Louisiana State University Introduces LGBTQ Minor Program

Louisiana State University introduced an 18-hour LGBT minor program this fall semester, joining an increasing list of universities offering programs focused on sexual and gender identities.

Elaine Maccio, the associate professor who developed the minor, told The Daily Reveille, the student newspaper, that the program stemmed from her "noticing the gap in what LSU had to offer."

Classes for the LGBT minor include Introduction to LGBTQ Studies, Social Work With Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People, Evolution of Sex and Gender, and Family Life Education, according to the university website. Classes are drawn from multiple departments, including political science and theater.

Maccio compiled a list of similarly sized universities with in-state tuition tuition less than $10,000 that offer such academic programs, according to The Daily Reveille. LSU did not make the list.

"Since a number of colleges and universities around the country already have courses, minors, majors and even entire departments and research centers dedicated to LGBTQ topics, I knew LSU needed to have something similar if we wanted to remain competitive," Maccio told USA Today College.

Julianne Martin, president of Spectrum, the LSU LGBT organization, told USA Today College that it is beneficial and important to educate others on oppressed groups.

"I think that much of hate comes from a lack of what people don't understand and, rather than trying to do some research on it, many people just respond negatively because it doesn't fit 'the norm,'" Martin said.