Gender-and Sexuality Partnership

The following is a brief overview of our Gender and Sexuality Partnership (GSP), a recognized student club at the University of Portland.

Mission 

The mission of the GSP is to build a community that is open and welcoming to students of all sexual orientations. The GSP represents and models the University goals of inclusiveness and community, bringing together gay and straight students. The GSP seeks to help all students grow in friendship, knowledge, faith and service. 

Purpose

• Build and maintain a welcoming community. The GSP works to meet the needs of University of Portland students in building and maintaining a welcome and integrated community. We seek to fill the needs of education and community for LGBTQ+ students and allies by providing social community-building events in an inclusive environment. The community built during GSP events provides a model of support and unity between gay and straight students that carries into the residential and academic life. 

• Education. The GSP addresses issues surrounding sexuality in a constructive, educational approach, without any agenda other than furthering our understanding. The GSP provides balanced educational programming, including a faithful presentation of the Catholic Church’s teaching. LGBTQ+ students, not unlike heterosexual students, seek answers to the core questions: Who am I? Who am I becoming? Why am I here? How does the world work? How do relationships and communities’ function? What is the value of difference? What is the role of beauty, imagination, and feeling in life? Who or what is God? How can one relate to God? What is a good life? What can we do about injustice and suffering? Sexuality is a core part of a person’s identity, and it effects how he/she relates to and experiences the world, God, and themselves. The discussion periods and presentations during GSP events explore the core questions in a setting that considers and allows the differences of sexual orientation. The GSP provides education on homophobia and other issues of sexuality. 

• Service. The GSP promotes not only service to each other, but following the University of Portland model of Teaching, Faith, and Service, reaches out to others in our community through volunteering and education.

Contact

Kevin Jones, co-advisor,
Assistant Professor, Sociology & Social Work
jonesk@up.edu
503.943.8709

Erin Currie, co-advisor
Visiting Assistant Professor, Psychology
curriee@up.edu 
503.943.8224

Brandy Daniels, co-advisor
Assistant Professor, Theology
danielsb@up.edu 
503.943.7274