How should we celebrate National Coming Out Day in 2023 in the red state of Iowa? This was a key question at the most recent meeting of Mount Mercy University’s Faculty and Staff GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance). Let’s start with logistics: we’re marking National Coming Out Day after fall break because the actual day, … Read more
This year marked my 29th first day of school as a professor at Mount Mercy, and my 37th as a teacher. If you count my student years, it was my 55th first day of school! That fresh fall start never gets old. Sure, there is sadness about leaving summer behind and having less time to … Read more
The new year has made me want to try something new with this blog. So in addition to my super sporadic essays, I’ve decided to post monthly collections of quotes. This first bunch includes mostly old favorites and a few from recent reading. After some of them, I’ve offered commentary. I let the quotes determine … Read more
This Pride month, I want to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and its many allies at Mount Mercy, a small Catholic university in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I’ve taught English there my entire career. Twenty-seven years! As a Queer elder, I’ve enjoyed witnessing and contributing to the increased visibility of the LGBTQ+ community on campus. Queer Visibility … Read more
During the pandemic, students focused on queer trauma, but next time, I plan to ensure that they also explore queer joy.