301 Academic Hall.