The Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow — How Mathematics Departments Can Increase LGBTQ+ Inclusivity

By Joseph Nakao, Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Delaware

Healthy mathematics departments frequently ask themselves, “Are our students happy?” Although it is a deceivingly simple question, the answer is difficult to discern. What exactly does it mean for a student to be ‘happy’? Personally, I believe it boils down to whether or not a student is heard, included, and not alone. The success of a department’s diversity and inclusivity efforts requires that faculty and students alike keep these in mind.

Many departments are working to become more welcoming of people from historically marginalized groups in mathematics, such as female, Black, and Latinx mathematicians. Recently, there have been several talks, panels, and articles outlining how departments can better support these communities. This progress is long overdue! But despite being a marginalized group, LGBTQ+ mathematicians are seldom included in this list. I don’t believe this omission is malicious, but rather because there simply has not been enough focus on the issue for departments to know how to support LGBTQ+ mathematicians.

I am proud to be a gay mathematician. Undoubtedly, a major reason for the pride in my identity is related to the fact that I was a part of Seattle University’s (SU’s) mathematics department during my undergraduate education. In my experience, the SU mathematics department was successful at fostering an open and accepting environment, particularly for the LGBTQ+ community. I was heard. I was included. I was not alone. Reflecting on my own experiences at SU, this post is meant to outline what I have found creates an inclusive atmosphere for LGBTQ+ students.

What it Takes

Above all else, creating any sense of inclusivity requires immense empathy and thoughtfulness. Ask yourself: how might my choice of words hurt someone? Am I making any inherent assumptions in my language and actions? Thoughtfulness goes beyond a basic willingness to listen; it includes a willingness to adopt a non-heteronormative perspective. For example, you can use gender-inclusive terminology such as “y’all,” “they,” and “my partner” instead of “you guys,” “he/she,” and “my husband/wife.” Thoughtfulness also includes a willingness to reflect, act, and change. For many students, taking the initiative to speak up for something that concerns them — such as asking their professor and classmates to use their preferred pronouns — requires immense courage. It goes a long way if the professor respects a student’s concerns and consciously tries to change their own actions, for instance, by asking students what their pronouns are at the beginning of a class and then using a person’s preferred pronouns for the rest of the term.

The importance of cooperation and communication between faculty and students cannot be overstated. Many departments mistakenly act on behalf of the student body without first listening to the needs of the students. Since it is often difficult to encourage open communication between faculty and students without being awkward, I offer some suggestions.

How to Implement These Ideas

I have found that LGBTQ+ inclusivity flourishes when the focus is on building general friendliness and thoughtfulness. SU’s mathematics department focuses on creating friendly comradery between faculty and students, rather than forcing a ‘let’s schedule a time to meet with students and talk about xyz topics.’ The department has a shared lounge where students work, faculty relax, and everybody eats lunch together. Before holidays and changes of seasons, highly anticipated decorating parties take place. Furthermore, several faculty members meet with the teaching assistants every week for thirty minutes to discuss the math courses they are teaching/supporting. They discuss any difficulties students are having and work together to try and find ways to better support students. These meetings are not focused on LGBTQ+ topics specifically, but topics on inclusivity arise, such as how to make students feel welcomed and not offended in a teaching environment.

Students form friendships with one another, and students and faculty get to know each other through everyday conversations. As a result, an open environment is created. The LGBTQ+ inclusivity follows from these relationships without even being the primary focus! Once these relationships are established, conversations that surround improving LGBTQ+ diversity arise naturally, not awkwardly.

This addresses how to create an inviting departmental atmosphere conducive to acceptance and communication — the ‘I am heard’ and ‘I am included’. But what about the ‘I am not alone’? Students need to see representation of LGBTQ+ mathematicians. Thus, I recommend that faculty keep an eye out for conferences and workshops focused around LGBTQ+ mathematicians and encourage their students to attend them. The national math organizations occasionally host LGBTQ+ related events, such as the recent panels: Queer Families and Mathematical Careers by the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM), and Support Transgender and Nonbinary Students by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). In addition, workshops and conferences broadly centered around diversity are starting to include LGBTQ+ talks and events, such as the recent diversity, equity, and inclusion workshop hosted by the Society for Mathematical Biology (SMB). Two organizations that target their support to LGBTQ+ mathematicians are Out in STEM (oSTEM) — a society advancing LGBTQ+ STEM student diversity — and Spectra — an organization recognizing and supporting gender and sexual minority mathematicians.

I recently attended LGBTQ+ Math Day, hosted by the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences. The conference invited four speakers in the LGBTQ+ mathematics community to share their personal experiences, research, and accomplishments; it was a celebration of LGBTQ+ mathematicians. As a gay mathematician, I found it incredibly powerful to hear their stories of overcoming adversity and becoming the successful people they are today. It made me realize how impactful attending these diverse conferences can be for LGBTQ+ students to see they are not alone.

Finding the Pot of Gold

As we work hard towards social justice and inclusivity, let’s remember to include LGBTQ+ mathematicians. Unlike decades past, it is now easier than ever to support our LGBTQ+ mathematicians and coordinate LGBTQ+ math conferences and workshops. As I have described, departments can create an inclusive environment by simply fortifying a sense of community and togetherness between students and faculty. LGBTQ+ inclusivity follows naturally. Although there are many ways a mathematics department can create LGBTQ+ inclusivity, at the end of the day, the path taken does not matter. What matters is that we all as mathematicians find the pot of gold — a mathematical community where diversity and inclusivity is the norm.