SAN MARCOS — Palomar College’s Pride Center and Behavior Health Center is excited to announce a new addition to the campus. The “Gender Exploration & Transitioning Group”, is for LGBTQ+ students and anyone feeling lost or simply looking for an open space to talk.
The group first met on September 5 and will meet every first and third Tuesday of each month. These group sessions are in-person bi-weekly meetings at the ST-72 Pride Center from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The group meets each time with the guidance of AJ Lewis, who was a member of the committee for two years and now holds a position here at Palomar.
Dylan Davison, who is the Pride Center assistant and also part of the support group, expresses that it is a great place for those trying to figure out their gender identity and needing help with transitioning.
The meetings consist of open discussions or certain topics to get a conversation going, while also allowing students to meet one another and develop friendships.
“They allow time for people to bring forward problems that they have, to either ask for help or advice or if they just want to vent,” said Davison.
Davison believes with the work and collaboration of the Behavior Health Center and the Pride Center will benefit Palomar as it encourages students to express their gender identity outside of their own community.
“It is understandably scary to approach a new group of people but I guarantee we are welcoming, calm and peaceful,” said Davison.
Those looking to join can attend a group session and won’t be put on the spot to speak. Students can just listen and be with one another, as that is what the Pride Center space is for.
Although the group is small right now, it is still a community full of passion and acceptance. If interested, below is more information and ways to get involved, along with next meeting on Tuesday.
https://www.palomar.edu/pridecenter/
Correct: A previous version of this story contained a spelling error with the source’s name. Previous versions of the story read “Dylan Davidson”. The updated version contains the correct spelling, “Dylan Davison.”
