Claremont, Calif. (April 4, 2018)—Pitzer College was named among the Top 20 for 2018 LGBTQ Friendly Colleges by MatchCollege.com.
According to the publication, the best colleges for LGBTQ support stand out in a number of ways: “The colleges that made the list for the 2018 top colleges have created a school that supports inclusion for all students in a safe, nurturing environment. Additionally, universities (and colleges) have created organizations, groups and curriculum to support a diverse group of students. With greater support across all populations, students have the ability to focus on their academic trajectory and utilize their talents in incredible ways.”
Pitzer was an early adopter of gender-inclusive housing policy and provides gender-neutral restrooms across campus. Rainbow People, a student-run organization, describes its mission on campus as seeking “to create an open and inclusive space for students who want to discuss sexual identity, gender and other forms of queer identity and culture and provide interpersonal and communal support for queer students.” The College offers a range of courses on queer theory and gender studies and integrates issues of gender identity into classes across the curriculum. Pitzer students also have access to The Claremont College’s Queer Resource Center, which provides queer ally training for students, faculty and staff, hosts the annual Lavender Graduation and offers services and events year round for The Claremont Colleges community.
In February 2017, Pitzer President Melvin L. Oliver reaffirmed the College’s support for transgender and non-binary students stating, “Pitzer College supports greater acceptance, not less; true equality, not discrimination” in response to the US Justice Department and the Education Department rescinding federal protections for transgender students under Title IX.
Pitzer has also been named a top 20 LGBT-friendly college by Princeton Review.
MatchCollege.com, a free online resource for college bound students, uses a variety of metrics from government agencies, including the US Department of Education, Carnegie Classification, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the US Census Bureau as well as private sources.
