The Out Foundation

Queer & Resilient: Standing Strong in 2024

Dear Friends and Allies,

In the wake of the 2024 election, many of us are feeling a mixture of fear, frustration, and uncertainty. For queer students at Brigham Young University, this political shift represents more than just a change in leadership; it represents a real and growing challenge to our safety, our dignity, and our right to exist authentically in the world.

As queer individuals, we face a complex intersection of faith, identity, and societal expectation. At BYU, where the culture is deeply rooted in traditional values and where LGBTQ+ students often navigate a landscape of silence and exclusion, the consequences of a conservative political climate are particularly harsh. The rhetoric of hate, the erasure of our identities, and the rollback of hard-fought rights are not just abstract ideas to us—they are threats to our well-being, our mental health, and our sense of belonging.

In 2024, the challenges are even more pronounced. After a deeply divisive election season, the words and actions of those in power have emboldened forces that seek to marginalize us further. As a result, many queer BYU students are left wondering how they will continue to thrive in a place that doesn’t always feel safe for them, and in a world that feels increasingly hostile.

But we are resilient.

Despite the adversity, we are here. We are surviving, we are pushing forward, and we are asking for your help to continue doing so.

We need your support.

We are launching this campaign to raise funds for queer students at BYU who face unique challenges in this moment. These funds will be used to:

Create Safe Spaces: Establish support networks, assist currently LGBTQ+ advocacy groups on campus, and uplift safe spaces where queer students can find community, healing, and strength.

Provide Mental Health Resources: Ensure access to counseling services to help students navigate the emotional toll of living in a hostile climate.

Foster Educational Opportunities: Create scholarships, mentorship programs, and leadership development opportunities to help queer students thrive academically and professionally.

Transfer To Safer Schools: For students that need to leave BYU, we can offset the loss of financial support from scholarships, jobs, and parents/families.

This is more than just about survival. It’s about thriving. It’s about giving queer BYU students the tools they need to create a future where they can be proud of who they are, unapologetically and fully.

We are here, and we are not going anywhere. But we need your help to ensure we can keep pushing forward. Every donation—whether large or small—will make a difference in the lives of queer students who are fighting for their right to exist in a world that too often seeks to silence them.

We stand together. We fight together. We thrive together.

With your support, we can build a future where queer students at BYU can not only survive but flourish, knowing they are loved, valued, and worthy of respect.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Your contribution will help turn hope into action, and fear into strength.

Together, we are Queer & Resilient.