In the same year that the United States saw hate crimes hit a five-year high—with a notable spike in reported incidents occurring in the immediate months following the election of Donald Trump—college campus hate crimes increased 25%. Of the 1,300 hate crimes reported on college campuses in 2016, 49% of crimes were based on race, nation of origin, or ethnicity; 21% were based on sexual orientation or gender identity; 18% were based on religion; 11% were based on gender; and 1% were based on disability.
To kick off revamp, GLAAD's student-activist campaign, we spoke to three college students about their experiences as LGBTQ, on and off their college campuses. The video above discusses the importance of building LGBTQ student communities, hate groups taking residence in and around colleges, and harassment off-campus.
To take action in your community, please continue to check out our student-activist-led campaign, revamp, as GLAAD’s Campus Ambassadors share insights on how to make your campus activism more inclusive and effective.
Clare Kenny is a Campaigns Manager at GLAAD. She leads GLAAD's Youth Engagement including the Campus Ambassador Program, Rising Stars Grants Program, and amp series. Clare is a graduate of Skidmore College.
Abdool Corlette is the Video Production Manager at GLAAD. He uses digital media to accelerate acceptance for all marginalized people. Abdool is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts.