Reno Reporter

Students interested in LGBTQ studies can now minor in the field as the University of Nevada, Reno’s Gender, Race and Identity (GRI) department will now offer the program.

According to a news release shared by the university, the curriculum will be based on LGBTQIA+ community's spectrum of activism, culture and experiences.

“I've taught classes in the field for a while and definitely heard a lot of enthusiasm for it,” said Dr. Emily Hobson, GRI chair and associate professor of GRI and history, in the release. “Our courses in queer history and theory see strong enrollments, many students pursue research on LGBTQIA+ topics, and I have advised several undergraduate student theses in the field. There’s definitely been a lot of interest.”

Hobson, who specializes in HIV/AIDS history, activism within the community and the history of LGBTQIA+, is among a number of College of Liberal Arts and University faculty that will contribute to the program.

According to Dr. Hobson: “I reached out to faculty primarily in the College of Liberal Arts but [also] around the university, asking about classes that existed that we might not know about that could be good electives in the minor. When you look at the catalog copy, you'll see they're primarily in liberal arts, but they also stretch a little bit to education, journalism, also public health – other colleges across the university.”

The objective of the GRI department’s goal is to conduct intersectional analysis studies based on race, gender, class and sexuality.

According to Dr. Hobson: “For this coming academic year, we are really excited to be welcoming a postdoctoral teaching fellow, Dr. Dana Ahern. His research is specifically in trans studies. In the fall, his courses will include GRI 493, Queer History and Theory and in the spring, GRI 230, Introduction to LGBTQ Studies.”