On July 3, without warning or explanation, the “You Belong Here LGBTQ+ Pride Wall” in the SSA Atrium was covered by a temporary white wall. That mural was not just paint on a wall; it was a daily, visible affirmation that every LGBTQ+ student on this campus had a home and a place where they belonged.
When we erase symbols of inclusion, we send a dangerous message: that our students are disposable, and that outside pressure matters more than student safety and belonging. This decision doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It comes right on the heels of UTD eliminating mixed-gender housing, a program that provided transgender and nonbinary students with safe, gender affirming living arrangements. UTD used to be one of the safest, most welcoming schools for the LGBTQ+ community, who already suffer so much; administration has unfortunately chosen to reverse course.
This decision to remove the Pride Wall represents an ongoing pattern of administrative suppression of our fellow students. First came the retaliatory firing of The Mercury’s editor-in-chief following coverage of campus protests. Next came the abrupt removal of the Spirit Rocks, which had long served as a hub for open political discourse and free expression. Third came UTD suspending Students for Justice in Palestine, preventing them from hosting events on campus. The Pride Wall marks the fourth major instance of the administration leveraging its authority to silence student voices. Unless we organize and push back as a united student body, this pattern will only continue.
At the next Student Government Senate meeting, I will introduce a resolution demanding the immediate reinstatement of the Pride Wall and an end to the administration’s suppression of student expression.
I urge every student who is able to attend our Senate meeting on Tuesday, September 15 at 5:30 p.m. in the Galaxy Rooms. Please come speak during the public comment section and make your voice heard.
Administration wants to craft their own narrative and silence ours. Refuse to be silent and make your voice impossible to ignore.
In Solidarity,
Colton Rupe (Student Government Executive Officer)